Film Review: Moon Young (2015) by Kim So-yeon
When Moon Young first debuted as a short film at the Seoul Independent Film Festival in 2015 at only 43 minutes long, it was met with mixed reviews, nothing quite out of the ordinary. It wasn't until more than a year later when the movie released in theatres in Korea, the runtime now 20 minutes longer. The reason? Newfound appreciation and recognition for lead actress Kim Tae-ri , who had just come out of the incredibly successful release of Park Chan-Wook's “The Handmaiden”.
Follow our coverage of the deeper depths of Asian cinema
The film, directed by Kim-Yeon, is about the titular character “Moon Young”, played by Kim Tae-ri, a mute girl who spends most of her time filming people with her small camcorder. When one day she has had enough of her father's drunken tyranny, she flees their house, and runs into Hee-soo (played by Jung Hyun ), who is going through her own troubles, as she has just broken up with her boyfriend. Moon Young is only 18, the lone wolf type, and prefers to watch life through her camcorder's lens, where Hee-soo is an older, late twenties, wildcard type of girl. The two women gravitate towards each other more than you'd expect from two wildly different people and become unlikely friends.
Kim-Yeon's directing throughout the film is inconsistent. At times the film is meandering, even if it was a little intriguing. It feels too long, and it is clear that 20 minutes were added on later, making the movie quite strangely paced. It'd be very interesting to see the original 43-minute cut as that runtime seems to be much more in place with what the story can possibly provide in its current format. Yet, the film is still entertaining. It leaves you wondering and guessing which direction the story is going to take, even if it seemed like in the end, it really didn't go to the places that you'd want it to. Especially with such a talented cast.
Which brings us to the main reason this movie got a theatrical release in 2017, lead actress Kim Tae-ri, and her moving depiction of Moon Young. The amount of raw emotion the actress is capable of is impressive, to say the least. She's expressive, subtle, and incredibly engaging. It saves the film from being unmemorable, and it adds depth and interest to the character of Moon Young. Jung Hyun's depiction of Hee-soo is less memorable, but far from disappointing. She's an interesting character that creates intrigue, if not a little chaos into the film.
Moon Young is an independent film with a low budget, but this works quite well for the movie. The camerawork is intimate, and it often feels like you're there with them. Pacing aside, the editing is well done all together, however, nothing too remarkable. Kim So-yeon 's debut film is slightly disappointing and the increase in runtime might have been jumping the gun, the subject matter a little too ambitious. A 64-minute film about a mute girl is hard, especially if your original cut was meant to be 43 minutes. However, there is promise for Kim So-yeon yet, getting the most out of the two leads, and creating intrigue throughout the whole film. With less difficult subject matter and a full-length runtime, Kim So-yeon could genuinely surprise us in the future.
You may also like
Jean Claude Van Johnson – Brand New Series And Trailer
Light Novel Review: My Summoned Beast is Dead Vol. 1 (2023) by Rakuzan & Miyuu
Film Review: Kaasan Mom’s Life (2011) by Shotaro Kobayashi
Film Review: The Wasteland (2020) by Ahmad Bahrami
Film Review: W’s Tragedy (1984) by Shinichiro Sawai
Film Review: Mrs. Noisy (2019) by Chihiro Amano
About the author.
Reinier Brands
A Dutch writer, former Screen Content Manager for Vue Cinemas and aspiring filmmaker from Eindhoven, the Netherlands.
Stay Connected
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.
Letterboxd — Your life in film
Forgotten username or password ?
- Start a new list…
- Add all films to a list…
- Add all films to watchlist
Add to your films…
Press Tab to complete, Enter to create
A moderator has locked this field.
Add to lists
Where to watch
Directed by Kim So-yeon
Actually, there was something I really wanted to say.
Mute Moon-young records people's faces with her small camcorder on the subway. One day, she avoids her drunk father at home and films Hee-soo who is crying over saying goodbye to her boyfriend and gets caught. The two feel some sort of kinship and become closer.
