Retorno a Seúl

I could not watch this film without any expectation or prejudice, as I know someone who has a sibling that is an adopted Korean child. However I still tried to keep an open mind, and I think the film is executed well.

Freddie is the only character that is really fleshed out and I think that's right. There are several other characters, notably Freddie's father, that are treated with respect by the film but they are not given a lot of depth. But since it's not their story that is being told they all have to take a back seat to the little girl that it's all about.

After watching this I did a little digging and I found that adoption, foreign or not, is culturally, politically and therefore historically laden in South Korea. You have to want to go looking for it as the film does not push the subject too heavily, but it certainly has several scenes referring to this subject from the institutional rather than the personal viewpoint.

I do think the film has some problems in finding the right tone and there are segments that do not help progress the story. The whole birthday party segment might be nicely shot but does not really add anything.

All in all it's a good film and it triggered me to learning a bit more about its subject matter.

What stands out the most about this film is its refusal to take the easy route. While viewers may think they can predict the direction after the first act, they are mistaken. The narrative defies predictability, mirroring the unpredictable nature of wounded souls and those who never feel truly at home.

The protagonist's actions may seem foolish, but what truly captivates is the striking humanity portrayed with raw realism, making it impossible to abandon the desire and hope for her to find solace within. I was left speechless when I found out that this is Ji-Min Park's debut role. A role that made me shed tears on more than one occasion and that is her merit in making us see so well that everything she is, is the result of her life's circumstances.

The experiende Oh Gwan-rok, in the role of the biological father, is also outstanding, but this is not just a film of performances. It boasts brilliant scenes, expertly paced storytelling, daring technical choices, and a secure, risk-taking direction, all complemented by a flawless soundtrack.

PS: The main theme of this and the one of "Decision to Leave" are two haunting melodies that linger in my mind, compelling me to delve deeper into the history of South Korean music.

Return to Seoul is a captivating film that presents an intimate and complex portrayal of Freddie, although the larger context of her life is missing. However, the film's commitment to staying in the moment keeps the audience engaged. While the film does not have a strong emotional impact, it remains focused on Freddie's search for her identity and origins. Nevertheless, the movie lacks originality and does not distinguish itself from other films with similar themes. Despite this, Return to Seoul is still a well-made film that provides a compelling character portrait, albeit with some rambling sequences that do not add much to the story.

As an audience member, films that cover the topic of adoption, there are expected themes of identity involved. But instead we get more of a random style of set-pieces within the conventional moments that represented identity in a unique way.

For the most part, it worked for the character and the story. But there were some that I just couldn't get on board with and some were even so random they were unforgivable.

I really liked Park Ji-Min's performance. I enjoyed the attitude that she gave to the leading character and the spontaneous moments that she orchestrated were largely memorable and one of the strongest parts of the film.

I liked the overall look. It was able to give us some effective imagery in different environments and never feel like different films.

The pacing was gentle. There were some purposeful lingering shots which worked well for the most part. Also, the camerawork was respectful with its wide shots as it let the pictures do the talking instead of taking over and turning it into something that wasn't intended.

As mentioned, I wasn't invested with every decision made. Some of the choices in the narrative in the second half made no sense to me. There were others I appreciated, but just wasn't a fan of them.

Despite that, I thought this was still a good enough drama that was worth my time. It's got a solid leading performance that you're willing to invest in. It also poses some interesting representations on the themes of identity that I've not seen before.

I cannot forgive some of the random moments in the second half. But nevertheless, there was enough engrossing moments to keep me guessing how this would end.

I think I may have warmed to this film better had I not taken an instant dislike to "Freddie" (Park Ji-min). Now it's certainly a testament to this actor that she is able to successfully - and pretty immediately - engender a sense that her character is a rather selfish, manipulative and unpleasant individual; but I'm afraid I struggled to remain engaged as her troubled story of adoption and of her re-introduction to her birth family is played out over the next two hours. "Freddie" appears to have been happily brought up by a couple in France, so her increasingly thoughtless behaviour doesn't really have an anchor - and as we progress and she becomes more obnoxious - as exemplified by her final scene in the car with poor old "Maxime" (Yoann Zimmer) - I found the story has just about run out of merit. The acting is generally good. The efforts from her slightly dipso dad (Oh Kwang-rok) is convincing as he has to reconcile the discovery of his long-lost daughter with his dependency on the bottle and her own pretty obvious disdain for the man. It also offers us quite an interesting insight into just how adoptions worked as the decline of the French colonial system in post-war Korea led to many children being offered by parents who hoped that a childhood and education in France would offer greater opportunity, but again with "Freddie" that isn't really developed. What has turned her into this rather objectionable person is rather left aside. It has an element of "be careful what you wish for" to it, and is, at times, an interesting observation on the stresses of the post-adoption processes but I just didn't like or care about her and so my enthusiasm just waned.