Netflix has unveiled the poster and teaser trailer for Song Joong-ki’s upcoming Korean film, My Name is Loh Ki-wan. Cho Hae-jin’s short novel I Met Loh Ki-wan, which won the Shin Dong-yup Prize for Literature in 2013, inspired the film. Translators brought the novel to English audiences in 2019.
The novel follows the life of Loh Ki-wan, who comes from North Hamgyong Province in North Korea and ends up in Belgium. He doesn’t know the culture or the language and has absolutely nothing to his name. His only hope of survival hinges on obtaining refugee status from the government. He eventually meets Mari, a former Korean shooter born in Belgium who feels like she has nothing to live for. Their first encounter doesn’t go very well, but they fall for each other anyway, leading to an extraordinary love story.
In the short novel’s film adaptation, Song Joong-ki plays Loh Ki-wan. Its poster shows Loh Ki-wan alone in a crowd, in an unfamiliar land among strangers. It also bears the text, “I have decided to survive in this land.”
Meanwhile, the teaser trailer offers a glimpse at Loh Ki-wan’s harrowing journey to Belgium, where he endures cold and hunger. Eventually, he says, “I have managed to come this far by promising myself that I would endure and overcome whatever hell I experienced in this land.” As the teaser ends, viewers see a title card reading, “I have decided to survive in this land.”
My Name is Loh Kiwan | Official Teaser | Netflix
‘My Name is Loh Ki-wan’ has a star-studded cast
The film’s cast includes notable names like Choi Sung-eun, Jo Han-chul, Lee Sang-hee, Seo Hyeon-woo, and Kim Sung-ryun.
Choi Sung-eun, best known for her star turn in Beyond Evil and her role opposite Ji Chang-wook in The Sound of Magic, will portray Mari. The film’s impressive cast includes Cho Han-chul as Mari’s father, Yoon Sung. Lee Il-hwa, recently seen with Seo Ye-ji in Eve, will play the role of Mari’s mother, Jung Joo.
Seasoned actress Kim Sung-ryun will play Ok-hee, whose actions will be a big factor in Loh Ki-wan’s decision to move to Belgium. Lee Sang-hee is cast as Sung Joo, a Korean immigrant whom Loh Ki-wan encounters in a Belgian factory. Seo Hyeon-woo will appear as Loh Kiwan’s uncle, Eun Chul.
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My Name is Loh Ki-wan is the first full-length film directed and written by Kim Hee-jin. She won multiple awards for her 2010 indie short A Brand New Journey, including the Special Jury Award at the 11th Jeonju International Film Festival.
This is Song Joong-ki’s first project of 2024, following his critically acclaimed performance in Hopeless last year. Known for his roles in Descendants of the Sun, Vincenzo, and more, Song Joong-ki continues to prove he’s a versatile actor capable of bringing depth and nuance to the characters he plays.
The film has been restricted to a mature audience. Despite this, Song Joong-ki’s fans can hardly wait for it to hit Netflix so they can see him onscreen again. – K-Pop News Writer
Featured Image: Don’t miss out on Song Joong-ki’s comeback film! Sources: Goodreads, Netflix.
