7 Films by Kim-Jho Gwangsoo
The programme highlights Kim-Jho Gwangsoo, one of South Korea’s most influential queer filmmakers and a leading voice for LGBTQI+ rights. In 2013, Kim-Jho and his partner, David Kim Seung-hwan, held the country’s first public same-sex wedding, later filing a landmark lawsuit after their marriage registration was rejected. The case cemented his status as both filmmaker and activist.
Kim-Jho’s long history of social engagement began with student activism in the 1980s, where his mix of humour and energy helped sustain pro-democracy movements. Before directing, he produced films centred on social minorities, including Boys of Tomorrow (2006, No Dong-seok) and the landmark queer feature No Regret (2006, Lee-Song Hee-il). Motivated by the lack of LGBTQI+ stories in Korean cinema, he made his directorial debut with Boy Meets Boy in 2008.
His films continue to explore marginalised experiences, from HIV stigma to hearing impairment and the pressures of heteronormative expectations. Works such as Two Weddings and a Funeral (2012) and Made on the Rooftop (2020) blend socio-political intent with warmth, romance, and hope.
A curated selection of Kim-Jho’s films will be screened at HOME, CULTPLEX, and the University of Lancashire, with the director joining in person for special talks and Q&A’s.
On a warm spring afternoon, shy Min-soo crosses paths with the tall, broad-shouldered Seok-i on a bus. Drawn to the boy with the sharp eyes tucked beneath a baseball cap, Min-soo can’t help but stare as his heart races. What unfolds between these two strangers becomes a quiet, tender exploration of first attraction.
> 1:30pm 9th December 2025
> HOME, Manchester
1. Boy meets Boy (2008, 35mins)
Seok hopes for a quiet evening with his boyfriend Min-soo, who is completing his military service. But when Min-soo’s mother unexpectedly arrives and questions their relationship, the couple can offer only one safe answer: they’re “just friends.” The film gently captures the strain of love constrained by family expectations and the realities of Korean military life.
> 1:30pm 9th December 2025
> HOME, Manchester
2. Just Friends (2009, 54mins)
3. Love is 100 degrees (2010, 22mins)
Min-so, a hearing-impaired teenager, secretly harbors feelings for his classmate Ji-seok. In a moment of impulsiveness, he becomes involved with a young man who works at a public bath; an encounter that leaves him both emboldened and burdened. The film explores desire, vulnerability, and the complicated paths young people navigate in search of acceptance.
> 1:30pm 9th December 2025
> HOME, Manchester
After completing his College Entrance Exam, 20-year-old Geun-ho goes out to a gay bar with his friends to celebrate. There he meets Jun, a stranger who sparks his curiosity, and impulsively follows him to Seoul. Over the course of one night, their brief encounter unfolds into a tender exploration of connection, desire, and self-discovery.
> 1:30pm 9th December 2025
> HOME, Manchester
4. One Night (2014, 36mins)
5. Tell me that you love me (2025, 73mins)
Kyoung-il meets the youthful Kyoung-ho while purchasing a secondhand camera. Though Kyoung-ho agrees to sell it, his lingering attachment makes him hesitate, and a small argument follows. When Kyoung-il finally walks away with the camera, Kyoung-ho trails after him, unwilling to let go. The film traces an unexpected encounter that grows from one man’s reluctance to part with something precious.
> 7pm 9th December 2025
> CULTPLEX, Manchester
6. Made in Rooftop (2021, 127mins)
After a breakup leaves 27-year-old job seeker Ha-neul with nowhere to stay, he moves into the cramped rooftop room of his free-spirited best friend, Bong-sik. Their small shared space becomes the backdrop for healing, friendship, and the search for a fresh start.
> 1:30pm 10th December 2025
> HOME, Manchester
7. Two Weddings and One Funeral (2012, 108mins)
To hide their true sexual identities, gay man Min-soo and lesbian Hyo-jin marry each other, though each secretly lives with their real partner next door. As they juggle this elaborate ruse to appear “normal” to family and coworkers, the film humorously and tenderly explores love, identity, and the lengths people go to for acceptance.
> 2pm 12th December 2025
> Mitchell and Kenyon Cinema (FBLT1) at University of Lancashire