Walk Up

Walk Up is a 2022 South Korean drama film written, directed, produced, photographed, scored and edited by Hong Sang-soo.

Plot

Walk Up follows filmmaker Byung-soo and his estranged daughter Jeong-su as they visit a building owned by Ms. Kim, share a meal, and meet others who live in the building. The same event is seemingly repeated several times in different variations. Byung-soo later begins a relationship with a woman in the building and moves into one of the apartments.

Cast

Kwon Hae-hyo as Byung-soo
Lee Hye-young as Ms. Kim
Park Mi-so as Jeong-su
Song Seon-mi as Sunhee
Cho Yun-hee as Jiyoung
Shin Seok-ho as waiter
Production

Walk Up was filmed in black and white in Seoul in 2021. It was written, directed, edited, and produced by Hong, with music and cinematography by Hong. The production company was Jeonwonsa Film Company. Kim Min-hee served as production manager.

Release

Walk Up premiered at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival, where it screened out of competition. It was also shown in competition at the 70th San Sebastian International Film Festival on September 22, 2022 and premiered in the United States at the 2022 New York Film Festival. Walk Up premiered in theaters in South Korea on November 3, 2022 and in the United States on March 24, 2023.
The film is distributed internationally by Finecut and in North America by Cinema Guild.

Reception

Critical response

Walk Up has received positive reviews from critics, holding a 97% positive rating on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes based on 29 critics, with an average score of 8 out of 10, and a score of 86 on Metacritic, based on nine reviews, indicating "universal acclaim". Critics praised the film for being reflective and complex, and noted strengths in its acting, music, and tone.

Box office

Walk Up grossed $31,679 in South Korea.