Park Joon-ho’s feature debut finds the sweet-spot intersection between two marginalised communities. For its protagonist Cheol-jun (Cho You-hyun) is both a North Korean defector, and gay. As he navigates the codified conventions of his new world(s), he tries simultaneously to come out and to fit in. Take the challenge and the plunge, and with Cheol-jun reap the eventual rewards.

Anton Bitel