Year: 2022
Runtime: 115 min
Language: French
Director: Davy Chou
Freddie, a 25-year-old man living in the United States, unexpectedly returns to South Korea, his country of birth, hoping to discover more about his origins. During his journey, he explores the culture and confronts questions about his identity and place in the world. He navigates unfamiliar surroundings and seeks a deeper understanding of his heritage and family history.
Warning: spoilers below!
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Read the complete plot breakdown of Return to Seoul (2022), including all key story events, major twists, and the ending explained in detail. Discover what really happened—and what it all means.
Freddie, a charming 25-year-old woman, finds herself on an unexpected journey of self-discovery. Born in South Korea and adopted by French parents, she arrives in Seoul for a two-week vacation after her flight to Tokyo gets cancelled. During her stay, she quickly forms a bond with Tena, the hotel desk clerk, and has a brief encounter with a man she meets at a restaurant. As she settles into the vibrant city, Tena, along with another friend, introduces Freddie to the Hammond Adoption Center. Although Freddie initially shows no desire to reconnect with her biological parents, her curiosity leads her to visit the agency.
At the center, she learns that while they cannot disclose her parents’ identities, they can notify them of her interest up to three times a year through telegrams. Freddie’s journey continues as she travels to Gunsan for a tense reunion with her father, with Tena translating their conversations. When she discovers that her mother has not responded to the telegrams, she decides to stay with her father’s family for a few nights. Her father’s persistent phone calls and messages filled with regret weigh heavily on her, leading her to feel trapped by his attempts at reconciliation.
During a night out, Freddie confides to Tena about her father’s incessant contact, calling it oppressive. Their evening takes a sour turn when Freddie mocks the declarations of affection from her first-night companion, and in a moment of vulnerability, she attempts to kiss Tena, who, unfortunately, rejects her, labeling her as “a very sad person.” That night, Freddie returns to her hotel accompanied by a DJ, only to face her drunken father, who confronts her about ignoring him. Tena intervenes, but chaos erupts when Freddie screams at her father to let her go.
Fast forward two years, and Freddie has made a new life in Seoul. She goes out with André, a weapons dealer who believes she has a future in the business. As she reflects on her birthday, she expresses her longing for her mother, pondering if she ever thinks of her. At a surprise birthday celebration, Freddie shares with a co-worker, who is also an adoptee, that her mother has finally replied to their telegrams, revealing she does not wish to meet. Though her father continues to email her, Freddie generally ignores him, focusing instead on understanding her roots.
Five years later, Freddie’s life takes another turn as she learns some Korean and begins working with André selling missiles. On a business excursion to South Korea, she attends a meeting with her father, where he plays a heartfelt piano piece he composed. His music stirs something within her, but frustration builds when her boyfriend, Maxime, suggests that her role in life is to protect South Korea. After dinner, she makes the difficult decision to break up with him, and the following morning finds herself alone in an alley.
The story comes full circle when Freddie receives an unexpected positive response to a telegram from her biological mother. They meet at a Hammond facility, where an emotional reunion occurs as they embrace, and her mother shares her email address for future correspondence.
A year later, on her birthday, while trying to check into a hotel, Freddie attempts to email her mother, expressing her apologies for the lack of contact and her belief that she is finally happy. However, her joy quickly turns to disappointment when she realizes her mother’s email address is no longer valid. Seeking solace, she enters the hotel lobby and is drawn to a piano. Hesitantly, she sits down and begins to play a beautiful melody, attempting to connect with herself once more through music.
Last Updated: November 16, 2024 at 18:05
Still wondering what the ending of Return to Seoul (2022) really means? Here’s a spoiler-heavy breakdown of the final scene, major twists, and the deeper themes that shape the film’s conclusion.
Freddie’s journey in Return to Seoul is driven by her search for identity and belonging, haunted by the ambiguity of her origins. Her impulsive arrival in Korea is a subconscious pull toward her past, even as she lives a relatively comfortable life in France with loving parents. Throughout the film, she oscillates between moments of reckless energy and deep vulnerability, revealing her fear of emotional exposure and her struggle to connect authentically. Her relationship with her birth family is fraught; they are both overbearing and unfamiliar, and her discomfort is heightened by her own inner turmoil. This tension culminates when she meets her birth father and his family, but her silence and mixed emotions underline her profound unease and disconnection.
As the story progresses, Freddie’s tumultuous romantic entanglements mirror her internal chaos. Her affection is often manipulative, driven by her need to be loved and validated, as well as her fears of abandonment. Her relationship with Korea itself becomes symbolic—her version of addiction and self-sabotage. She craves the acknowledgment she missed out on, but her fragile ego leads her to lash out at those attempting to care for her, especially when she perceives her father’s happiness or her boyfriend’s attention as threats. Despite her destructive cycles, there’s a hint of hope when she begins to confront her pain, evidenced by her genuine effort to change and her tentative connection with her mother.
In the film’s closing moments, Freddie adopts her original name, a symbolic step toward reclaiming her identity. She appears to find some peace through this act of self-acknowledgment and the hope for reconciliation with her past. However, the ending leaves us uncertain: she types an email to her mother, claiming she’s happy, but whether she actually sends it remains unknown. The email could represent her wish for closure or an act of denial, as her traumatised psyche might be too fearful or insecure to follow through. The film’s conclusion suggests that her future is still open-ended—her journey toward healing is ongoing, and perhaps her growth depends on whether she embraces her true self and allows love to heal her wounds. Ultimately, Return to Seoul leaves us with a hopeful but cautious sense that Freddie’s path to self-acceptance is complex, fragile, and full of unresolved possibilities.
Last Updated: June 25, 2025 at 08:57
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