Culture news Rated 100%, this Korean sci-fi film is THE gem of 2024: its sequel is available on Netflix
After making the rounds at international film festivals last year, this Korean science fiction film is finally available in France. Better yet, its sequel is already available on Netflix.
The sci-fi surprise from South Korea
Notice to science fiction fans: a new nugget from South Korea has just arrived in France. This film is Concrete Utopiaadaptation of the webtoon Pleasant Bullying, part 2: Pleasant Neighborsdirected by Eom Tae-hwa and starring Lee Byung-hun, famous in particular for his appearances in Joint Security Area, A Bittersweet Life, The Good, the Bad and the Crazy or I met the devil.
Produced in 2021, the feature film was released last year in South Korea before embarking on an international tour and being presented at various festivals. In the absence of a theatrical release, it was ultimately the distributor The Jokers who acquired the rights in order to offer it directly on DVD and Blu-Ray. A release not to be missed, especially when we see the critical success of the film: on Rotten TomatoesConcrete Utopia has a perfect score of 100% from 56 reviews.
Concrete Utopia transports us to a post-apocalyptic version of Seoul, after most of the city has been devastated by a destructive earthquake. Only one building still stands after this disaster. These inhabitants then organize themselves to survive, but this last place of residence arouses the desires of other victims of the earthquake.
The sequel is already available on Netflix
Note that Concrete Utopia is not the only film from the webtoon Pleasant Bullying since a sequel entitled Badland Hunters was produced in the wake of the first feature film. Directed this time by Heo Myeong-haeng with Ma Dong-seok (Last train to Busan, The Gangster, the Cop and the Murderer, The Eternals), this sequel pushes even further into the post-apocalyptic and offers a more or less independent story. Badland Hunters is available now on Netflix. A perfect excuse to watch the two films back to back and organize a brief marathon dedicated to Korean science fiction.
