Walk Up (Korean; Hanja, Revised Romanization: tab; lit. Tower)[1] is a 2022 South Korean drama[2] film written, directed, produced, photographed, scored and edited by Hong Sang-soo.[3]

Walk Up
Official poster
Original title
Directed byHong Sang-soo
Written byHong Sang-soo
Produced byHong Sang-soo
Starring
CinematographyHong Sang-soo
Edited byHong Sang-soo
Music byHong Sang-soo
Production
company
Jeonwonsa Film Company
Distributed by
  • Finecut (international)
  • Cinema Guild (North America)
Release dates
  • 11 September 2022 (2022-09-11) (Toronto)
  • 3 November 2022 (2022-11-03) (South Korea)
  • 24 March 2023 (2023-03-24) (United States)
Running time
97 minutes
CountrySouth Korea
LanguageKorean
Box office$31,679

Plot

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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

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Production

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Walk Up was filmed in black and white[6] in Seoul in 2021.[7] It was written, directed, edited, and produced by Hong, with music[5] and cinematography by Hong.[3] The production company was Jeonwonsa Film Company.[5] Kim Min-hee served as production manager.[8]

Release

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Walk Up premiered at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival,[9] where it screened out of competition. It was also shown in competition at the 70th San Sebastian International Film Festival on September 22, 2022[5] and premiered in the United States at the 2022 New York Film Festival.[10] Walk Up premiered in theaters in South Korea on November 3, 2022[11] and in the United States on March 24, 2023.[12][13]

The film is distributed internationally by Finecut[3] and in North America by Cinema Guild.[14]

Reception

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Critical response

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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,[15] and a score of 86 on Metacritic, based on nine reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".[16] Critics praised the film for being reflective[10][4][17] and complex,[3][18] and noted strengths in its acting,[19] music, and tone.[5]

Box office

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Walk Up grossed $31,679 in South Korea.[20]

Accolades

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Award ceremony Year Category Nominee Result Ref.
Buil Film Awards 2023 Best Film Walk Up Nominated [21][22]
Best Director Hong Sang-soo Nominated

References

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  1. ^ Garcia Mino, David (2022-09-23). ""Walk Up" (2022): con una copa de vino". Cintilatio (in Spanish). Retrieved 2022-09-30.
  2. ^ Fulvi, Giovanna. "Walk Up". TIFF. Retrieved 2022-09-30.
  3. ^ a b c d e Romney, Jonathan (2022-09-22). "'Walk Up': San Sebastian Review". Screendaily. Retrieved 2022-09-29.
  4. ^ a b c d e Bowen, Chuck (2022-09-28). "'Walk Up' Review: Hong Sang-soo's Synecdoche of Life". Slant Magazine. Retrieved 2022-09-29.
  5. ^ a b c d e Kiang, Jessica (2022-09-23). "'Walk Up' Review: Hong Sangsoo's Sly, Silvery Latest is One of His Recent Greatest". Variety. Retrieved 2022-09-29.
  6. ^ Daniels, Robert (2022-09-16). "TIFF 2022: Prisoner's Daughter, What's Love Got to Do with It, Walk Up". Roger Ebert. Retrieved 2022-09-30.
  7. ^ Song, Seung-hyun (2022-08-03). "Hong Sang-soo's 'Walk Up' invited to two overseas film fests". The Korea Herald. Retrieved 2022-09-29.
  8. ^ 강, 민경 (2022-08-03). "[공식] 홍상수 감독♥김민희 제작 실장 '탑', 토론토·산세바스티안 영화제 초청". 한경닷컴 (in Korean). Retrieved 2022-10-13.
  9. ^ Hudson, David (2022-07-29). "Toronto and More Fall Lineups". The Criterion Collection. Retrieved 2022-09-29.
  10. ^ a b Brody, Richard (2022-09-29). "Three Highlights from the First Week of the 2022 New York Film Festival". The New Yorker. Retrieved 2022-09-30.
  11. ^ Kim, Eun-jung (2022-10-28). "(Movie Review) In 'Walk Up', Hong Sang-soo unfolds metaphors of life in four-story building". Yonhap News Agency. Retrieved 2022-11-10.
  12. ^ Bramesco, Charles (2023-03-01). "Hong Sang-soo gets lost in the funhouse in the first Walk Up trailer". Little White Lies. Retrieved 2023-04-25.
  13. ^ Brody, Richard (2023-03-23). "Hong Sangsoo's "Walk Up" Signals a Break from Routine". The New Yorker. Retrieved 2023-04-25.
  14. ^ Brzeski, Patrick (2022-08-09). "Cinema Guild Takes North American Rights to Hong Sang-soo's 'Walk Up'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2022-09-29.
  15. ^ "Walk Up". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 2023-08-28.
  16. ^ "Walk Up". Metacritic. Retrieved 2022-10-04.
  17. ^ "'Walk Up' Review: Hong Sangsoo Delivers A Delicate Portrait Of Age & Artistic Pursuit [NYFF]". The Playlist. 2022-10-02. Retrieved 2022-10-04.
  18. ^ Garcia, Lawrence (2022-10-01). "Walk Up — Hong Sang-soo [NYFF '22 Review]". In Review Online. Retrieved 2022-10-04.
  19. ^ Vestby, Ethan (2022-09-18). "TIFF Review: Hong Sangsoo's Walk Up is Relaxing in its Languid Rhythms". The Film Stage. Retrieved 2022-09-30.
  20. ^ "Walk Up". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2023-08-28.
  21. ^ Nam, Yoo-jung; Lee, Woo-young (August 27, 2023). "누가 받아도 될 정도로 훌륭한 후보들, 그중 최고는 누구?" [Great candidates to anyone can accept, who is the best of them?]. Busan Ilbo (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved August 27, 2023.
  22. ^ Bae Hyo-joo (October 5, 2023). "이병헌·김서형 주연상→'콘크리트 유토피아' 작품상까지 4관왕(부일영화상)[종합]" [Lee Byung-hun and Kim Seo-hyung won 4 awards, including Best Actor Award → ‘Concrete Utopia’ Best Picture (Buil Film Awards) [Comprehensive]]. Newsen (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved October 6, 2023.
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