Kim Tae-ri Jung Hyun Park Wan-kyu Park Jeong-sik Jang Hyang-sook Heo Won-jeong Nam Bo-ra Lee Jin-kyeong
Director Director
Kim So-yeon
Writer Writer
Editors editors.
Won Chang-jae Han Mi-yeon
Cinematography Cinematography
Jung Young-sam
Art Direction Art Direction
Kho Jee-hyun
Composer Composer
KT&G Sangsangmadang
South Korea
Alternative titles.
문영, 文英, Moon-Young, Moon Young
Releases by Date
27 nov 2015, 12 jan 2017, releases by country.
- Premiere Seoul Independent Film Festival
- Theatrical 15
64 mins More at IMDb TMDb Report this page
Popular reviews
Review by ayufitrihardi ★★★½ 1
kim tae-ri if you're reading this i'm free on saturday night. yes, if you'd like to hangout and wanna cry i'm free saturday night when i'm free to hangout and crying together
Review by DANI ★★★½ 1
kim taeri should be in every movie actually
Review by Lexi 📷 ★★★
Watching Moon-young all throughout the film makes me wanna give her a hug! I hope Moon-youngs in the world get to meet someone like Hee-soo who handles them with care and gives them time, patience, and understanding.
Review by Moresbi ★★★½
"Moon-young", while definitely a bit "rough around the edges" and requiring some latitude in a couple of aspects, still was a somewhat interesting and enjoyable watch, IMO.
First things first, I watched the longer version (64 min).
The plot, with several nuances, is about two "needy" and uncared for girls/women (18 and 28 years old, respectively) who happen to cross paths.
I enjoyed the leading duo's performances. I thought Hyun Jung carried "the load" a lot in the early going but the talented Kim Tae-ri just gets stronger and stronger as things move along.
There's a compelling element to things, for sure. Very underlying, for stretches, but it's there. There's also "something" about the duo's "bond", of sorts. I think…
Review by MrJago ★★★ 2
More films with Kim Tae-Ri please, she's a very expressive and interesting actress. This film was a bit too meandering though and with a 63 minute runtime it sort of feels too long for a short film or not expanded enough for a feature film.
Review by dear ★★★
totally loved the first part. it’s very personal to me— two lost souls consoling one another. human connection. filming a bunch of strangers. drinking an alcohol for the first time. doing silly and quirky things— i loved it and i really felt connected to the both of them, moon young and hee soo. i was this 🤏🏻 close to saying this is my new favorite until the latter part happened... things got a little bit messy and unanswered. nonetheless, this is still a good film for its length. not bad. kim tae ri’s portrayal of moon young is quite brilliant and poignant.
dear moon young, i’d love to have a drink with you, too. be it a cup of coffee or a bottle of soju. i’d also want to film people especially in the bustling train station... shall we?
Review by ale ★★★
i find it so hilarious when the dad falls out of the window helpp
Review by Di 🐔 ★★½ 2
Kim Tae-ri communicates so much feeling without speaking. Film was a bit… loose? otherwise though. I never really got a particular feel for it. Kindof Korean neo-realism I guess? Moon-young’s “arc” feels forced I think?
Review by 𝙛𝙫 *𝙁𝙖𝙮𝘷𝘦𝘭 ★★★½
like an amped-up house of hummingbird
Review by Invincible Asia ★★★½
Would love this going a bit more into the deep end of its characters feelings, but it's still one more proof that Kim Tae-ri is one to watch and features her doing a tribute Oh Dae-su smile, so get your hands on this and watch it.
Review by Ⓢⓒⓘ-Ⓕⓘ Ⓦⓐⓢⓐⓑⓘ🍥 ★★½ 2
Young mute woman spends her free time secretly filming people with her digital camcorder. A confrontation with one of the women she films leads to an uneasy friendship.
At just a little over 60mins of run time, I wasn't quite sure what the director was aiming for with this one. There are a few interesting angles available; dealing with society as a mute, having to padlock her bedroom door to prevent her drunk and abusive father from harassing her, the consequences of filming strangers without their permission.
