My Name Is Loh Kiwan

A must-watch film, and a compelling narrative, leaving a lasting emotional impact.

My Name is Loh Ki Wan" is a cinematic masterpiece that seamlessly blends drama, romance, and the complexities of identity. The film's portrayal of Loh Ki Wan's journey as a North Korean defector seeking refuge in Belgium is both poignant and riveting. The unexpected romance that unfolds with Marie adds a beautiful layer of emotion, making it a story that resonates deeply.

The performances are outstanding, with the cast delivering nuanced portrayals that breathe life into the characters. Song Joong-ki (SJK) delivers a compelling performance in "My Name is Loh Ki Wan," portraying the North Korean defector with depth and authenticity. His nuanced acting captures the emotional complexities of the character, adding a powerful layer to the film.


The cinematography captures the essence of both North Korea and Belgium, creating a visually captivating experience. The pacing keeps the audience engaged, and the screenplay skillfully balances moments of tension with heartwarming scenes.

At its core, "My Name is Loh Ki Wan" is a celebration of resilience, love, and the pursuit of a new beginning. It leaves a lasting impact, prompting reflection on the universal themes of human connection and the quest for belonging. This film is a must-watch, offering a rich tapestry of emotions that lingers in the viewer's mind long after the credits roll.

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Bloody, Lonely, Cold, Foreigner, Sad, Hungry…

For the first hour of the movie, I was completely absorbed, watching Loh Kiwan navigate life as a North Korean immigrant in Belgium. Eyes wide open, I tried to catch any information that would explain why he escaped China. I went in blind, avoiding the synopsis because they tend to spoil my fun or mess with my expectations. All I knew was that Song Joong Ki played the role of a broken man trying to survive—survive his sadness, his loss, and the harshness of life.

Then she appeared—the main lead—a little thief who stole his wallet, the last memento from his mother. The plot was “good,” though sometimes slow. It tackled the significant subject of immigration and the lengths people go to for a better life, as well as the individual stories behind each immigrant.

However, the female lead's story overshadowed this focus. More attention should have been on Loh Kiwan's journey. Their love story felt rushed, as if key moments between them were missing. They couldn’t have fallen in love over just a silent meal.

Song Joong Ki did a fantastic job, portraying every emotion convincingly and being sweetly kind. However, the representation of the locals was poor, possibly to emphasize Loh Kiwan’s suffering, but still lacking.

In conclusion, it could have been much better. The ending is open to discussion, so I’m rating it an 8/10.

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Great Acting and Story about the Struggles of Refugees

I really like this movie. I think this is the best movie of Song Joong Ki since 2012's Werewolf Boy. He always acts well, but I really appreciated his acting here among his recent works. Choi Sung Eun is also really excellent. she has matured in her acting since I saw her in Sound of Magic way back 2022. Seo Hyun Woo, Kim Sung Ryung, and Jo Han Chul are also memorable. It's a good movie that shows the struggles of refugees trying to survive in a foreign country. I said earlier that SJK is really excellent, that's because he acted really well how a person in really bad conditions should act even though he himself has been always comfortable in life.

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Simple story executed well

This has shown me what many individuals face everyday folding from war and oppression as they want better opportunities for themselves so they can live comfortably without stress and worry
The ML loh Kiwan story made me cry from the little things in trying to find his place in a foreign land but faced with many barriers such as friends betraying him nowhere to live and get attacked all because he isn't Belgium. The razor story made me cry the most
Marie was someone acting tough but was as broken as loh Kiwan as of her family history and getting pulled into crime to pay her debt and just needed someone to talk to
The love story was well-paced as they healed each other's wounds and found comfort in one another

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A Hopeful Tale of Love and Escape Triumphs Against Insurmountable Odds

This movie offers a compelling narrative that intertwines the destinies of its protagonists amidst the backdrop of adversity and the pursuit of redemption. Through the arduous journey of Loh Ki-wan from North Korea to Belgium, the film explores themes of resilience, love, and the human spirit’s capacity to endure. Despite occasional departures from realism, the emotional resonance of the story remains intact, captivating audiences with its engaging plot and heartfelt performances.

While grappling with technical shortcomings, the film’s central message of hope and resilience shines through, leaving viewers with a profound sense of reflection and empathy for the struggles of refugees. My Name Is Loh Kiwan stands as a testament to the power of love to transcend barriers and illuminate the darkest corners of the human experience

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Exciting Film, unfortunately with a lot of stereotypes

The film is exciting and thrilling. Song Joong-ki's acting is really excellent, he's also good in normal K-dramas, but he's even better here. The entire film gets 10 points from me, even if I now criticize it. The film largely takes place in Brussels and I have to say that not a single European is portrayed as nice or sympathetic in the entire film!!! This is very unfair. Europe is groaning under the refugee burden of the last few years. In Brussels there are now two queues in front of the asylum office: families, women and men traveling alone. There are simply no more shelters to house people, so a lot of single men actually end up on the streets. That's terrible, of course, but at the same time it shows that the current system is breaking down because of the sheer weight of it. As already indicated in the film, many people flee for economic reasons and it is very difficult to do justice to people without a passport in individual cases. Here, too, the Belgians are portrayed as almost inhuman, it's so nasty towards the hard-working people in the authorities. Of course there are no "normal" Belgians in the film. Only the blonde woman f****g preferably in a pack is shown, the violent drug lord and criminal ...The most brutal xenophobia is constantly shown. This paints a one-dimensional picture of a complex situation in which there is more humanity and help than shown here.

