"Asako I & II": Trauma Processing and Film Obsession
After the success of his five-hour film Happy Hour at the Locarno Film Festival, Ryusuke Hamaguchi made a more commercial attempt with Asako I & II. The film was selected for the main competition at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival, but it received harsh criticism, making its reception even more "mysterious"—just like the film's own complex, even surreal nature. At its core, the film is a twisting love story. The protagonist, Asako, is left heartbroken when her lover, Baku, mysteriously disappears.
Luk&FilmX🤞: Interesting review, very good portrait of the Korean cinematic journey focused on the female role according to the sociopolitical and cultural environment over time.