Yeon Sang-ho’s 〈Paradise Lost〉 Walks TIFF Red Carpet as World Premiere Sells Out

Yeon Sang-ho’s film 〈Silnakwon〉 (PARADISE LOST, directed by Yeon Sang-ho) wrapped its world premiere screening in the Special Presentations section of the 51st Toronto International Film Festival after selling out every seat. WOWPOINT, which presented and produced the film, and distributor CJ ENM said on Sept. 15 that the red-carpet event and world premiere took place on Sept. 13 local time.

〈Paradise Lost〉 is a psychological thriller about Ryu So-young (played by Kim Hyun-joo), a mother who lost her son in a camping school bus disappearance nine years earlier, and what happens when her son, Ryu Seon-woo (played by Bae Hyun-sung), who she believed was dead, returns. The film is based on the novel Black Inferno, and director Yeon Sang-ho—who was officially invited to TIFF for a second consecutive year after last year's film 〈Face〉—directed and co-wrote the screenplay with writer Ryu Yong-jae.

At the red carpet before the screening, Yeon Sang-ho and lead actors Kim Hyun-joo and Bae Hyun-sung greeted local audiences and reporters. During the post-screening Q&A, Yeon said, "Now that the first screening is over, it feels as though 〈Paradise Lost〉 has finally come to life." Actress Kim Hyun-joo said, "I was glad to share the first viewing moment with the audience," and Bae Hyun-sung, attending TIFF with his first leading film role, also spoke about how meaningful the moment was to him.

After the screening, local outlets The Film Stage and Next Best Picture praised the actors' immersive performances and the film's overall quality.

Following a successful world premiere at TIFF, Yeon Sang-ho's mystery thriller 〈Silnakwon〉 is scheduled to open in South Korean theaters on Wednesday, Oct. 21.