SXSW London 2025 – The Square ★★★★

Released: TBC (SXSW London 2025)

Director: Kim Bo-sol

Starring: Jeon Woon-Jong, Lee Ga-Young

Selected for festivals such as Annecy, Far East Film Festival and Tribeca, Kim Bo-sol’s debut animated feature The Square is making quiet waves in the festival scene. It tells the story of a taboo relationship between a diplomat and a traffic officer in Pyongyang, North Korea, which is met with conflict and turmoil. 

With his blonde hair, tall posture and blue eyes, Isak immediately stands out as a foreigner in North Korea and subsequently attracts attention everywhere he goes. He seemingly lives a simple yet lonely life – he cycles in the snow-capped city, listens to his Discman and calls his grandmother, a Korean now living in Sweden, to talk about the food. Yet the only brief remiss in his controlled daily routine is when he meets with Bok-joo, a young woman who works nights. As interracial relationships are frowned upon in the country, they are forced to spend time in secret. But as Isak’s extension to stay is refused, he discovers that Bok-joo has gone missing and asks his interpreter Myeong-jun to find her before he has to leave North Korea.

Due to the communist state setting, there is a lingering sense of distrust throughout The Square that results in the core characters retaining a secretive nature. While Isak and Bok-joo’s relationship is a prime example, an additional level of secrecy comes from Myeong-jun, who covertly conducts surveillance on the former. With every step monitored, everything is out in the open, even long-distance calls with family, due to the possibility of espionage. Pyongyan’s secretive nature ultimately makes a chilling environment for a romance to blossom but with the surmountable odds against them, it is saddening to watch these two characters unable to honestly convey their feelings and are forced to appear apart while spending time together.

Despite working as a diplomat, Isak comes across as more emotionally open and wishes to build bridges with others, only to be met with denial and reluctance. He is also willing to be frank about his feelings and unafraid to risk his safety to be with Bok-joo drives the romance, breaking the personal barriers seemingly imposed by North Korean culture and the people around him. This subsequently affects Myeong-jun’s government role, as he discovers that people are willing to show compassion and be unafraid to receive it. When this empathy towards Isak forces him to make an unexpected choice, it hints to the idea that not everyone is not destined to be alone.

Kim’s impactful animation that showcases a distinct style that is a far cry from the audience-friendliness of Hollywood. As simple as it is raw, each frame reinforces the visual loneliness of the characters and their unspoken need for companionship by focusing on one character at a time.  Coupled with the melancholic store, this visual approach supports The Square’s themes of isolation and secrecy amid a sparse yet emotionally charged screenplay. The result is a gentle, heartbreaking yet gorgeously animated tale that sets Kim Bo-sol as a notable talent – and possibly a new era in South Korea cinema.