It touches slightly on all of the above, but ends up mostly being about the reluctant friendship between Moon-young and Hee-soo. Makes sense; as we need another character to keep up the chatter…
Review by Lindi ★★★½
Archaeologists of the obscure Film #18 - Moon Young - chosen by Milos
I really like the basic premise of this film and certain elements. Some of it just spoke to me. I don‘t know why, but the image of Moon-young filming random passerbys in the subway is something I found strangely beautiful. I also really enjoyed the low-fi sytle of the film, the whole plot with Hee-soo and the ending. But sadly most of the drama felt forced. Of course everyone has to be an asshole. Apart from that though this was a cool indie flick. Especially since it doesn‘t waste any time due to the short runtime. Would recommend.
Select your preferred backdrop
Select your preferred poster, upgrade to remove ads.
Letterboxd is an independent service created by a small team, and we rely mostly on the support of our members to maintain our site and apps. Please consider upgrading to a Pro account —for less than a couple bucks a month, you’ll get cool additional features like all-time and annual stats pages ( example ), the ability to select (and filter by) your favorite streaming services, and no ads!
- Cast & crew
Moon-young is a mute girl, and always has a small camcorder in her hands to secretly film people's faces. One day, she could not stand her father's drunken rant and ran out of the house. The... Read all Moon-young is a mute girl, and always has a small camcorder in her hands to secretly film people's faces. One day, she could not stand her father's drunken rant and ran out of the house. There she meets Hee-soo breaking up with her boyfriend with tears. They gradually get related... Read all Moon-young is a mute girl, and always has a small camcorder in her hands to secretly film people's faces. One day, she could not stand her father's drunken rant and ran out of the house. There she meets Hee-soo breaking up with her boyfriend with tears. They gradually get related to each other.
- So-yeon Kim
- Park Wan-kyu
- 1 Critic review
- (as Wan-kyu Park)
- Kwon Hyeok-cheol
- (as Jeong-sik Park)
- Middle-aged woman 1
- Middle-aged woman 2
- (as Bo-ra Nam)
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
More like this
User reviews
- January 12, 2017 (South Korea)
- South Korea
- Korean Sign Language
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Technical specs
- Runtime 43 minutes
Related news
Contribute to this page.
- See more gaps
- Learn more about contributing
More to explore
Recently viewed.
Moon Young began its life, if you will, as a short film of just over 40 minutes duration, filmed in 2013. Originally premiering at the Seoul Independent Film Festival in 2015, a further 20 minutes of scenes were later added for its January 2017 cinema release, taking the ‘full' feature running time, ultimately, to 64 minutes. As such, Moon Young is half the duration of the average Korean film, or even less than half if you consider the number of Korean cinema releases in the past few years that have far exceeded the two hour running time mark ( Moss immediately springs to mind, for example). However, Moon Young never feels anything less than a full feature. Neither does it ever feel rushed in any respect and in fact, to the absolute credit of director Kim So-yeon, Moon Young succeeds in having a gentle pacing throughout; one of the film's many strengths. Kim So-yeon clearly added to the original short only scenes necessary to tell the story wholly and entirely regardless of the ultimate narrative length, rather than take the route of some of the large Korean studios that will often specify required duration from script stage, even if that means a director must pad out a narrative, to an extent at least, to reach a two hour or two hour plus running time. This deftly ensures that every single scene in Moon Young feels (and indeed is) vital to the unfolding of the narrative and themes, while the film overall comes across as adeptly succinct without a moment's unnecessary meandering. Moon Young opens with some of the handheld footage of random commuters filmed by the titular character accompanied by gentle, even almost melancholy, acoustic guitar and synth strings. As the hoards of mostly women file past Moon-young’s somewhat intrusive lens – many ignoring her completely while some briefly and disparagingly give her a dressing down with their eyes – it is virtually impossible not to be instantly aware of this