Draft:Seoul Mates
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Seoul Mates is a 2014 Filipino-Korean romantic comedy-drama film directed and co-written by Nash Ang. Produced jointly by OBRA Incorporated of the Philippines and Samsong Entertainment Media Holdings of South Korea, it was described by The Korea Times as "the first Korea-Philippines co-produced feature film made by staff and actors from both countries."[1] The film stars Ji Soo in his first leading role in a feature film,[2] alongside Mimi Juareza. It premiered at the Cinema One Originals Film Festival in November 2014.[3]
Submission declined on 16 March 2026 by Grapesurgeon (talk).
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Comment: I think it's likely this film is notable, but current sourcing does not prove it. Need at least 3 independent (not PR statements by the film's company) reliable sources (e.g. newspaper articles) that discuss the film at length (e.g. more than just like a paragraph or two). Also do not use WP:IMDB as a source; unreliable. grapesurgeon (talk) 02:21, 16 March 2026 (UTC)
- Comment: In accordance with Wikipedia's Conflict of interest guideline, I disclose that I have a conflict of interest regarding the subject of this article. Subtleazn (talk) 10:27, 15 March 2026 (UTC)
- Nash Ang
- Uel Ceballos
- Ronald Arguelles
- Hoseon Lee
- Ji Soo
- RC Eusebio
- Nash Ang
- Mimi Juareza
| Seoul Mates | |
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| Directed by | Nash Ang |
| Written by |
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| Produced by |
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| Starring |
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| Cinematography | Chungil Lee |
| Music by |
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Production companies |
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Release date |
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Running time | 115 minutes |
| Countries |
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Plot
Alice, a Filipino transgender woman, travels to South Korea to follow her boyfriend. Joon, a young Korean musician, is struggling under pressure from his traditional parents. The two cross paths by chance on a bridge in Seoul, and their encounter develops into an unlikely cross-cultural relationship.[4][3]
Cast
- Mimi Juareza as Alice
- Ji Soo as Joon
- RC Eusebio as Jason
- Nash Ang as Arthur
- Liz Cha as Suyong
- Glaiza Valdez as Petra
- Youngnam Cha as Cholsu
- Eukwon Hong as Minsoo[4]
Production
Nash Ang originally conceived Seoul Mates as a school project while studying filmmaking on a scholarship at the Korea National University of Arts (K-Arts) in Seoul in 2013.[1] The Korea Herald had profiled Ang in September 2012 as a Filipino exchange student at K-Arts with "a cinematic eye for presenting heart-wrenching poverty with disarming frankness" in his documentary work.[5] The project was subsequently expanded into a feature-length production through a two-month shoot in 2014, with a cast and crew composed of both Filipino and Korean professionals.[1]
The film was produced by OBRA Multimedia, the production arm of Filipino non-profit cultural organization OBRA Incorporated, in co-production with Samsong Entertainment Media Holdings, a Korean entertainment company.[4] Ronald Arguelles served as executive producer, Hoseon Lee as line producer, and Mathieu Stewart as co-producer and sound designer.[4] Cinematography was by Chungil Lee and the musical score was composed by Gil Hizon.[4]
The production brought together actors from both countries. Korean actor Ji Soo took on his first leading role in a feature film with Seoul Mates.[2] The Commission on Filipinos Overseas later described the film as "the first-ever Filipino-Korean Feature Film."[6]
Release
Seoul Mates premiered at the Cinema One Originals Film Festival in Manila on November 10, 2014, where it was nominated for Best Picture.[3][4] The festival's 2014 edition, its tenth year, featured ten films in competition, including works by several notable Filipino filmmakers such as Antoinette Jadaone's That Thing Called Tadhana and Kanakan-Balintagos' Esprit De Corps.[3][7]
Following its Philippine premiere, the film screened at Indiespace, an independent cinema in Seoul's Jongno district.[1] It was also screened in Tokyo in April 2015.[1]
Reception
Rappler critic Zig Marasigan reviewed Seoul Mates as part of his coverage of all ten Cinema One Originals 2014 competition films, acknowledging the film's engagement with "pressingly relevant" subject matter including gender identity and cultural difference.[7] Marasigan noted that such "gender issues demand more active, public discussion, and entertainment is an effective way to open up dialogue to a larger market."[7]
The Korea Times later described the film as "the first Korea-Philippines co-produced feature film made by staff and actors from both countries," highlighting its role as an early example of cinematic collaboration between the two nations' film industries.[1] The Commission on Filipinos Overseas also cited Seoul Mates when recognizing Nash Ang with a Media Advocate Award in 2021, describing it as "the first-ever Filipino-Korean Feature Film."[6]
or multiple published secondary sources that:
- provide significant coverage: discuss the film in detail, not just brief mentions or routine announcements;
- are reliable: from reputable outlets with editorial oversight;
- are independent: not connected to the film, such as press releases, the studio's own website, or sponsored content.
Please add references that meet these criteria. If none exist, the subject is not yet suitable for Wikipedia.