A new Korean film begins as a familiar disaster story—a catastrophic flood submerging Seoul—before pivoting unexpectedly into speculative science fiction. At its core, the narrative follows a mother, An-na, and her young son as they fight to survive the rising waters. Their desperate climb up a towering apartment building initially frames a struggle against nature, but the story soon reveals deeper, more unsettling layers.
An-na is not merely a resident fleeing for her life; she is a key scientist involved in a clandestine global research initiative. When a corporate security officer intercepts her escape to reveal that an asteroid impact has triggered an extinction-level event, her evacuation becomes a priority. The reason: her work may hold the key to preserving humanity.
As the characters ascend—first to the rooftop, then beyond—the film radically shifts perspective. The true nature of An-na’s project comes to light, pulling the audience into a complex, recursive narrative. The storytelling draws clear inspiration from high-concept sci-fi, weaving in elements of time loops, existential puzzles, and grand-scale apocalyptic imagery.
However, the film’s structure feels less concerned with a traditional survival plot than with meta-commentary on storytelling itself. Through An-na’s journey, the narrative repeatedly “corrects” her choices and emotional reactions, as if testing different outcomes. This approach evokes the feeling of an algorithm fine-tuning a drama, raising questions about fate, empathy, and the nature of narrative in an age of engineered entertainment.
While the plot mechanics can feel fragile at times—particularly in its ambiguous handling of conflict—the central relationship between mother and child provides an emotional anchor. The film ultimately leaves viewers with a provocative, if uneasy, reflection on how stories are told and how humanity might grapple with its own designed futures.
“The Great Flood” arrives on a global streaming platform this December.