young girl's separation from the masses, either by choice, necessity or indeed circumstance; Moon-young stands as an observer watching life move around and past her wholly from an outside perspective while not really being part of it. This idea is further underlined just a moment later as a female subway commuter jumps to berate Moon-young for not answering her query of how to get to a specific destination, with Moon-young angrily gesticulating and moving away as quickly as possible. Similarly, through the growing and somewhat quirky friendship between Moon-young and Hee-soo the narrative also speaks of the difficulty of and need for finding a meaningful human bond for those living essentially solitary lives in highly populated, modern urban landscapes and how the almost subconscious feeling of solitude can cause individuals such as Moon-young to shy away from connections that by their inherent nature would negate (at least in part) the very feelings of separation that are at the core of their ‘issues'. The final line of dialogue in the very last seconds of Moon Young is perhaps the film's most powerful moment. Speaking at once of separation and connection, one only needs to look at the subtle change in the titular character’s expression to know everything there is to know about her ultimate feelings, needs and of course pain. The vastly differing personalities of Moon-young and Hee-soo work incredibly well together (Moon-young silent, insular and brooding; Hee-soo loud, irreverent and often raucously drunk) but both have one thing entirely in common. That is, they have both created personas in an attempt to subconsciously hide their pain and indeed shield themselves from it. Director Kim So-yeon perfectly uses this commonality to ensure that the bond between the two women is wholly believable; their gradual understanding of each other is entirely natural; and the chances of each of these largely broken souls eventually opening up to each other is not only plausible but also likely and indeed hopeful. Summary: While just 64 minutes in duration, Moon Young never feels anything less than a full feature. A nuanced, succinct yet in-depth narrative insightfully speaking of both separation and connection, Moon Young is without even a single moment's unnecessary meandering. 문영 / Moon Young (2017) Director: Kim So-yeon Starring: Kim Tae-ri, Hyun Jung  🔍 Zoom 📸 More Pictures ›Advertisement (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});. Korean Movie | 2015 문영 | moon-yeong• Drama  Directed by Kim So-yeon-IV (김소연) Written by Kim So-yeon-IV (김소연) 64min | Release date in South Korea: 2017/01/12 Synopsis Mute Moon-young records people's faces with her small camcorder on the subway. One day, she avoids her drunk father at home and films Hee-soo who is crying over saying goodbye to her boyfriend and gets caught. The two feel some sort of kinship and become closer. Moon Young ⭐ Reviews More [HanCinema's Film Review] "Moon Young" 🕒 2017/03/04 21:46 By William SchwartzMoon young 📰 latest news more.  Peek Into Kim Tae-ri's Performance in "Moon Young" 🕒 2018/07/16 22:13 [HanCinema Awards] Best Actress in a Film for 2017 - And the Winner Is... 🕒 2018/01/07 21:57 [HanCinema Awards] Best Film of 2017 - And the Winner Is... 🕒 2017/12/30 18:15 By Panos Kotzathanasis [HanCinema Awards] Best Actress in a Film for 2017 - Cast Your Vote! + Movie Giveaway 🕒 2017/12/23 12:03 By Panos Kotzathanasis📰 more news ›, moon young 👥 cast more.  📰 News 🎥 Credits 📷 Pics Moon-young (문영)  Hee-soo (희수)  Father (아버지)  Kwon Hyeok-cheol (권혁철) 📰 News 🎥 Credits Middle aged woman 1 (아주머니1) Extended Cast ›Moon young 📷 pictures more.  Moon Young 📹 Videos More More ›Advertisement Moon Young 🔢 South Korean Box Office MoreBox Office - Admissions ( www.cine21.com & www.kobis.or.kr )
Moon Young 💬 Community, fans, discussions MoreTo leave a comment, sign up for free Sign Up for Free Log in or sign up for Rotten TomatoesTrouble logging in? By continuing, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands . By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands . By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes. Email not verifiedLet's keep in touch.  Sign up for the Rotten Tomatoes newsletter to get weekly updates on:
By clicking "Sign Me Up," you are agreeing to receive occasional emails and communications from Fandango Media (Fandango, Vudu, and Rotten Tomatoes) and consenting to Fandango's Privacy Policy and Terms and Policies . Please allow 10 business days for your account to reflect your preferences. OK, got it!