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what should have been a great one , with lackluster screenplay end up an average watch.

Rated it 7/10.
I feel disappointed.
"I’m not an SJK fan but I’m not a hater either. I'm neutral."
" The story was flowing along intrestingly and pretty good showing the male lead's hardships. I was hoping it would continue that way. His struggles for work and warmth and a roof over his head were authentic. "
"The movie seemed to have spent more time on the “love” story and Marie’s drama than on what should’ve been the focus of the story, Loh’s journey to freedom. "

The Fl sounded like a spoiled brat. I didn't like her character. plus, Their love plot sounded illogical.

The gangster scenes was just laughable and the European gangsters very stereotyped.

song jong ki's facial expressions were almost the same. He could have done better.
The Fl's acting was okay. I think she deserves more recognition.

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Dark Subject Matter but Well Played

I give this movie a 9/10 not because it has any flaw that detracts but mainly, for me, I am not as big of fan of movies that portray the darker aspects of life. It's technically very well-made and does an excellent job portraying the harsh realities of someone forced to flee their country and live illegally in another—especially in an extreme case like a North Korean defector's. Refugees, before they have legal status, inevitably end up dealing with the most undesirable elements of society because of the undocumented status, and the film captures that grim truth without sugarcoating it. It's dark and a little depressing, but that's the reality—there are some very dark and depressing things in this world.

I enjoyed watching it. Would recommend to those that like dramas that expose a harsh reality in life with a romantic element. I wouldn't say it is a romance per se, the focus i not on that for a large portion of the movie, but more a slice of a really difficult lens of life.

Spoilers

The acting is strong across the board; everyone plays their roles convincingly. I was pleasantly surprised by the actors that played the locals in Brussels—the European actors in Asian productions are often B-grade or worse, but these felt like solid, capable performers.

The story really sticks with you. Things such as when Marie was looking at Loh Kiwan's scars and he said he got some of them from carrying razor blades because the place they left was so bad they would rather die than return was haunting and powerful. They do not need to show you what their life was like in North Korea to understand it was extremely bad.

Her life isn't much better. Somewhat of her own making just having extreme grief from the horrible way she lost her mother. So, she is also dwelling in the underground, crime ridden, layer of society. And that is how they meet. She is dealing with her life by being reckless and almost inviting something bad to happen. Through it all, Loh Kiwan and Marie stay good people at their core. She wasn't necessarily doing the best things when he met her, but he sort of brought her back to herself. Although he met her when she stole his wallet, he could see that goodness in her still and it was very heartwarming. The film showed, in many aspects, this realistic range of how people handle such difficulties—for example, the lady with kids (Seon-ju) who stole the meat. Loh Kiwan lectures her at first but then understands her desperation. And he even sees her point, that they aren't getting paid enough to even buy food, so it is survival. It's disappointing when she lies and says he isn't North Korean, but given the circumstances, it makes sense—and she truly redeems herself by finding proof about his mother.

I loved how Marie's dad comes to see that Loh Kiwan is really a great guy. I just wish we'd had a bit more time with their reunion. The romance is beautifully done; I really wanted the best for these two after the incredibly hard lives they'd both led.

I was a little disappointed in the end just because it was brief, and hard to determine where they were. It's not entirely clear what country they're in during the final scenes or exactly how it allows him to come and go freely (it might be the USA based on some interpretations, but the film keeps it ambiguous—likely a place where his refugee status enables more mobility).

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What the hell did I just watch!?

This movie reminds me a lot of a Chinese film called “Love Story in London”. Both represent productions that destroy themselves by pouring money into filming abroad, but fail where it matters most which is the story.

With that said, I completely disagree with the above-8 rating of this show on kisskh. It’s completely illogical to me, maybe just reflecting mad fans’ love for the male lead. And it serves as proof for producers that even a stupid work can still be profitable if you hire a lead with a solid fanbase.

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Official Review
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There are basically 3-4 storylines in this movie:

1. The ML’s refugee life
2. The FL’s family problem
3. The FL's problem with mafia gang
4. The romance between the leads

And 3 out of 4 storylines are extremely problematic.

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🍅 The FL’s family problem
The movie tries to tell us that the FL had a deep bond with her mom since she’s extremely furious about the mom's euthanasia. But it never shows her relationship with either parent. Not before the mom’s death and not after.

