Next Sohee

A chilling portrait of a generation frustrated and betrayed, facing a future they don’t quite want to claim.

Amid such a bleak and slow burn of a premise, Jung’s “Next Sohee” is surprisingly warm-hearted.

Jung’s direction is unshowy but solid, with minimal score and a focus on persuasive performances captured by an empathetic lens. But her writing is less confident...

Drawing on a true story, Jung offers no easy solutions but presents a humane and affecting study of systemic failings, where quotas are prioritised over people.

Ju-ri paints a portrait of a young adult’s evolution from student-to-worker that’s deeply dehumanizing, revealing a shockingly broken system that’s intentionally stacked against the Sohees of society. Powerful stuff.

"Next Sohee" is an excellent drama that highlights the issues with the Korean system and their consequences in the most pointed but also rewarding way.



Good things come to those who wait, and so it is with Next Sohee, the blunt and powerful new film from director July Jung, which bowed at the Cannes Film Festival this spring, following eight years after her sensational debut, A Girl at My Door.

“It's a compelling story that is anchored by incredible performances from the film's two leading actors.”

Next Sohee ... (is) powerful film-making.

Through riveting specificity July Jung’s Next Sohee has created a powerful criticism of South Korean institutional failings. Making it one of the best sophomore films of the year, and the indelible result of a bonafide filmmaker.