Seoul Searching

Director: Benson Lee
Screenwriters: Benson Lee

Institute History

  • 2015 Sundance Film Festival

Description

Seoul, 1986. A raucous gaggle of Korean teenagers spill out of the Gimpo airport and onto buses that transport them to a location just outside the city. There, these high schoolers sent from all over the world—the U.S., Mexico, London, and Hamburg—are participating in a government-sponsored summer program to help them connect with their heritage. With a summer of partying ahead of them, they’re on a crash course to bring shame to their families, their ancestors, and their hosts—but with any luck, they might just figure out how to make friends, fall in love, and absorb some of their roots along the way.

Based on filmmaker Benson Lee’s own experience as a teenager, Seoul Searching pays homage to the John Hughes dramedies of the 1980s and adds its own flair of Korean drama to create a fresh, original film. With spot-on costuming, an '80s-infused soundtrack, and an exciting all-Asian cast just waiting to be discovered, Seoul Searching delivers an extended remix of heartfelt nostalgia, hilarity, and fun. —K.Y.

— K.Y.

Screening Details

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