Film inspired by Sewol ferry sinking chooses Vietnam for first screening

The film, titled “Family Secrets,” was inspired by the tragic ferry sinking in 2014 in Korea. Vietnam was chosen because of its emotional resonance and common perspective on family values.

The film “Family Secrets” (Unspoken Words) was recently screened at the 2025 Da Nang Asian Film Festival. This is the world premiere of the film, and is also screened to compete at this film festival.

The film stars Kim Hye Eun - who plays Kang Min Yung in the film "Itaewon Class" - "Itaewon Class" is famous to Vietnamese audiences.

She plays Yeon Jung - a housewife who is about to return to work. At the same time, many strange signs begin to appear in the female lead, causing her husband to ask many questions. From here, conflicts arise among family members and they blame each other. However, not only Yeon Jung, it seems that everyone is keeping a secret that is difficult to tell.

The film has bright but sad images and colors. (Photo: Provided by the film crew)

“Family Secrets” brings up a lot of heartbreak and simmering sadness, some of which don’t directly address, but are reminiscent of, the 2014 ferry tragedy in South Korea.

During the premiere, the film’s director Lee Sang Hoon confirmed this detail. “It happened a long time ago, but every year on April 19, the entire Korean nation mourns the victims of this heartbreaking incident. That inspired me to make the film,” he said.

The filmmaker also shared that Korean psychological films often have a sad tone. But through “Family Secrets,” he wanted to convey a brighter message, and at the same time, he was confident that the audience would not be able to guess the ending.

The scene of the tragic ferry sinking off the coast of South Korea 11 years ago.

Sharing the reason for choosing DANAFF as the global premiere venue, Lee Sang Hoon said that the culture and family concept between Vietnam and Korea have many similarities. “I know that Vietnamese audiences currently love horror and comedy films. But I believe that the story about family bonds will touch your emotions,” director Lee shared.

Present at the screening, actress and producer Truong Ngoc Anh shared: “In real life, director Lee Sang Hoon is very funny. But after watching the film, I realized that he is a sentimental and thoughtful person.” Actress and producer Trinh Tu Trung also praised the minimalist but touching story that was told in a pleasant way.

Kim Hye Eun. (Photo: Provided by the film crew)

The female lead Kim Hye Eun is a highlight of the film. In addition to her ability to transform into a powerful, sharp CEO like in the series "Itaewon Class," she also successfully played a gentle but hiddenly sorrowful mother in "Family Secrets" or charming supporting roles in "Mr. Sunshine," "My Perfect Stranger," "Encounter."

At the Da Nang Asian Film Festival, "Family Secrets" competed in the "Asian Film Competition" category, competing with 12 other works from many countries in the region. The closing ceremony and awards ceremony of the film festival took place on the evening of July 6, 2025.

The film is expected to be released commercially in its home country and continue to be shown in Vietnamese theaters in September. The director, the female lead and several other faces promise to come to Vietnam to interact with the audience. Lee Sang Hoon said he wants to learn more about Vietnam, as well as cooperate more in the future.

Lee Sang Hoon was born in 1976. He started out as an actor and later became a director. He has directed films such as "Windmill," "New Old Story," and "The Villagers"./.

The Sewol ferry sinking took place on April 16, 2014, off the coast of Jindo Island, South Korea. At the time of the incident, the ferry was carrying 476 people, most of whom were students from Danwon High School on a field trip.

The accident left 304 people dead or missing. The causes were determined to be overloading, improper cargo arrangement, negligence and lack of professionalism of the captain and crew in abandoning passengers, as well as indifference of officials in directing the handling of the incident.

The incident caused international outrage, sparking outrage about safety management in Korea.

(Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/phim-lay-cam-hung-tu-vu-chim-pha-sewol-chon-viet-nam-de-cong-chieu-dau-tien-post1047979.vnp