25th New York Asian Film Festival

July 10-26, 2026

North American Premiere

Frosted Window

흐린 창문 너머의 누군가

Three seasons, one old Seoul neighborhood, and several people who think they understand desire. In Seochon, where hanok lanes open onto cafés, galleries, and bars, Kim Jong-kwan follows flirtations, evasions, and small comedies of attraction and self-deception as they unfold across three interlinked episodes. First, an overconfident artist (Chang Ryul) chats up women in cafés with less charm than he imagines. Then, a nail-salon worker turns a stranger’s interest into an opportunity of her own. The stories are bright and talky, as they explore the inherent comedy of wanting someone while pretending not to care too much. That is, until the final episode, “Mari,” shifts the ground. An amnesiac actress (Ok Ja-yeon) searches for herself through letters, a diary, and a screenplay called Frosted Window. The film folds back on itself, and Seochon becomes more than a setting: a place where passing moods leave permanent traces.

Director: Kim Jong-kwan
Producer: Park Hyun-suk
Screenwriter: Kim Jong-kwan
Cast: Yeon Woo-jin, Chang Ryul, Joo Jong-hyuk, Ok Ja-yeon
Languages: Korean with English Subtitles
2026; 80 min.; Digital
Country: South Korea

SCHEDULE:

Friday July 24, 8:00pm
Korean Cultural Center New York

Intro and Q&A with director Kim Jong-kwan

Kim Jong-kwan
김종관

Kim Jong-kwan graduated from the Seoul Institute of Arts and has made acclaimed short films since 2000. His first two features, Lovers (2008) and Come Closer (2010), were thematically linked short film omnibuses; other features include Worst Woman (2016), The Table (2017), Persona (2019), Shades of the Heart (2020), and Josee (2020), starring Han Ji-min. He directed the Metamorphosis chapter of The Killers (NYAFF 2024). In addition to filmmaking, his creative work spans music videos, exhibitions, and publishing. His films often build from simple conversations between two people, treated as a framework for cinematic experimentation. He will present his latest film, Frosted Window.