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Korean American teen comedy ‘Seoul Searching’ to screen at Sundance

December 9, 2014

By Kim Young-jin

“Seoul Searching,” a teen romantic comedy set in Korea in the 1980s, will premiere at the Sundance Film Festival next month, festival organizers announced Monday.

Directed by Benson Lee, the film focuses on a group of young, foreign-born Koreans ― called “gyopo” in Korean ― who attend a special summer camp in Korea to learn about their ancestral homeland.

The film is included in the Premiers lineup, a “showcase of world premieres of some of the most highly anticipated dramatic films of the coming year,” according to the festival’s official website.

In the movie, three male teens, from the United States, Mexico and Germany, meet three girls, also overseas Koreans, and through their friendships, learn more about themselves.

Last month, a teaser for the film was released on YouTube, splicing together scenes shot in Korea.

Justin Chon (“21 and Over,” “The Twilight Saga” series) headlines the cast of overseas actors and plays the role of Sid Park, who is based on director Lee.

Korean actor Cha In-pyo plays the role of Mr. Kim, a teacher who becomes a mentor to Sid.

The cast includes established actors as well as first-time actors who Lee discovered through a Facebook audition campaign.

The Sundance Film Festival 2015 opens Jan. 22 in Park City, Utah, and runs through Feb. 1.