Return to Seoul director Davy Chou on ‘cultures clashing’ in his hit movie, working with non-professional actors and being inspired by Tarantino, Scorsese
- Cambodian-French director Davy Chou explains why his award-winning film about a Korean-born French adoptee reunited with her parents has links to his own life
- The filmmaker opens up about working with ‘amazing’ first-time actress Park Ji-min, the influence the Hollywood auteurs had on his soundtrack choice, and more
At a time when diversity and representation are at the forefront of mainstream cinema, Cambodian-French filmmaker Davy Chou has come up with Return to Seoul, a probing, unpredictable exploration of identity and self-affirmation.
The film stars first-time actress Park Ji-min as a Korean adoptee, raised in France, who unexpectedly finds herself in the South Korean capital after her flight is diverted. On a whim, she attempts to track down her birth parents, and the decision irrevocably changes the lives of all concerned.
With the film opening in Hong Kong cinemas this week, Chou spoke to the Post about the origins of the project, how it connects with his own story, and his experiences collaborating with non-professional actors.
“I’m not Korean, I’m not adopted, and I’m not a woman,” Chou says, “but I’m related to this story in many ways.”
Born in France in 1983 to Cambodian parents, Chou first travelled to Cambodia when he was 25, and now lives there with his partner of 13 years and their newborn son. He first came upon the idea for Return to Seoul while attending the Busan International Film Festival in South Korea in 2011.
