Korean Film Festival in Abu Dhabi: 9 movies to check out

South Korean music and TV shows — or K-pop and K-dramas, as they’re known — have taken over the world and garnered plaudits from audiences and critics. Music stars such as BTS, Twice and Seventeen, and shows including ‘Squid Game’ and ‘Crash Landing On You’ have become household names for many and have attracted fans from around the globe. Korean movies are also a treasure trove of interesting stories, and the Korean Embassy and Korean Cultural Center in the UAE is hoping to introduce fans to a whole new world through film. The 6th annual Korean Film Festival is returning to the UAE and this time the theme is ‘Family on Screen’. Nine movies will be screened at Vox Cinemas in Yas Mall, Abu Dhabi from June 29 to July 3. Here’s what to know about the movies being screened:

‘Escape from Mogadishu’ (2021) — When: June 29, 7pm — Kicking off the festival is this action drama that’s based on a true story, and stars Kim Yoon-seok, Jo In-sung, Heo Joon-ho and Kim So-jin. It’s set during the Somali Civil War, when a diplomatic skirmish breaks out between North and South Korea. South Korean and North Korean diplomats become trapped in the war-torn African country and they have to risk their lives as they plan a joint escape.

‘Miracle: Letters to the President’ (2021) — When: June 30, 7pm — Park Jeong-min, Lee Sung-min and Im Yoon-ah star in this heartwarming drama set in 1988 and based on a real-life high school mathematics genius. It follows the story of 17-year-old Joon-kyung who lives in a remote village that has train tracks but no station. He dreams of forming a private station so that his sister and the villagers are able to safely travel in and out of the village. In order to do this, Joon-kyung repeatedly sends letters to the president.

‘The House of Us’ (2019) — When: July 1, 5pm — This touching family drama follows 12-year-old Hana, whose family constantly argues with each other. The young girl believes that a family vacation is the solution to all their problems. While on holiday, she meets Yoomi and her younger sister Yoojin, who are also coping with their own set of problems — their parents are always out of town and their landlord is trying to kick them out. The three girls find comfort with each other as they try to save their families.

‘Sinkhole’ (2021) — When: July 1, 7pm — This comedy is going to give you that sinking feeling — literally. Dong-won is an ordinary office worker who moves into a new flat with his family after many years of saving. To celebrate this milestone, he invites his co-workers for a housewarming party that goes south when heavy overnight rain triggers a huge sinkhole that swallows the whole apartment building. Dong-won, his neighbour Man-su and all the party guests have to figure out a way out of the hole, even as rain water fills it up.

‘Kim Ji-young, Born 1982’ (2019) — When: July 2, 3pm — Based on the best-selling novel of the same name by Cho Nam-ju, this drama with a strong feminist angle is a must-watch. Kim Ji-young, the protagonist played by Jung Yu-mi, is a woman in her 30s who is struggling to juggle life as a full-time mum and housewife, all while facing daily sexism. Her devoted husband Dae-hyeon (Gong Yoo) attempts to shoulder some of the burden, but soon he realises that all is not well with his wife as she starts to switch personas, mimicking other women in her life.

‘Granny Poetry Club’ (2019) — When: July 2, 5pm — This documentary might have you reaching for the tissues. It’s about grandmothers from the Korean city of Chilgok, who did backbreaking work in order to get their children educated, all while being illiterate themselves. When a Korean school opens in their village, the grannies find a new spark in their hearts. Soon they learn the Korean alphabet and become inspired by poetry.

‘Samjin Company English Class’ (2020) — When: July 2, 7pm — Stories of the underdogs are always popular, and this one also proved to be a hit, topping the South Korean box office when it released. Set in the mid-90s, when gender and academic discrimination was rampant, three young women Ja-young, Yu-nah and Bo-ram are trying to climb the career ladder at their work place Samjin Company. They’ve been shunned by the company because they only have high school diplomas but get the opportunity to be promoted if they ace the Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC). One day, Ja-young witnesses her company’s factory releasing waste water into a river. She and the others launch their own investigation into alleged illegal activities, while also trying not to get fired.

‘House of Hummingbird’ (2019) — When: July 3, 5pm — This award-winning and highly acclaimed coming-of-age tale tells the complex story of childhood neglect in a beautiful way. It’s set in Seoul in 1994, and follows the story of a lonely 14-year-old Eun-hee who is deprived of attention from her family and wanders the city looking for love. In the midst of it all, she suffers a health scare that is largely ignored by her indifferent parents. However, Eun-hee finds a ray of hope in the form of her new teacher Young-ji.

‘EXIT’ (2019) — When: July 3, 7pm — Girls’ Generation singer Im Yoon-ah and ‘Hospital Playlist’ fame actor Jo Jong-suk star in this comedy drama that was a box office hit. Jo stars as Yong-Nam, who used to be the best rock climber in college but has failed to succeed as an adult — he’s unemployed and lives with his parents just to get by. For his mother’s 70th birthday, he insists on celebrating with a party at Dream Garden, where his old crush Eui-Ju works. Disaster strikes when a terrorist parks a truck near the venue and releases a toxic gas. Yong-Nam springs into action and uses his rock climbing skills to get everyone to safety.

Don’t miss it! The 6th annual Korean Film Festival’s movies will be screened at Vox Cinemas in Yas Mall, Abu Dhabi from June 29 to July 3. Tickets are priced at Dh21 and can be booked on the Korean Film Festival 2022 official website.