The Asian Angel

The Asian Angel (Japanese: アジアの天使, Hepburn: Ajia no Tenshi) is a 2021 Japanese-South Korean film written and directed by Yuya Ishii and starring Sosuke Ikematsu and Choi Hee-seo.[1] The storyline follows a Japanese man seeking a new life in South Korea. The film was shot exclusively in South Korea with Japanese and Korean actors, with the narrative crafted around the idea of overcoming cultural barriers to begin new chapters in life.[2][3] Tsuyoshi, a single father and struggling novelist, ends up on the road with his brother and other drifters; as they navigate their differences and their futures, the group ultimately finds modes of deep connection despite cultural and language conflicts.[4][5]

The Asian Angel
Theatrical release poster
Directed byYuya Ishii
Screenplay byYuya Ishii
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyKim Jong-sung
Edited by
  • Jo Hyun-joo
  • Masaya Okazaki
  • Yuya Ishii
Music byPark In-young
Production
companies
  • RIKI Project
  • Secondwind Film
  • D.O. Cinema
Distributed by
  • Klock Worx
  • D.O. Cinema
Release dates
  • 14 March 2021 (2021-03-14) (Osaka)
  • 1 May 2021 (2021-05-01) (Jeonju)
  • 2 July 2021 (2021-07-02) (Japan)
  • 28 October 2021 (2021-10-28) (South Korea)
Running time
128 minutes
Countries
  • South Korea
  • Japan
Languages
  • Korean
  • Japanese

The Asian Angel premiered as the closing film of the 2021 Osaka Asian Film Festival.[6] The film was selected to be screened at the 20th New York Asian Film Festival. Ikematsu, who plays the starring role, was also selected for one of the festival’s three Rising Star Asia Awards.[7]

Plot

Tsuyoshi, a widowed Japanese novelist, takes his young son Manabu to Seoul to work with Tsuyoshi’s older brother Toru. They discover that Toru is making a shady living by illegally exporting cosmetics. The situation worsens when Toru’s partner steals the profits and runs off. Toru suggests another avenue of profit, and the trio takes off to the countryside. They eventually meet Seol, a Korean singer whose music isn't selling and whose boss is pressuring her into an unwanted relationship. After Seol is suddenly dropped by her agency, she and her sister end up on the same train as the Japanese brothers, and they eventually end up traveling together. A subtle romance begins to bud between Tsuyoshi and Seol, complicated somewhat by cultural and communication barriers and the effects of the past.[8][9] The story also has elements of the supernatural, with Tateto Serizawa playing the role of an angel in the film.[10]

Cast

See also

References
  1. Severns, Karen (28 June 2021). "Sneak Preview Screening and Q&A: "The Asian Angel"". Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan.
  2. Kolzathanasis, Panos (15 March 2021). "Film Review: The Asian Angel (2021) by Yuya Ishii". Asian Movie Pulse.
  3. Takeda, Yukiko (29 June 2021). "Sosuke Ikematsu: 'I want to believe in the possibilities of movies that I felt beyond countries and words' Movie 'Angel of Asia'". The Asahi Shimbun.
  4. Hadfield, James (8 July 2021). "'The Asian Angel': A road movie with a touch of the divine". The Japan Times.
  5. Lewis, Andrea (8 July 2021). "'The Asian Angel': A road movie with a touch of the divine". The News Motion.
  6. Frater, Patrick (14 March 2021). "Japanese 'Ito' Wins Osaka Asian Film Festival Prizes". Variety. Retrieved 7 August 2021.
  7. Ouchi, Keisuke (26 July 2021). "Sosuke Ikematsu wins the Rising Star Asia Award for "The Asian Angel"!". Cinema Today.
  8. Kolzathanasis, Panos (15 March 2021). "Film Review: The Asian Angel (2021) by Yuya Ishii". Asian Movie Pulse.
  9. "Asian Angel Journey with Love and Beer". Mainichi Shimbun. 2 July 2021.
  10. "Sosuke Ikematsu "Strange Figure," Xerizawa Koto "Angel," Visual Release "Asian Angel"". Cinema Cafe. 2 July 2021.
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