Concrete Utopia is a 2023 South Korean disaster-thriller directed by Um Tae-hwa, adapted from the second half of the webtoon Pleasant Outcast (also translated as Pleasant Bullying) by Kim Soongnyung. Set in a Seoul devastated by a massive earthquake, the film follows the residents of the one apartment building left standing as they descend into moral chaos over who gets to stay. It was South Korea’s official submission for Best International Feature Film at the 96th Academy Awards, and its score comes from acclaimed composer Kim Hae-won.
Quick Facts
| Director | Um Tae-hwa |
| Writers | Um Tae-hwa, Lee Shin-ji (based on the webtoon Pleasant Outcast by Kim Soongnyung) |
| Starring | Lee Byung-hun, Park Seo-joon, Park Bo-young, Kim Sun-young, Park Ji-hu, Kim Do-yoon |
| Genre | Disaster / Thriller |
| Composer | Kim Hae-won |
| Country | South Korea |
| Release date | August 9, 2023 (South Korea) |
| Awards note | South Korea’s official 96th Academy Awards submission for Best International Feature Film |
Oscar Submission: What Actually Happened
On August 17, 2023, the Korean Film Council unanimously selected Concrete Utopia as South Korea’s entry for Best International Feature Film at the 96th Academy Awards, choosing it over other contenders including Cobweb. The film generated strong buzz through the fall of 2023, but when the Academy announced its shortlist of 15 films on December 21, 2023, Concrete Utopia did not make the cut. It was submitted and seriously considered, but was not shortlisted or nominated.
Score & Composer: Kim Hae-won
Kim Hae-won composed the original score for Concrete Utopia, building a tense, atmospheric soundscape that mirrors the film’s claustrophobic apartment-building setting and its shift from disaster survival into social parable. Kim has also scored other notable Korean titles, including Moonlit Winter. The Concrete Utopia score leans on strings and percussion to underline both the intimacy of the survivors’ community and the dread of the world collapsing outside their walls.
Every Song (Score Cues) — Concrete Utopia Soundtrack
The official Concrete Utopia (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) album by Kim Hae-won was released digitally on September 5, 2023, and is available on Apple Music and Spotify.
| Track | Length |
|---|---|
| Concrete Utopia | 2:12 |
| Brilliant Morning View | 1:21 |
| Upside Down | 1:00 |
| Peaches and Roaches | 0:54 |
| Jumping Into a Burning House | 2:30 |
| Neighborhood Association | 0:48 |
| Found Our Leader | 1:02 |
| Earthquake | 2:19 |
| One Remaining Apartment | 0:21 |
| Apartment Guards | 1:02 |
| Two Tribes Under One Roof Pt. 1 | 1:55 |
| Get Out | 1:25 |
| Hooray for Our Apartment | 1:03 |
| Search Party | 2:24 |
| Home | 0:52 |
| Breakthrough | 1:38 |
| Punishment Pt. 1 | 1:20 |
| Heartless | 0:54 |
| Villains (Ji Park) | 1:39 |
| An Uninvited Guest | 1:04 |
| Memories of the Apartment | 0:48 |
| Lament | 4:05 |
| Mixed Hearts | 0:57 |
| Next Door | 1:19 |
| By the Grave | 2:21 |
| Punishment Pt. 2 | 3:33 |
| Love Your Neighbor As Yourself | 3:09 |
| Sonata “Frost,” 2nd Movement (Ji Park) | 2:20 |
| The Smell of Downfall Pt. 1 | 0:39 |
| Uprising (Ji Park) | 3:14 |
| Hearts for Each Other, Different Destinations | 4:31 |
| Two Tribes Under One Roof Pt. 2 | 1:58 |
| The Smell of Downfall Pt. 2 | 2:37 |
| Too Late Question | 0:55 |
| Moving Day | 1:52 |
| Escape | 1:59 |
| Home Sweet Home | 2:09 |
| Confession | 2:32 |
| If You’re Alive, You’re Just Living | 3:39 |
| We Are Just Normal People | 3:37 |
| The Apartment | 3:04 |
Where to Stream Concrete Utopia
The Concrete Utopia score album is streaming on Apple Music and Spotify. The film itself is available on major digital platforms; check our Prime Video and Apple TV+ pages for regional availability, or browse our full movie soundtrack hub for more international titles.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who directed Concrete Utopia?
Concrete Utopia was directed by Um Tae-hwa, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Lee Shin-ji.
Is Concrete Utopia based on a true story or a comic?
It’s based on the second part of the webtoon Pleasant Outcast (also known as Pleasant Bullying) by Kim Soongnyung, which was originally serialized on Lezhin Comics starting in 2014.
Did Concrete Utopia win or get nominated for an Oscar?
It was selected as South Korea’s official submission for Best International Feature Film at the 96th Academy Awards in August 2023, but it did not advance to the 15-film shortlist announced on December 21, 2023, and was not nominated.
Who composed the Concrete Utopia score?
Kim Hae-won composed the original score, released as a soundtrack album on September 5, 2023.
Where can I listen to the Concrete Utopia soundtrack?
The official score album is available on Apple Music and Spotify.
Related reading: Movie Soundtracks Hub | Apple TV+ | Streaming Guide