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My Name Is Loh Kiwan

My Name Is Loh Kiwan

I have decided to survive in this land.

2024131 minRMidcredits score: 79th percentile of all films
Director
Kim Hee Jin
Starring
Song Joong-ki

After defecting from North Korea, Loh Kiwan struggles to obtain refugee status in Belgium, where he encounters a dejected woman who has lost all hope.

Where to watch

Where can I watch My Name Is Loh Kiwan?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists My Name Is Loh Kiwan streaming on Netflix.

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Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about My Name Is Loh Kiwan?

My Name Is Loh Kiwan earns 4 badges, led by Standout acting and Crowd Pleaser.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is My Name Is Loh Kiwan worth watching?

My Name Is Loh Kiwan's Midcredits score is the 79th percentile of all films, from 25K ratings across 4 sources. 67% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

79th percentile

Better received than 79% of films

81st percentile among Drama80th percentile among 2020s
Acclaim (how much people like it)80th
Approval (how many liked it)75th

70 /100

80th percentile of all films

83rd percentile among Drama79th percentile among 2020s

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.1 — solid but not unanimous.

67% liked it

75th percentile of all films

77th percentile among Drama75th percentile among 2020s
67% rated it 7–1033% rated it 1–6

Critics 57% · Audience 83%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 2 wins / 0 noms overall

Reach

How many have seen it

93rd percentile

25K ratings across platforms

94th percentile among Drama94th percentile among 2020s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 5% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

A North Korean defector's brutal struggle for asylum in Belgium is undercut by a clichéd gangster-romance subplot.

Fans praised

  • Song Joong-ki's transformative performance as a vulnerable defector
  • Emotionally immersive survival story capturing immigrant hardship
  • Touching chemistry between leads in a realistic romance

Detractors panned

  • Illogical gangster subplot and stereotyped European criminals
  • Unconvincing, annoying female lead with weak motivation
  • Forced romance derails the more compelling defector narrative

What stands out

Acting78

Song Joong-ki praised for emotional range and physical transformation; supporting cast mixed

Cinematography72

Stunning Belgium long shots and close-ups; beautiful atmosphere

Atmosphere70

Grim refugee world and winter cold effectively rendered

Emotional impactDivisive65

Tearjerking for many; others find sentiment forced

PacingDivisive50

First half gripping; second half loses momentum with subplots

CharactersDivisive45

Male lead's resilience lauded; female lead widely panned as bratty and unmotivated

Plot and storyDivisive42

Promising survival setup derailed by forced romance and gangster detour

Originality35

Formulaic immigrant-tragedy tropes; predictable romance arc

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 7 points apart
  • US vs non-US 9 points apart

Watch experience

What is My Name Is Loh Kiwan like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Moving and uplifting: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for heavy feelings, and you want to be moved and come out lifted.

It is intense, takes its time and leaves you hopeful. Skip it when you want an easy night or you want things to move fast.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Room for heavy feelings and patience.

What it feels like

Moving and uplifting.

Moods
MelancholicContemplativeHopeful
Heaviest: throughout
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Tender · 13% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats its subject with gravity and dignity, sincere and heavy, without irony.
The rideThe film sustains a somber, reflective pressure from the opening defection through the asylum struggle, with only brief respites of hope.
StructureStandard chronological narrative following Kiwan's asylum process and his encounter with the dejected woman.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Hopeful.

The answer rests on this: HopefulBittersweet
Why it leaves you this wayDespite the hardships, the film ends with a note of possibility, leaving both hope and the weight of what was lost.
How it ends · evidence
Ambiguous ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).QuestMission
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10% (this title): Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% (this title) · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Quest: A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles. · Mission: Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).

10% of films fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeLoh Kiwan's story is driven by the defined objective of obtaining refugee status in Belgium, a mission through bureaucratic obstacles.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfPurposeSelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22% (this title): Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% (this title) · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% (this title) · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% (this title) · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Self

Purpose · 9% of filmsDisplacement · 1% of filmsHope · 5% of films
Observes its theme: Presents its theme neutrally, declining to judge.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores Loh Kiwan's search for a reason to keep going amid displacement and despair, and the fragile hope found through a kindred lost soul.
StanceThe film presents the refugee's ordeal and the woman's hopelessness without overt judgment, letting the human cost speak for itself.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral modernAmbientSupportive music · original score · Dalpalan
Settingpresent-day Belgium, refugee processing centers and city streets
MusicA subdued orchestral score that underscores the emotional weight without overwhelming the realism.

Content guide

Is My Name Is Loh Kiwan okay for kids?

R

My Name Is Loh Kiwan is rated R. As of September 28, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (58/100), sexual content at moderate (38/100), language at moderate (43/100), drug and alcohol content at severe (90/100) and frightening material at moderate (56/100). Its violence and frightening material have too few votes to rank. Overall it is heavier than 52% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 29 other countries
  • UK15
  • CanadaR
  • AustraliaMA 15+
  • Germany16
  • France16
  • Ireland15
  • New ZealandR16
  • South Korea19
  • Brazil16
  • Argentina+16
  • FinlandK-16
  • Hungary16
  • ID17+
  • IndiaA
  • Israel16
  • LTN-16
  • LU16
  • LV16+
  • MY18SG
  • Netherlands16
  • PhilippinesR-16
  • PortugalM/16
  • PRR
  • SingaporeR21
  • South Africa13
  • Spain16
  • Switzerland16
  • Türkiye18+
  • VIR
Overall
Intense · all five categories
Heavier than 72% of all filmsHeavier than 52% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Moderate
too few votes to rank (8 votes)
Sex & Nudity
Moderate
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 34%
Profanity
Moderate
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 16%
Alcohol & Drugs
Severe
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 97%
Frightening / Intense
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
too few votes to rank (9 votes)

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is drug and alcohol content. Everything else sits at or below what R-rated films usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does My Name Is Loh Kiwan have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in My Name Is Loh Kiwan?

Cast

Song Joong-ki
as Lo Kiwan

Crew

Directed by

Kim Hee Jin

Written by

Hae Ji ChoKim Hee Jin

Cinematography

Lim Won-geun

Music by

Dalpalan

Produced by

Josh Patil

More like this

What are movies like My Name Is Loh Kiwan?

Movies like My Name Is Loh Kiwan include Welcome (2009), Breaking and Entering (2006) and Synonyms (2019). Of the 6 closest matches, most are films about displacement, and most are stories about unlikely alliances.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

5 of these 6 share its world: immigrant community. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with My Name Is Loh Kiwan?

9K other films share the rarest tag below, relationship: unlikely alliance. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.