IO ISLAND

Kim Ki-Young is one of the most influential directors from South Korea, having been cited by the country’s modern greats like Bong Joon Ho and Park Chan-wook. While many know of his classic THE HOUSEMAID, Kim’s cast filmography has a lot of gems that are often overlooked, like his mystery film IO ISLAND. Adapted from a popular novel by Lee Cheong-jun, IO ISLAND follows a company that is scouting the mythical island of Ieodo to open a spa hotel. During the trip, a journalist goes missing and this leads one of the contractors to a neighboring island populated by the widows of dead sailors to solve the mystery. IO ISLAND is a powerhouse South Korean classic, blending all of the things that many admire about the country’s cinema today—a mix of folklore and political commentary, this film feels like the blueprint for the South Korean New Wave.