Gyopo

A Gyopo is defined as a person of Korean descent that has been raised abroad. Often feeling like the outsider as the “Asian person”, many Gyopos make the pilgrimage to Korea, only to find that they are also outsiders in the country that gave birth to their parents. These third culture kids are a new “lost generation”–expatriates with no real center or direction. We follow an ensemble cast of Gyopos as they spend a typical day in the life of Seoul. A cross between ‘’Playtime’’ and ‘’Dazed and Confused’’, these Gyopos get drunk, laugh, fall in love, and get into fist fights. Taking place over a span of 24 hours, these stories interweave with each other as we follow one character to the next. They are a clan of well-educated 20 and 30-somethings, all suffering from some form of identity issue.

After 12 years in Seoul, Lee has returned to his hometown of Toronto and is currently attending the York MFA film program.  Many of his works have travelled the world and have garnered several awards; most notably his short documentary “How to Make Kimchi: according to my Kun-umma”. A graduate of the Canadian Film Centre 2011 Director’s Lab, Samuel continues to hone his craft through a plethora of formats including music videos and experimental works. GYOPO is Lee’s first feature length film.