The dad seems decent, reasonable and caring, but we barely see any real interaction between them. The FL gets involved with mafia gang and drugs, but her dad seems to be completely unaware. He seems to only label her as rebellious because of grief, which feels shallow.

Then at the end, when she suddenly has to flee the country because the mafia is chasing her, the dad isn’t even that surprised or concerned. He just helps her get a plane ticket and lets her go - alone. This is a wealthy, well-connected man with access to top lawyers, yet he makes no real attempt to properly resolve his daughter’s situation.

And the issue is simply that the FL is financially indebted to the mafia. So, why doesn’t her dad just pay it off and solve the problem, at least in one way?

Instead, it’s the ML who decides that she has to leave the country without turning back.

How does such a decisive solution come from a naive, inexperienced refugee applicant who barely knows the country, can’t even speak the language and has only just arrived?

Also, the FL holding onto anger for three years makes no sense. She’s not a child. Her mom made her own decision, yet the FL is enraged at her father and reacts by publicly destroying her mom's memorial ceremony like a kid throwing a tantrum even three years later. If the FL is this childish, how come the father feels at ease to let her go out of the country to an unfamiliar new place alone at the end? This only feels unconvincing.

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🍅 The FL's problem with the mafia

I have no idea why two mafia groups want the FL so badly. The only thing I can infer is that the leader of the first gang might have feelings for her, but there’s no real romantic behavior to support that. The only indication is him killing members of the other gang at the end to keep her with him. But then later, it turns out he’s just following orders from a higher-up to kidnap her to Germany.

So what is it exactly - what’s so valuable about the FL that makes her worth all this?

Honestly, this is just a mess. It’s illogical and full of contradictions. I don’t find any bit of the mafia storyline convincing at all. They’re not intimidating. They don’t act with any real urgency or seriousness, and they let the FL, who owes them money, slip away too easily.

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🍅 The romance between the leads

Their relationship doesn’t convince me at all.

There’s nothing clear about how their feelings develop. Especially for the FL, who is already drowning in her own problems and has teenage shallow hostile attitude toward life, including the ML, most of the time. There's nowhere in the movie showing that the uneducated, poor-look ML is attractive to her. So where does this “deep love” come from?

When they suddenly start having sex, it completely caught me off guard because there was no buildup at all. The ML also seems decent in bed, as if he’s experienced, which doesn’t match his background of having no education while living with his mom his whole life.

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🍅 The ML’s refugee life

I'm already tired of all the disarray in this film, so let me not go too deep into this. Just that the process and details aren’t accurate while the tone of this film is realistic.

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Things in this movie are just too illogical. They try to juggle 3-4 storylines but never really commit to developing any of them properly. It feels like the writing team brainstormed a few random ideas, then didn’t bother to shape them into something coherent or at least filter out the weaker ideas.

In the end, it just comes across as a number of half-baked plots forced together onto one plate

𓂃 ✦ 𓂃

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Kind of complication to be in another country

It is not bad overall the story and they are like illegal immigrants to another country. Many complications no doubt and many of the parts are like shortcuts thus make it confusing. If you watch this movie it is like today's immigrants whp do not have a citizenship have to stay put and make sure there is no problem. In all countries there are many illegal immigrants where these people have nowhere to run to due to many things, they have to run all their lives. This is what this story is about . I am surprised Song Joong Ki was picked to this movie but anyway it is emotional too. Thanks for the movie and the excellent casts chosen

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Porta il tuo nome con orgoglio

Song joong ki qui si é veramente messo alla prova e ha dimostrato di essere un attore versatile e bravo; la sua recitazione é ció che piú fa amare questo film.
Altro punto a favore é il tema centrale della storia: la ricerca di un'identitá, indispensabile per poter essere liberi.
Loh kiwan é un disertore della corea del nord, e per non essere deportato deve nascondere la sua identitá quando arriva in Cina.
Quando fugge in Belgio e richiede asilo si trova ad affrontare indifferenza ma anche odio, razzismo ed emarginazione.
Trova aiuto lá dove non ce lo aspetteremmo, da altri uomini e donne che come lui sono in difficoltá e si adattano ad una vita di soppressione e sfruttamento pur di scappare alla repressione e alla paura.
Ad ostacolarlo maggiormente alla fine é la burocrazia dei nostri paesi che non danno garanzia di inclusione , nonostante si pongano come baluardo dei diritti civili.
Alla fine ció che vuole Loh Kiwan non é la cittadinanza belga, ma che questi diritti gli siano riconosciuti, nonostante sia un immigrato clandestino, nonostante sia un apolide, é prima di tutto un essere umano.
Richiede solamente il privilegio di poter vivere portando con orgoglio il proprio nome, simbolo della propria identitá e del legame con la propria famiglia.
Il tutto racchiuso nel titolo del film: "My name is Loh Kiwan".

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