The theatrical release of director NAM Ki-woong’s Mizo became uncertain due to the restricted rating from the Korean Media Ratings Board (KMRB) it received, but it is going to premiere uncut in Japanese theaters. Co-producing and financing company Mountain Pictures Co., Ltd said, “Mizo is set to be released at art theaters in Tokyo and Osaka during October and November.” It will be distributed by Stand INC, Japan’s independent distributer.

Mizo goes through Mizo’s (LEE Hyo) tragic life, who was abandoned in a garbage bin shortly after her birth. She has been sexually abused by her step parents, and begins her journey to find her biological parents. Finally she finds her biological father Woo-sang (YOON Dong-hwan), and takes the most painful revenge on him. Director NAM, who has made unique films including Teenage Hooker Become Killing Machine (2000) and Never Belongs To Me (2006), directed and wrote the film.

Even though Mizo was introduced to audiences at the 15th Jeonju International Film Festival, KMRB has assigned the film a restricted rating which actually prevented it from releasing in the country. KMRB explained that the reason for its rating is because they felt that “the film is against social ethics in general due to its inclusion of severe violence and immoral ethics, and has high degrees of sexuality and violence which could potentially increase the risk of having copycats.” However, production company responded, “Mizo is a controversial film which brings up unavoidable topics of our society and makes us look back at real life cases like Daejeon baby abandoned case, the abandoned baby on a roof case, and the advent of the baby box.”  They also defined their stance that “director and production crew will do our best for the film’s domestic release as soon as possible, without damaging the film and filmmakers’ value and the rights of audiences.”

Meanwhile YIFFF programme director SHIOTA Tokitoshi gave a favorable comment that “This movie is insane, but it does not make this movie bad. If a director wants to make acerbic criticisms on our real insane society, he or she has to be insane,” and added, “I am considering to show Mizo at the next YIFFF.” Director NAM has a history of winning the Jury’s Special Award for Never Belongs To Me (2006) at the 17th YIFFF.