New Netflix Animated Sci-Fi Romance ‘Lost In Starlight' Sparkles Visually And Emotionally
Promotional image from Lost in Starlight, an animated romance/sci-fi film debuting on Netflix May ... More 30, 2025
The term 'star-crossed lovers' has become a bit of a cliché, but it applies literally to Nan-young and Jay, the two protagonists of Lost in Starlight, the beautiful new animated feature from director Han Ji-Wan dropping on Netflix May 30. The film, which is the first feature length animated production on Netflix from South Korea, comes dressed in the trappings of science fiction, complete with planetary exploration and an edgy near-future version of Seoul glittering in the background. Underneath, however, it's a warm-hearted love story that pushes the boundaries of animation in exciting new directions.
'Usually in animated films, the characters just exist to drive the plot,' said Han in an exclusive interview via an interpreter. 'I didn't want that. I really wanted to have characters that you would see in everyday life, who you could really relate to. With animation, you can control all the details of expression and movement, so you can actually get more personal, more character-specific, and really dive into the feeling of it.'
Lost in Starlight delivers on that vision. Like Entergallactic, Scott 'Kid Cudi' Mescudi and Kenya Barris's animated romance film that debuted on Netflix in 2022, Lost in Starlight uses the irresistible eye candy of high-end contemporary animation to illuminate appealing characters and dazzling backgrounds, but never loses sight of the emotional heart of its story.
In Lost in Starlight, Nan-young is a scientist attached to the space program. The leadership is initially reluctant to add her to an upcoming journey to Mars because her mother was lost there on a previous mission 20 years ago. As Nan-young fights to realize her dream, she meets Jay, a gifted musician whose stage fright has kept his career from taking flight. But when Nan-young is added to the Mars mission at the last minute, and finds herself on a dangerous mission on the Red Planet, they must deal with the anxieties and uncertainties of being worlds apart.
Han brings a warmth and empathy to her characters and realizes the visuals in a style that combines the best of Asian and American-style animation while avoiding stylistic and genre clichés. She says the settings in 2050s-era Seoul are modeled on the neighborhood where she lives and works, and every detail in the background is meant to spark emotional or nostalgic resonance. It's a remarkably self-assured film from such a relatively young director, and a bold choice for Netflix's debut entry from the South Korean animation industry.
Animator Han Ji-Won, director of "Lost in Starlight" debuting on Netflix May 30, 2025
Han is a rising star in the South Korean animation industry with a growing catalog of short films including The Sea on the Day When the Magic Returns, which was screened at Sundance in 2023. She says she fell in love with comics as a child at a comic shop run by her grandmother, and knew she wanted to be an animator after seeing the work of Japanese master Hayao Miyazaki. Lost in Starlight, her second feature film, is getting an international release on Netflix, part of the streamer's ongoing investment in cutting edge animation and new voices.
'At Netflix, we collaborate with creators from diverse backgrounds to offer a variety of stories,' says Vincent Taewon Kim, Director of Content for Netflix Korea. 'Lost in Starlight, especially with the incredible vision of Director Han Ji-won, is a perfect example of that. We're also proud to support new and emerging creative voices. This year, we are showcasing two other films such as Mantis by Lee Tae-sung and Love Untangled by Namkoong Sun, both amazing up-and-coming filmmakers.'
Han says she came up with the story idea of a woman's dream to be an astronaut as part of a short music video she was working on, which she then had the opportunity to expand into a full length film. 'At the time I was making the movie, I fell in love,' she says. 'The production company asked me if we could add more romance to the movie, and I thought this was actually perfect because right now I' m love, so this would be the ideal opportunity to show my emotions!'
She also says she is grateful she had the support to realize her vision in an industry and culture that does not always welcome women in creative leadership. 'I'm lucky because it is quite rare to be in the role and position I'm in, to do both the production and planning myself,' she says. 'It's true that it is a very male dominated field, especially at the director and senior levels, and there is an unseen barrier to some extent, so I try my best to make sure my communication is very clear cut and I am able to get my ideas across. My way of breaking the barrier was having a unique way of working and being very persuasive as I advanced my career.'
