Common Sense Media Review
By Andrea Beach
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Slow, enigmatic character study with nudity, violence.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 17+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Burning
What's the Story?
In BURNING, Jong-su (Ah-in Yoo) reconnects with childhood friend Hae-mi (Jong-seo Jun) just before she takes off on vacation to Africa. Jong-su finds himself pining after Hae-mi while she's gone, and is excited to pick her up at the airport when at last she gets back to Seoul. But Jong-su's dreams of romance will have to wait when Hae-mi shows up with the mysterious Ben (Steven Yeun) in tow. When Hae-mi suddenly disappears, Jong-su is convinced Ben has something to do with it and sets out to find her.
Is It Any Good?
At right around two and a half hours, this quiet, slow-paced character study offers a lot of food for thought while keeping the audience at arm's length. The slow pace, isolated lives, and enigmatic characters make it hard to establish an emotional connection with Burning. It does provoke some thought about why we live the way we do, how that affects us, and what the consequences are of living cut off, if only emotionally, from other people.
The absorbing story, thoughtful direction, and talented acting manage to hold the viewer's interest; we're drawn in despite not being able to feel a real connection to the characters. The ending isn't really an ending, and contributes to a sense of unease, but also encourages thought about where the story might go from there. Strong sexual content, adult themes, and rare but strong violence make it best for oldest teens and up.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the sex in Burning. How much is OK to show in movies? Why?
What about all the cigarette smoking? Is it realistic? What about the scene where they smoke marijuana? What are the possible consequences of smoking either one?
What kind of effect did the violent scene have on you? How much violence is OK to show in movies?
Movie Details
- In theaters : November 9, 2018
- On DVD or streaming : March 5, 2019
- Cast : Ah-in Yoo , Steven Yeun , Jong-seo Jun
- Director : Chang-dong Lee
- Inclusion Information : Asian Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Well Go USA Entertainment
- Genre : Drama
- Topics : Friendship
- Run time : 148 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
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