Netflix adds movie Parasite director describes as a 'visual masterpiece'

When the legend that is Parasite director Bong Joon-ho showers a film with praise, you know you’re in for something truly special. To use his own words about Netflix’s first-ever Korean animation, “This visual masterpiece will take you around the universe,” and his verdict has sent excitement sky high for director Han Ji-won’s vision of the future. And the wait for Lost In Starlight is over as Netflix has added it today [Friday, May 30] globally.

While anime fans have known for a while that the film was on its way, Netflix ramped up expectations by keeping any images close to their chest. But that all changed a few weeks ago with the arrival of a teaser poster, followed swiftly by a trailer that shows not only the extent of the fantastical visual storytelling we can expect from the film, but the importance of music to the story.

Lost in Starlight | Official Trailer | Netflix [EN SUB] - YouTube

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There’s a sense of nostalgia in the poster, with a record player and vinyl albums pointing towards a unique cyberpunk universe, while the trailer itself gives a first taste of the film’s evocative soundtrack.

In Han Ji-won’s feature debut, the setting is Seoul in 2050 and it's a romantic tale of aspiring astronaut Nan-young, who dreams of making it to Mars, and reluctant musician Jay.

In a story of love, ambition and separation, the couple meet when Nan-young visits an audio equipment repair store in the hope they can repair an old record player left behind by her mother. It’s there that she runs into Jay and a romance slowly blossoms.

But they have to prepare for the prospect of being millions of miles apart as Nan-young goes deeper into her Mars research and gets the chance to go to the red planet. She’s also encouraged Jay to re-discover his love of music but, with separation looming, they have no idea how it will affect their dreams of being together.

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The use of light in the visuals will rock you in your seat. The impact is extraordinary, a combination of delicacy and literal brilliance, with cities drenched in sunlight and voyages to the stars wrapped in velvet darkness.

Down-to-earth scenes of Seoul are beautifully re-created through Han Ji-won's stunningly evocative drawings, capturing the pulsating thrill and uncertainty of new love. There's also the sense that, at the heart of the film, is a mystery which seems to echo Interstellar, while the constant dangers of deep space start to get in the way of Nan-young returning to Earth to be with her lover.

In the Korean language version, Nan-young is voiced by Kim Tae-ri, while Hong Kyung is the voice of Jay. For the English language dub, Justin H Min (The Umbrella Academy, After Yang) is Jay, and Maitreyi Ramakrishnan (Never Have I Ever, Turning Red) plays Nan-Young.

Early reactions to Lost in Starlight beg an immediate question. Could it become the feature film equivalent of Netflix’s record-breaking South Korean phenomenon, Squid Game?

It may not reach the same dizzy audience numbers, but it might easily provide the perfect antidote to the streamer’s number one non-English language series of all time. As Netflix’s most successful launch ever, Squid Game attracted 265,200,000 views for its opening episode in 2021, and the clock is ticking as it moves into its third and final series on June 27. Picking up straight after the brutal cliffhanger at the end of season two, a failed rebellion, the death of a friend, and a secret betrayal are all on the cards. Fans of Korean animation and drama — or both — will be in their element.

Lost In Starlight was added globally on Netflix on Friday, May 30.

Seasons one and two of Squid Game are currently on Netflix in the US and UK. Season three arrives on June 27.