Movies in theaters
Movies at home
Certified fresh picks
New TV Tonight
Most Popular TV on RT
Certified fresh pick
100 Best Movie Duos All Marvel MCU Movies, Ranked by Tomatometer What to Watch: In Theaters and On Streaming Awards Tour The Deadpool & Wolverine Cast Talk Fight Scenes, Dance Numbers, and Much More Movie Re-Release Calendar 2024: Your Guide to Movies Back In Theaters
Cast & CrewKim Moon-young Park Jung-sik Kwon Hyukchul Park Wangyu Jang Hyangsook Jang Heesoo Kim So-yeon Screenwriter  Cast & CrewMovie details, similar movies.  Movie Reviews Follow MoviefoneLatest trailers.  
 Moon-young media
All images are copyrighted by their respective copyright holders and/or producers/distributors. 
All copyrighted material (movie posters, DVD covers, stills, trailers) and trademarks belong to their respective producers and/or distributors. User history
 Movie's ratings
Stills Posters Filmed in February 2013, Moon Young debuted as a short film at the Seoul Independent Film Festival in 2015, approximately 43 minutes in length. An expanded version of the film, with a runtime of 64 minutes, was theatrically released on January 12, 2017. Related Movies There are no related titles yet, but you can add them:Add a short review 280 characters Sign up and you will see here friends impressions of the movie.Friends comments and ratings, trending movies.  The best website for movie search and thoughts sharing with friends
Get the Reddit appFilm News, Reviews, Trailers, Interviews and More... Film Review: Moon Young (2015) by Kim So-yeonBy continuing, you agree to our User Agreement and acknowledge that you understand the Privacy Policy . Enter the 6-digit code from your authenticator appYou’ve set up two-factor authentication for this account. Enter a 6-digit backup codeCreate your username and password. Reddit is anonymous, so your username is what you’ll go by here. Choose wisely—because once you get a name, you can’t change it. Reset your passwordEnter your email address or username and we’ll send you a link to reset your password Check your inboxAn email with a link to reset your password was sent to the email address associated with your account Choose a Reddit account to continue Common Sense Media Movie & TV reviews for parents
Or browse by category:
Common Sense Selections for Movies 50 Modern Movies All Kids Should Watch Before They're 12
 Best Kids' Shows on Disney+ Best Kids' TV Shows on Netflix
 8 Tips for Getting Kids Hooked on Books 50 Books All Kids Should Read Before They're 12
Common Sense Selections for Games
 Nintendo Switch Games for Family Fun
Common Sense Selections for Podcasts Parents' Guide to Podcasts
 Social Networking for Teens Gun-Free Action Game Apps Reviews for AI Apps and Tools
 Parents' Ultimate Guide to YouTube Kids YouTube Kids Channels for Gamers
 How to Talk with Kids About Violence, Crime, and War
 Multicultural Books YouTube Channels with Diverse Representations Podcasts with Diverse Characters and StoriesMoon students, common sense media reviewers.  Indie drama about racism has drinking, language, self-harm.  A Lot or a Little?What you will—and won't—find in this movie. Don't be racist. Don't let powerful authorities ru Lita is a good student. She cares about social jus The cast features Black, Latino, and White actors Some references to self-harm. Some young college s A college student really doesn't want his girlfrie Strong language includes "f--k," "s--t," "ass," "d Brief references to Google, Life Magazine, and Kan College students drink beer to excess. Many show d Parents need to know that Moon Students is an indie movie about some college students in Los Angeles wrestling with racism, the COVID pandemic, and disillusionment. After a White professor treats a Latino American student badly, the student spirals downward, losing his girlfriend and his college career. There… Positive MessagesDon't be racist. Don't let powerful authorities ruin your future. Be open with your feelings. Positive Role ModelsLita is a good student. She cares about social justice and being heard as a immigrant and Mexican American. Diverse RepresentationsThe cast features Black, Latino, and White actors but there's some stereotyping and problematic representations. The college-age men, who are all people of color, are primarily shown partying, almost starting fights, and drinking a lot and to excess. The writer and director is a White man. Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update. Violence & ScarinessSome references to self-harm. Some young college students purposely harm themselves by drinking too much. A college student attacks a professor, and they fall to the ground. News footage shows people being taken into hospitals during the COVID pandemic. A man calls a gay man a "f--got." A woman tells a story about how two of her family members drowned. Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide. Sex, Romance & NudityA college student really doesn't want his girlfriend to leave him. Some romantic kissing. Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide. Strong language includes "f--k," "s--t," "ass," "damn," "f--got," "bitch," "balls," and "punk." Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide. Products & PurchasesBrief references to Google, Life Magazine , and Kanye West. Drinking, Drugs & SmokingCollege students drink beer to excess. Many show drunken behavior. One college student drinks to excess every night for a long time. Adults drink wine and liquor. College students smoke cigarettes. A few drug references, like when students mention a "magic bus." Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide. Parents Need to KnowParents need to know that Moon Students is an indie movie about some college students in Los Angeles wrestling with racism, the COVID pandemic, and disillusionment. After a White professor treats a Latino American student badly, the student spirals downward, losing his girlfriend and his college career. There are some references to self-harm and depression. College-age students often drink to excess and display drunken behavior. College-age students also smoke cigarettes and make a few drug references, like when one mentions a "magic bus." One calls a friend of his, who is gay, a "f--got." Kissing. Strong language includes "f--k," "s--t," "ass," "damn," "bitch," "balls," and "punk." To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails . Where to WatchVideos and photos.  Community Reviews
Based on 1 parent review Don't Buy the Bias: JK Sooja gets a smugness rating of 5 stars!What's the story. In MOON STUDENTS, a few Latino and Black college students in Los Angeles wrestle with disillusionment and the COVID pandemic while trying to find their place in the world. An entitled White professor (Nicholas Thurkettle) causes one student's downward spiral, while his girlfriend and friends try to keep him from hurting himself. Is It Any Good?This film is an indie through and through. Feeling a lot like a self-made budget film, Moon Students has an admirable message, but overall it doesn't work. A lot of the dialogue feels stilted and unrealistic, scene sequencing and timing issues get confusing, and there's a general sense that there really isn't a story here. Unrealistic representations also plague the film, like the professor's behavior, a professor closing his door for a meeting with a student (not common practice), and a college student dropping out of college after failing just one class. While the students spend a lot of time talking about social justice, the film isn't really about that, despite its best efforts to shoehorn in commentary about George Floyd, White entitlement, and the voices of POCs being unheard. It means well, but lots of the writing feels like it is from a White person who has just recently learned about how unfair it is not to be White and wants to talk about it (the writer and director is a White man). Perhaps that is unfair, but some elements of the film reinforce the naivete of the writing. For instance, the film begins with one of its main characters, Ethan Cole, a professor and a White man, mistreating a POC student, Antonio, in Cole's office. This event sets off Antonio's downward spiral, but it never becomes clear why Cole needs to be in this film at all. Cole finds redemption at the end by apologizing and admitting his racist behavior earlier, but his role remains unnecessary. This film could've been solely about Lita and Antonio losing a friend during the pandemic, navigating racist professors, and learning how to find their social justice voice. Also, the film tries to avoid the "White savior" narrative by mentioning it but still succeeds in committing the error. And the college-age men, who are all POCs, are primarily shown partying, almost starting fights, and drinking a lot and to excess. Lastly, the moon metaphor that is supposed to ground the story ultimately doesn't make any sense and isn't thought through or executed well. Talk to Your Kids About ...Families can talk about racism in indie drama movies. How did you feel about the way racism was portrayed in Moon Students ? Would you have done anything different than Antonio after his meeting with his professor? If so, what? Did you find the ending satisfying? Why or why not? Movie Details
Did we miss something on diversity?Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update. Suggest an UpdateOur editors recommend.  The Substitute The Violent HeartDrama movies that tug at the heartstrings, drama tv for teens, related topics. Want suggestions based on your streaming services? Get personalized recommendations Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners. 
--> --> --> |