Return to Seoul

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Return to Seoul

R

Released Dec 2, 2022

1h 59m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

97%

Tomatometer

134 Reviews

91%

Popcornmeter

500+ Ratings

On an impulse to reconnect with her origins, Freddie, 25, returns to South Korea for the first time, where she was born before being adopted and raised in France. The headstrong young woman starts looking for her biological parents in a country she knows so little about, taking her life in new and unexpected directions.

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Critics Consensus

Sensitively attuned to its protagonist's quest, Return to Seoul uses one woman's story to explore universal truths about the human condition.

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Jasmine Liu

The New Republic

Return to Seoul revels in the possibilities of perpetual drift. Freddie’s relationships with her birth parents, her adoptive parents, and herself remain in flux.

Aug 7, 2023

Full Review

Jae-Ha Kim

Salon.com

Don't believe the K-dramas. Look to "Return to Seoul" for a more realistic view on Korean adoptees.

Rated: 3.5/4

Jul 26, 2023

Full Review

David Sexton

New Statesman

This fantastic film is just as much the creation of its star, Park Ji-min, a French-Korean visual artist who had never acted before. She gives an extraordinary performance as Freddie.

Jul 5, 2023

Full Review

Anna Hoang

Boston Hassle

Freddie isn’t meant to please, and sometimes not empathize with at times, but it would be useless to watch RETURN TO SEOUL if the character fell in that same pitfall again and again.

Rated: 3.5/5

Jul 17, 2025

Full Review

Amarsanaa Battulga

View of the Arts

Return to Seoul is an irresistible work that one is likely to return to again and again.

Rated: 5/5

Aug 1, 2024

Full Review

Jericho Tadeo

The Asian Cut

Return to Seoul may seem like a quiet film at first...but, in truth, the film is deceptively devastating in its examination — to a forensic degree in some aspects — of its protagonist’s heart and soul.

Rated: 9/10

Jul 12, 2024

Full Review

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Will

Moving, subtle and sharply observed drama about what it means to be truly lost and the frustration of finding answers.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

04/02/23

Full Review

Brenda T

I was surprised to see the city streets and buildings looking modern. As far as the lead person, I almost expected her to die before the movie ended because she was reckless and uncaring. I did not like that she disrespected and nearly hated her father, but accepted her mother so readily. Her father should have been more understood even though he drank a lot and wanted to get her married without really knowing how she felt. I liked his family.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/26/23

Full Review

Anna

It was a very moving show. Unexpected ending.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/08/23

Full Review

Marty

Acting of characters Freddie and her father was excellent. Film has great flow, editing and mood. Excellent mix of French, Korean and English dialogue with good English subtitles.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/27/23

Full Review

jonathan

Heartbreaking, in the best possible way.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/19/23

Full Review

w donald s

Totally up involving. Highly overrated by critic

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

12/03/22

Full Review

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Davy Chou

Director

Oh Kwang-rok

Actor

Kim Sun-young

Actor

Yoann Zimmer

Maxime

Louis-Do de Lencquesaing

André

Park Ji-min

Frédérique Benoît

Awards Leaderboard: Top Movies of 2022

Everything Everywhere All at Once and TÁR Lead Independent Spirit Awards

Return to Seoul: Trailer 1

2:02

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Synopsis

On an impulse to reconnect with her origins, Freddie, 25, returns to South Korea for the first time, where she was born before being adopted and raised in France. The headstrong young woman starts looking for her biological parents in a country she knows so little about, taking her life in new and unexpected directions.

Director: Davy Chou
Producer: Katia Khazak, Charlotte Vincent
Screenwriter: Davy Chou
Distributor: Sony Pictures Classics
Production Co: Anti-Archive, Centre National du Cinéma et de L'image Animée, Seoul Metropolitan Government, Vandertastic Films, Filmförderungsanstalt, Doco Digital, Belga Films Fund, Merecinema, Aurora Films, Ciné+, Belga Productions, Tax Shelter du Gouvernement Fédéral Belge, Cinémage 16, Cofimage 33, BE TV, VOO, Frakas Productions, Korean Film Council
Rating: R (Language|Brief Drug Use|Nudity)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: French (France)
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 2, 2022, Limited
Box Office (Gross USA): $798.5K
Runtime: 1h 59m
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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