‘My Name is Loh Kiwan’ review: a devastating battle with survival

‘my-name-is-loh-kiwan’-review:-a-devastating-battle-with-survival
‘My Name is Loh Kiwan’ review: a devastating battle with survival

The story of Loh Kiwan in the film titled “My Name is Loh Kiwan” is not an easy one to watch without feeling hopeless. Loh Kiwan is a North Korean defector, and his journey to freedom is far from over even after he escapes from his home country. The movie follows Loh Kiwan’s journey as he moves from China to Belgium, where he applies to be taken in as a refugee.

In China, Loh Kiwan and his mother are forced to go into hiding after a run-in with the police. They have to flee to Yanjin, where they face even more challenges. The streets are snowy and brutal, and they have no place to stay. After his mother is arrested, Loh Kiwan has to seek shelter in Belgium alone. He applies to be taken in as a refugee but faces a lengthy process to attain a new life.

Loh Kiwan’s tale is one of resilience as he has to be resourceful and sleep in public restrooms to survive the bitter cold because he has no place to live and work. Additionally, he scours used bottles in bins to exchange them for a handful of coins to get by each day. In Belgium, Loh Kiwan meets Lee Marie, a rebellious girl who ends up forging an unlikely bond with him.

Both Song Joong-ki and Choi Sung-eun deliver a phenomenal performance throughout the film. They never let the film’s impact subside as they take it to an even more powerful level. By relying on the enforced resilience of its characters, which constantly cling on to hope, the film is an incredibly heart-wrenching watch. “My Name is Loh Kiwan” is directed by Kim Hee-jin and stars Song Joong-ki and Choi Sung-eun. It will be available on Netflix beginning March 1

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