My Name is Loh Kiwan is Netflix’s latest original film adapted from a novel. The story discusses Loh Kiwan (Song Joong Ki), who is a North Korean defector. He went to Belgium to obtain residency rights. This effort is full of struggle.
There are several characters who are instrumental in helping Loh Kiwan throughout this film. He only met some of them when he came to Belgium. So who are the characters who help Loh Kiwan? Check out four of them below.
Warning, this article contains spoilers.
1. Ok Hee
Kim Sung Ryung in My Name is Loh Kiwan (twitter.com/NetflixKR)Ok Hee (Kim Sung Ryung) is Loh Kiwan’s biological mother. This mother and child left North Korea and settled in China. Both live in densely populated settlements.
Initially, Loh Kiwan worked in China. However, because he had problems with his boss, Loh Kiwan was fired and ended up becoming a fugitive. He hid at home and only his mother worked.
On Loh Kiwan’s birthday, a tragedy occurred. The mother died when she was hit by a car. Even more touching, his last request was to send Loh Kiwan abroad. He was willing to sell his body to the hospital and then give the money to Loh Kiwan so that the young man could have a new life.
2. Eun Cheol
Seo Hyun Woo in My Name is Loh Kiwan (twitter.com/NetflixKR)Eun Cheol (Seo Hyun Woo) is Loh Kiwan’s biological uncle on his mother’s side. He was the one who looked after Loh Kiwan and his mother while they lived in China. Eun Cheol is also the one who carries out Loh Kiwan’s mother’s will.
For Ok Hee’s last message, Eun Cheol helps Loh Kiwan escape from China. He connected his nephew with an illegal immigrant broker so that Loh Kiwan could immediately get a fake passport to go to Belgium. He also gave all the money from the sale of Ok Hee’s body to Loh Kiwan.
3. Marie
Choi Sung Eun in My Name is Loh Kiwan (twitter.com/NetflixKR)Marie (Choi Sung Eun) initially made things difficult because the girl stole Loh Kiwan’s wallet. The wallet contained money from the sale of Loh Kiwan’s mother’s body. Apart from that, there are memorable photos of Loh Kiwan as a child with his mother.
Even though it made her emotional, Marie actually returned the wallet after finding out what was inside. He helped Loh Kiwan several times who was in trouble in Belgium. Not surprisingly, the two of them ended up falling in love. Marie gave Loh Kiwan new strength and purpose to survive as a refugee in Belgium.
4. Yoon Seong
Jo Han Chul in My Name is Loh Kiwan (twitter.com/NetflixKR)Yoon Seong (Jo Han Chul) is Marie’s father. He is a South Korean who has lived in Belgium for a long time and has changed his citizenship status. Initially, he was happy with his wife and their children. However, his wife’s death made his child, Marie, run away from home.
Yoon Seong helped Loh Kiwan a lot because of Marie. For example, he once helped free Loh Kiwan from prison. He also introduced the young man to a Korean lawyer who specialized in handling refugee issues so that he could help Loh Kiwan at trial.
5. Seon Ju
Lee Sang Hee in My Name is Loh Kiwan (twitter.com/NetflixKR)Seon Ju (Lee Sang Hee) is a senior worker at a meat slaughter factory in Belgium. Loh Kiwan, who uses a fake identity, works there under Seon Ju’s supervision. The woman even helped Loh Kiwan who was being bullied by other employees.
Even though he had betrayed Loh Kiwan’s trust, Seon Ju was again instrumental in the man’s life. He sent a letter from China addressed to Loh Kiwan. The letter contained a newspaper cutting reporting the death of Loh Kiwan’s mother. The newspaper clipping proved that Loh Kiwan was a North Korean defector at the trial.
Loh Kiwan’s life as a refugee in a foreign country is indeed difficult and full of twists and turns. However, there were enough people who helped him that he was able to start a new life in films My Name is Loh Kiwan. For example, the five people above have made a big contribution to Loh Kiwan’s life.
