Time to Be Strong (CTBA)

Three retired K-pop idols take a trip to Jeju Island. Leaving behind their failed careers and unspoken wounds, they’re on a mission to make up for lost time and enjoy the school trips they never got to take.

But, on the first day of the trip, Sarang loses her luggage and gets caught up in an unwanted quarrel. Facing painful memories from their past, the friends tentatively search for a way to move forward.

Namkoong Sun’s intimate coming of age story scooped three awards in the Korean Competition at the prestigious Jeonju International Film Festival 2025.

This screening is part of Mint on Tour, a women-led Chinese cinema touring programme presented by the MINT Chinese Film Festival and supported by Film Hub North, bringing the best of Chinese film and women’s cinema from Asia across Northern England this autumn.