She added she's encouraged to see the industry opening up, with more opportunities for talented female creators. If Lost in Starlight meets with popular success to match its creative accomplishments, those barriers may drop down even further.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Tom's Guide
28 minutes ago
- Tom's Guide
I watch Netflix for a living — here are the 5 new shows and movies I'd stream this week
Normally, there would be a deluge of new Netflix shows and movies to stream this week. But there are just five new arrivals to the streaming service between June 23 and June 29. There may be a good reason for this, though. "Squid Game" season 3 arrives on June 27, and it wouldn't be a shock if Netflix is clearing the decks for the final season of its most popular series ever. Of course, there are still other shows and movies worth checking out besides the series finale of Netflix's hit Korean drama. Chief among the best of the rest is "The Ultimatum: Queer Love" season 2, which adds yet another reality show to Netflix's already massive stable of popular reality TV. For more to watch, read on for my top picks, a full list of everything new on Netflix this week and the scoop on what's leaving Netflix this week. If you need more, check out our guide to everything new to Netflix in June or our review of Netflix's new soapy crime drama, which was the biggest new show last week. "Squid Game" takes place in a dystopian version of our world where a cabal of the wealthy and powerful pits the poor and desperate of South Korea against each other. If you win this series of children's games, you could take home a life-changing sum. Lose, and you lose more than just the game. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. In season 1, a down-on-his-luck divorced dad named Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) took home the top prize, and ever since, he's been looking to take the game down for good. Season 2 saw him in the game yet again, but his violent revolution ended in disaster. Now, he's the prisoner of The Front Man (Lee Byung-hun), but that doesn't mean the game is over. Tune in to the final season of Netflix's hit Korean-language thriller this week to see if Gi-hun can win once and for all. Watch on Netflix starting June 27 "The Ultimatum" has been a hit for Netflix. The premise is simple: several couples enter a reality dating show where one person in the relationship is given an ultimatum by the other — marry me or leave me. To determine if the couples are truly right for each other, though, they must first do the unthinkable. They will temporarily split up and enter into a trial marriage to see if married life is for them at all, or if maybe they're just with the wrong partner. Tune into "The Ultimatum: Queer Love" season 2 premiere this week and begin the eight-week journey to see which couples are right for each other and which are maybe better off with someone else. Watch on Netflix starting June 25 Some people like cruises. They're wrong, but people are entitled to their opinion. But what happens when a 4,000-passenger Carnival cruise ship loses power? That's the question "Trainwreck: Poop Cruise" looks to answer and — spoiler alert — everything goes to sh*t. If you love a story where the truth is stranger than fiction, do not miss this new Netflix documentary about the 2013 Carnival Triumph engine fire, which will forever live in infamy as the "poop cruise." Watch on Netflix starting June 24 A post shared by Steph Tolev (@stephtolev) A photo posted by on To call Steph Tolev's comedy raunchy might be an understatement. But the standup certainly has an ardent fanbase, including standup legend Bill Burr. Tolev has worked with Burr on multiple occassions, as well as appearing in "Hacks" as and "Tires" season 2. But in "Steph Tolev: Filth Queen," she's the main attraction of the show, dropping unfiltered confessions, dating stories and observations about life. Fair warning — when I say unfiltered, I mean it. Watch on Netflix starting June 24 Incredibly, the "Pokémon" anime has been ongoing for 27 seasons. Now titled, "Pokémon Horizons: The Search for Laqua," it probably looks unrecognizable to us who grew up with the original 150 Pokémon — it doesn't even feature Ash Ketchum — but if you need something for the kids this week, then this is the show for you. This latest batch of episodes picks up with Liko, Roy, and Dot reuniting with the Rising Volt Tacklers as they head to Kitakami and continue their Pokémon journey. Watch on Netflix starting June 27 JUNE 24 "Steph Tolev: Filth Queen" (Netflix comedy special) Bow down to the queen as fearlessly filthy Steph Tolev rules the stage with hilarious confessions, unfiltered dating stories and absurd observations. "Trainwreck: Poop Cruise" (GB) (Netflix documentary) An engine fire leaves 4,000 passengers stranded at sea without power and plumbing in this wild documentary about the infamous "poop cruise" of 2013. JUNE 25 "The Ultimatum: Queer Love" season 2 (Netflix series) Six couples put their love to the test by moving in with other partners. Are they ready for marriage — or is "the one" actually someone else? JUNE 27 "Pokémon Horizons: The Search for Laqua" season 2 part 3 (JP) (Netflix family) With their training complete, the three young adventurers embark on a new quest to learn more about Lucius and track down the rest of the Six Heroes. "Squid Game" season 3 (KR) (Netflix series) The third and final season of Squid Game follows Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) after losing his best friend in the game and being driven to utter despair by The Front Man (Lee Byung-hun), who was hiding his true identity to infiltrate the game. Gi-hun persists with his goal to put an end to the game, while the Front Man continues onto his next move and the surviving players' choices will lead to graver consequences with each round. The world eagerly awaits to see the grand finale written and directed by Director Hwang Dong-hyuk, who has vowed to bring the epic story to its deserved closure. Can we hope for humanity in the cruelest of realities? Fans all over the world are counting the days until the final answer is revealed. Leaving 6/26/25 "Ordinary People" Malcolm has been with Tom's Guide since 2022, and has been covering the latest in streaming shows and movies since 2023. He's not one to shy away from a hot take, including that "John Wick" is one of the four greatest films ever made. Here's what he's been watching lately:
Hypebeast
an hour ago
- Hypebeast
Nike Air Force 1 Low 最新配色「Invisible Woman 2.0」率先曝光
為慶祝《驚奇4超人/神奇4俠：第一步 The Fantastic Four: First Steps》的上映，Nike 為經典鞋款 Air Force 1 Low 推出最新配色「Invisible Woman 2.0」。 這款被命名為 「Invisible Woman 2.0」 的新鞋，靈感來自 2006 年的原版設計，並保留了其透明 TPU 鞋面，它將原版的藍色皮革飾邊改為白色，而原本藍色的皮革 Swoosh 標誌則變為柔和的灰色。其他品牌標誌則採用了超級英雄家庭的藍白配色，點綴在鞋舌標籤、鞋墊、刺繡鞋跟標誌和鞋帶孔上；鞋底搭配白色中底和半透明的冰藍色外底，而鞋帶上鑲嵌有「AF1」字樣的閃亮鞋帶扣，為整體設計增添了璀璨的光澤。 《驚奇4超人/神奇4俠：第一步》預計於 2025 年 7 月 25 日在美國上映，而 Nike Air Force 1 Low 「Invisible Woman 2.0」預計將在 2025 年秋季發售，建議售價為 $130 美元。 >重返沉默之丘！《Return to Silent Hill》真人版電影「上映日期」正式公開 >消息稱 David Fincher 執導 Netflix 影集《破案神探》有望以三部曲電影回歸？ >New Balance 2000 ABZORB 最新配色「Blue Agate」正式登場
Forbes
an hour ago
- Forbes
New BLACKPINK Song To Be Revealed At World Tour Kickoff On July 5
Rosé, Jennie, Jisoo and Lisa aka Lalisa Manoban of South Korean girl group BLACKPINK attend the ... More BLACKPINK World Tour "Born Pink In Cinemas" red carpet on August 09, 2024 in Seoul, South Korea. (Photo by Han Myung-Gu/WireImage) After keeping plans for new BLACKPINK music secret for the entire year, there is finally news about when we'll get the chart-topping girl group's upcoming single. According to local media in South Korea, BLACKPINK's label and management agency, YG Entertainment, announced on June 23 local time that Jennie, Jisoo, Rosé, and Lisa will be revealing their new song for the first time at the July 5th and 6th kickoff dates for their rapidly approaching Deadline World Tour. The group will perform at the Goyang Sports Complex Main Stadium in Seoul, a soccer stadium where only a few artists have performed including Coldplay, G-Dragon, BTS' J-Hope, SEVENTEEN and ENHYPEN, among others. Tickets for the shows quickly sold out with additional limited-view seats added to meet demand. According to reports, the single's release required extensive discussion, with the ultimate decision landing on when BLACKPINK would officially reunite with their fans at the tour kickoff. The actual release date is expected to be announced soon, with additional information, including the title, concept, genre, and music video, to follow in due time. At press time, there have been no announcements about the single on BLACKPINK or YG Entertainment's official accounts. YG Entertainment did respond to a request for comment in time for this article's publication. But based on BLACKPINK's most recent releases, fans may infer the single's official release for midnight on Friday, July 11, 2025. Since the U.S. industry shifted to a New Music Friday release schedule for most new music releases, which the Billboard charts also follow, releasing on a Friday gives the song the greatest chance to impact not just the U.S. charts but also internationally focused rankings like the Billboard Global 200. The track could also be released at midnight on July 4, 2025, as the concert date will be just 24 hours away, but it seems the group wants to wait for a live reveal specifically. BLACKIPNK's Deadline World Tour is an all-stadium, 31-date live trek. Following its Seoul start, the girls head over to the States less than a week later, where the girl group begins their five U.S. stadium shows with two nights at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. The tour also includes stops in Canada, France, Italy, Thailand, the Philippines, Japan and more countries throughout Europe and Asia. The new single from BLACKPINK will mark the group's first new song since dropping 'THE GIRLS' in August 2023 as part of the soundtrack to their own mobile game, BLACKPINK: The Game. Beyond that standalone single release, BLACKPINK last came together in 2022 for their Born Pink album, which earned the group their first Number One on the Billboard 200 chart, and included singles 'Pink Venom' and 'Shut Down,' the former of which hit Number One on the Australia's ARIA Top Singles chart while the latter took home 10 wins across Korea's music chart shows. In the meantime, the four superstars have all remained busy with a focus on their solo careers. Jennie, Jisoo, Rosé, and Lisa all signed with new agencies or established their own independent companies while also forming partnerships with major U.S. labels beyond those they boasted as a part of BLACKPINK. Each member released her own solo project beginning with Rosé's rosie album (that includes the Bruno Mars-featuring megahit 'APT.') in December 2024 under THEBLACKLABEL and Atlantic Records Jisoo dropped her Amortage EP on Valentine's Day 2025 after her self-created company BLISSOO inked a deal with Warner Records. Lisa released her solo effort, Alter Ego, on February 28 via her LLOUD company and RCA Records. Jennie followed a week later, with Ruby dropping through her Odd Atelier label and Columbia Records. Both women enlisted an impressive slate of superstar friends and collaborators to bring their creative visions to life
