Song Joong Ki's appearance in the new movie My Name is Loh Kiwan - Photo: Leisurebyte
My Name is Loh Kiwan is the movie marking Song Joong Ki's return, after Hopeless in 2023.
The film tells the story of Loh Kiwan (Song Joong Ki), a North Korean-born man who is awaiting confirmation of his refugee status from the Belgian government, as he struggles to survive.
In a foreign land, Kiwan accidentally meets Marie (Choi Sung Eun) when she tries to steal his wallet to pay off his debt.
Marie was born into a wealthy family, but her resentment towards her father turned her into a rebel, often "selling herself" to dangerous games that could cost her her life at any moment.
Two people with different personalities but sharing the same feeling of loneliness and the pain of losing a loved one gradually develop an emotional bond.
Trailer My Name is Loh Kiwan
Song Joong Ki returns with a dark image
Compared to his most recent work - Dead End , Song Joong Ki's role in My Name is Loh Kiwan has a brighter ending, but the overall impression of this character is still unhappiness, loneliness, having to face difficulties alone when leaving his homeland.
The film makes an impression when it opens with a dark, violent atmosphere, through images of blood spilled on the streets, poor people being beaten, the bureaucratic face of the refugee resettlement office...
Song Joong Ki tries to show the miserable life of refugees - Photo: Filmfare
Director Kim Hee Jin's film offers a realistic look at the miserable lives of immigrants and the harshness of nomadic life.
The film features many scenes showing them having to eat leftovers, sleep in public toilets to keep warm, and collect bottles on the streets to try to survive in minimal conditions.
Song Joong Ki's image is carefully crafted to become a worker with a miserable life.
He sheds his usual elegant, confident, and sometimes arrogant demeanor to highlight Kiwan's feelings of vulnerability, despair, and moments of anger and sadness.
Amidst the brutal survival story, Kiwan and Marie's romance provides breathing space for the work, evoking feelings of hope for a brighter future.
Why controversial?
Although the project received much attention because of the participation of Song Joong Ki, the Korean media said that the content of My Name is Loh Kiwan would be difficult to gain the audience's sympathy because the setting was too harsh.
In addition, the film was also criticized for not clearly depicting the maturity and changes of the male lead.
Maekyung newspaper commented that this is "a disappointing film, lacking in depth of romance and failing to capture the characters' emotions", and rated the film 4.5 points out of 10.
Song Joong Ki's film criticized by Korean media - Photo: South China Morning Post
From another perspective, many audience comments said that the second half of the film was somewhat boring because the director got caught up in the romantic relationship between Kiwan and Marie, different from the story in the original novel I Met Loh Kiwan by author Cho Hae Jin published in 2019.
Director Kim should have focused more on Kiwan's situation in Belgium, where he struggles to integrate and find a way to live as a human in the European country.
In addition, many details in the film are resolved so easily that it is absurd, such as Marie's family introducing Kiwan to a Korean lawyer, helping him quickly win in court, or Kiwan and Marie coming together smoothly despite their different backgrounds...
Despite mixed opinions, My Name is Loh Kiwan is currently the top 1 most watched movie on Netflix Vietnam.
The film shows Song Joong Ki's efforts to renew himself, to conquer the audience in darker and more selective roles.
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