# Burning (2018) — Celluloid fact sheet

Source: https://celluloidscore.com/movies/burning-2018/
Last reviewed: 2026-08-31

| Field | Value |
|-------|-------|
| Celluloid Score | 85% |
| Editorial Rating | 95/100 |
| Audience Snapshot | 67% (excluded from composite) |
| Metascore | 90/100 |
| Letterboxd | 4/5 |
| IMDb | 7.5/10 |
| Director | Lee Chang-dong |
| Genres | Drama, Mystery |
| Runtime | 148 min |
| Festival premiere | Busan 2025 (Defining Moments of Asian Cinema) |
| Major awards | 2 wins, 2 nominations |

## Quick answer

Burning (2018) earns a 85% Celluloid Score — Recommended. Lee Chang-dong's slow-burn Haruki Murakami adaptation simmers with class tension and unanswered violence. Critics and audiences diverge (95% critic vs 67% audience). Metascore 90/100. Directed by Lee Chang-dong.

## Celluloid verdict

Lee Chang-dong's slow-burn Haruki Murakami adaptation simmers with class tension and unanswered violence.

## Synopsis

A deliveryman reconnects with a childhood friend who introduces him to a mysterious wealthy man, sparking jealousy and existential dread.

## Cast

Yoo Ah-in, Steven Yeun, Jeon Jong-seo

## Accolades

Premiered at Busan 2025, where it won the Defining Moments of Asian Cinema.
- Won Best Director (Lee Chang-dong) — Asian Film Awards 2019
- Nominated for Best Film — Asian Film Awards 2019
- Nominated for Best Film — Blue Dragon Film Awards 2018
- Won Best Director — Blue Dragon Film Awards 2018

## Where to watch

Global: MUBI
the United States: MUBI
India: Prime Video
Turkey: TV+
South Korea: Netflix, Wavve, TVING
Japan: Prime Video, U-NEXT

## Critic reviews on Celluloid: 1

## Common questions

**Is Burning worth watching?**
Burning holds a 85% Celluloid Score. Lee Chang-dong's slow-burn Haruki Murakami adaptation simmers with class tension and unanswered violence.

**What is Burning about?**
A deliveryman reconnects with a childhood friend who introduces him to a mysterious wealthy man, sparking jealousy and existential dread.

**Who directed Burning?**
Burning (2018) was directed by Lee Chang-dong.

**What is the Celluloid Score of Burning?**
85% — calculated from available Celluloid editorial (95/100), Metascore (90/100), Letterboxd (4/5), and IMDb (7.5/10) inputs. Audience sentiment is excluded.

**What awards did Burning win?**
Burning won Best Director (Lee Chang-dong) (Asian Film Awards 2019), Best Director (Blue Dragon Film Awards 2018), with 2 further nominations.

**Where can I watch Burning?**
Burning is streaming on MUBI; on MUBI in the United States; on Prime Video in India; on TV+ in Turkey; on Netflix, Wavve, TVING in South Korea; on Prime Video, U-NEXT in Japan. Availability varies by region.

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Reviewed and scored by Celluloid · Editor: Kaiser Khan (https://celluloidscore.com/author/kaiser-khan/)

Markdown mirror: https://celluloidscore.com/movies/burning-2018.md