KOKUHO

Director: Lee Sang-Il

A box-office hit in Japan, Kokuho is Lee Sang-il’s long-gestating passion project, born from a 15-year fascination with kabuki and the tradition of onnagata: male actors who play female roles on stage. Adapted from a novel by Shūichi Yoshida, the story begins in 1964 Nagasaki and unfolds over five decades, tracing the bond between Kikuo — taken in by a kabuki master after his father’s death — and the master’s son, Shunsuke. Part brotherhood, part rivalry, their connection fuels a sweeping saga of ambition, sacrifice and devotion within a revered theatrical lineage. Starring Ryo Yoshizawa and Ryusei Yokohama, Kokuho is visually sumptuous and emotionally resonant — a powerful meditation on legacy, identity and the high cost of artistic greatness.