Because I Hate Korea

Because I Hate Korea is a 2023 South Korean drama film directed by Jang Kun-jae and starring Go Ah-sung and Joo Jong-hyuk. Based on novel of the same name by Chang Kang-myoung, it follows a woman in her late 20s who suddenly leaves her job, family, and boyfriend behind to go to New Zealand alone in search of her own happiness.

It premiered at 28th Busan International Film Festival as opening film on October 4, 2023. It will be released theatrically in 2024.

Cast

 * Go Ah-sung as Gye-na
 * Joo Jong-hyuk as Jae-in
 * Kim Woo-gyeom as Ji-myeong
 * Oh Min-ae as Min-ae
 * Bang Jae-min
 * Kim Ji-young as Kim Tae-eun, the director of the study abroad center
 * Morgan Oey

Production
Produced by Mocushura in association with Cinematic Moment, Indiestory and Sidus, the film is distributed by NK Contents in South Korea. Principal photography began on July 29, 2022. In January 2023 it was filmed in New Zealand after delay due to COVID-19 pandemic.

Release
Because I Hate Korea had its premiere at 28th Busan International Film Festival as opening film on October 4, 2023. It will be released theatrically in 2024 in South Korea.

Showbox acquired international sales rights of the film in January 2023.

Reception
Lee Marshall reviewing for ScreenDaily at Busan International Film Festival commented on the performance of Go Ah-sung as "The edgy, restless central performance of her brings some dramatic ballast". Marshall found the soundtrack of the film "Muzak" and character of Joo Jong-hyuk "zany". Concluding he wrote that "the film’s strongest card is the nascent feminist perspective of a young woman who wants to make her own mistakes – not the ones that [people in her life] impose upon her."

James Marsh of South China Morning Post rated the film 2/5 and criticized it writing, "Unfortunately the film doesn’t live up to its promising start, and delivers a string of ill-conceived culture-clash vignettes and stereotypes".