A collection of modern queer Korean shorts that blend genres from horror to action to comedy. In early South Korean cinema, LGBTQ+ characters were often victimised and portrayed as being stuck in violent and self-destructive patterns. However, in this programme, the films draw on familiar themes but offer alternative twists. The characters are empowered to control their destinies by embracing their queer identities. Shedding light on the versatility of queer storytelling through unconventional cinematic styles, the films in this collection are cruel, gentle, and downright grotesque, all in one wicked mixtape. 

Content warnings: drug use, violence, and blood 

Total Running Time:  103min 

Ice 

Seung-jin and Tae-yoon, friends with benefits who engage in chemsex, embark on a road trip to meet their drug dealer and end up spending a night in a hotel. Despite their anxiety and fear of getting caught by the police, they cannot resist their desire for pleasure.  

Lee Seong-wook | South Korea| 2019 | 28min 

Cicada 

This horror short is about Chang-hyeon, a transgender sex worker, who meets a client with mystifying questions about her past. The uncomfortable conversation between her and this strange, yet familiar, intruder soon becomes violent.  

Yoon Dae-woen | South Korea | 2021 | 17min 

Don’t Worry 

Hanyeol, a openly gay man, has a secret crush on Suho, his soon-to-be-married best friend. Suho has secret affection for Hanyeol. A night, Suho decides to make a move that could change the pair’s relationship completely.   

Kim Tae-yong | South Korea | 2022 | 19min 

How Do I Kill That B? 

Ha-Yoon works as a maid in a luxurious mansion, and is not too fond of a new employee, Ji-Young. When a forest hunting game is proposed by the mansion owner, the tense relationship between the two maids reaches an extreme level. 

Seo Ji-hwan | South Korea| 2022 | 27min 

Butch Up! 

Mi-hae, the lead vocalist in a band, has just been dumped by her girlfriend and band. Miserable, she cannot get herself to sing her old band’s most popular hit, Oppa’s Girl, but then she meets Chaechae, a transgender TV celebrity. 

Lee Yu-jin | South Korea| 2022 | 12min