Io Island (Kim Ki-Young, 1977) @ Alamo Drafthouse Mountain View

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.

Showtime is 7.30 pm. We meet no later than 7.15 pm in front of the theater. I have row 3 / seat 3 if you want to sit close.

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.