A still from ‘My Name Is Loh Kiwan’
Netflix’s latest, My Name Is Loh Kiwan, while managing to check off all the boxes for a melodrama, never really expands beyond that to encompass the potential nuances of its base story: a refugee trying to survive in a new country.
Set in Brussels, the film tells the story of Loh Kiwan (Song Joong-ki), a North Korean defector who has managed to make his way to Belgium and is now seeking refuge there. Kiwan never really intended to be here, as he had first escaped with his mother to China. After they both get caught there, Kiwan is urged by his mother to escape for himself. In Brussels, as he waits for the bureaucratic process to call his number, he takes to doing odd jobs on the streets to make just enough to survive. Essentially homeless, it is not long before Kiwan’s belongings get stolen. The thief, a Korean-origin Belgian women named Marie (Choi Sung-eun), works out a deal with him to return his wallet if he helps her avoid getting arrested for the crime.
The rest of the film’s over two-hour run is spent working on this slow-burn romance between the two, who end up helping the other overcome their difficulties.
My Name Is Loh Kiwan (Korean)
Director: Kim Hee-jin
Cast: Song Joong-ki, Choi Sung-eun, Lee Sang-hee, Jo Han-chul, and others
Run-time: 133 minutes
Storyline: A North Korean defector struggles to build a life for himself as a refugee in Belgium
My Name Is Loh Kiwan is bookended by events and monologues that focus on the protagonist’s desires as a refugee. He wants to not only be free, he wants to be free enough to leave a country if he wishes to do so. The film also works best when it focuses on Kiwan’s journey as a refugee. In Brussels, he meets other Korean refugees who point out how easy it is to clock him as a North Korean and advise him to change certain habits. Unfortunately, the script, adapted from a book, doesn’t seem too keen on exploring these nuances in a sustained manner, as it’s always eager to spend more time on a romance that feels forced.
Marie’s journey as a down-on-her luck athlete, who is now forced to participate in illegal shooting rinks where people bet on her skills every night, lacks any real depth and ends up coming off as gimmicky. Bonding over the loss of their respective mothers, there was potential for even Kiwan and Marie’s story to feel more grounded, but the script seeks to locate the romance in the more dramatic moments.
My Name Is Loh Kiwan possessed several tools in hand that could have enabled a richer story befitting its runtime. Leaving it all on the table to chase an emotionally gratifying romance results in a film that delivers less than what it promised.
My Name Is Loh Kiwan is available for streaming on Netflix