Acclaimed Thriller Burning Comes to Brighton
Lee Chang-dong's highly praised film Burning is set to screen at the Duke of York's Picturehouse in Brighton, offering a unique blend of mystery, drama, and thriller elements. With its exploration of class, jealousy, and human relationships, this South Korean psychological thriller is sure to captivate audiences.
Dir: Lee Chang-dong
Cast: Yoo Ah-in, Steven Yeun, Jeon Jong-seo, Kim Soo-kyung, Choe Seung-ho, Moon Sung-keun, Min Bok-gi, Ban Hye-ra
148 mins · 2018 · South Korea, Japan · English, Korean
IMDb 7.4/10 · Rotten Tomatoes 95% · Metacritic 91/100 · TMDB 7.4/10 · Trakt 73%
Awards: 54 wins & 144 nominations total
Lee Chang-dong, known for his thought-provoking and emotionally charged films, returns to the director's chair after an eight-year hiatus with Burning, a psychological thriller that has been making waves in the cinematic world. The film tells the story of Jong-su, a young deliveryman who becomes embroiled in a complex web of relationships and suspicions when he meets his childhood friend Hae-mi and her enigmatic acquaintance Ben. As the story unfolds, Jong-su's perceptions of reality become increasingly blurred, leading to a thrilling and unsettling exploration of class, jealousy, and human relationships.
Burning is a South Korean film, co-written and directed by Lee Chang-dong, and starring Yoo Ah-in, Steven Yeun, and Jeon Jong-seo. The film's runtime is 148 minutes, and it is rated as a mystery, drama, and thriller. With its English and Korean dialogue, Burning offers a unique cultural perspective that adds to its intrigue. The film has received widespread critical acclaim, with scores of 7.4/10 on IMDb, 95% on Rotten Tomatoes, 91/100 on Metacritic, 7.4/10 on TMDB, and 73% on Trakt.
The film's critical reception has been overwhelmingly positive, with many praising its sense of unease, ambiguous narrative, and performances. Burning has also received numerous awards and nominations, including 54 wins and 144 nominations, and was selected as the South Korean entry for Best Foreign Language Film at the 91st Academy Awards. The film's exploration of class, jealousy, and human relationships has resonated with audiences, making it a thought-provoking and unsettling watch.
Viewers have also been impressed by the film's slow-burning tension and ambiguous narrative, with many praising its ability to linger in the mind long after the credits roll. Some have described it as a "slow-burning mystery about economics, class, and sexual jealousy" and a "simple and inconclusive film that still manages to linger in your mind for days." Others have noted that the film's realistic approach and poetic narrative make it a unique and captivating watch.
The screening of Burning will take place on Monday, 16 November 2026, at the Duke of York's Picturehouse in Brighton, and will run until Tuesday, 17 November 2026, at 23:00. Tickets and details are available with the button beside this article, so be sure to check it out and experience this acclaimed thriller for yourself. With its thought-provoking themes and slow-burning tension, Burning is a film that will stay with you long after the credits roll.
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What viewers say
fawlty70 · 10/10
Go in with no expectations, except that it is a slow-paced simple story, told in an epic fashion with wonderful cinematography and understated acting. It got under my skin like few movies do, a story about class, jealousy, ego, desire, dreams, etc. Best movie of the year, possibly.
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salvdelg · 9/10
This movie is a generational manifesto. A boy that loves a girl; the girl loves a richer boy; the richer boy has no moral values. In this chain, the plot unfolds and the characters' personalities develop to became extremely complex. That's why this is a manifesto for 90-00's generation: they live of contraddictions between their first-world issues (to be in the forgotten middle-low class, to be too rich, to have a father in prison, and so on...)…
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KurtMoney · 7/10
Wasn't crazy about this. Once again I've been burned by the promise of a "crazy ending." Never believe what you read. Good movie. Gland I saw it. But won't watch again.
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Jay Shuai · 3/10
Not sure what all the fuss was about for this. Way too long and not particularly interesting. Somewhat tedious in fact. Literally nothing happens. 3/10
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Saint Pauly · 7/10
An entire film where the actors read between the lines a story made only of things left unsaid. Majestic.
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IHateBadMovies.com · 9/10
This is a movie for people who want to get inside of a movie and roll around inside of it. For days. The movie itself is a slow burn (sorry for the pun) and the ending won't be for everyone. If you enjoy a movie that makes you think and research for days in order to appreciate all that you saw (and didn't see) this movie is for you. follow me at https://IHATEBadMovies.com or facebook IHateBadMovies
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Bertaut · 9/10
A slow-burning mystery about economics, class, and sexual jealousy. And cats. In his first film in eight years, writer/director Lee Chang-dong (Oasis; Secret Sunshine; Poetry) begins this protean narrative as an almost John Hughes-esque teen romance, before shifting gears into a story of sexual and economic jealousy, then morphing into the tale of a pseudo-film noir amateur sleuth, before finally allowing itself to visit the thriller territory…
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manicure · 7/10
“Burning” is a simple and inconclusive film that still manages to linger in your mind for days. The realistic approach instantly ties your perception of the events with the protagonist’s subjectivity, but everything is left so ambiguous that you will start wondering what the film is getting at. It might be or not be a romantic drama, a disappearance mystery, or a social commentary. For sure, it’s an interesting character study. Lee Chang-Dong’s…
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