Gwoemul (2006)

Director:

Joon-ho Bong

Writers:

Chul-hyun Baek (writer)
Joon-ho Bong (writer)

Release Date:

27 July 2006 (South Korea)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Fantasy | Horror | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

It is Lurking Behind You

Plot:

A monster emerges from Seoul's Han River and focuses its attention on attacking people.

Plot Keywords:

Protest | Child Eaten | Blood Sample | Government | Child In Peril

Awards:

18 wins & 12 nominations

Cast

Kang-ho Song	...	Park Gang-Du
Hie-bong Byeon	...	Park Hie-bong
Hae-il Park	...	Park Nam-il
Du-na Bae	...	Park Nam-Joo
Ah-sung Ko	...	Park Hyun-seo
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
David Joseph Anselmo	...	Donald
Martin E. Cayce
Cristen Cho
Philip Hersh	...	Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Paul Lazar	...	US Doctor trying to operate Gang-Du
Brian Lee
Clinton Morgan	...	Agent Yellow
Dal-su Oh	...	Voice of the monster
No-shik Park
Brian Rhee	...	Young Korean Doctor (as Brian Lee)
Scott Wilson	...	US Doctor in Morgue
Pil-Sung Yim

Also Known As:

The Host (International: English title) (USA) (new title)

MPAA:

Rated R for creature violence and language.

Runtime:

119 min | Croatia:110 min (DVD)

Country:

South Korea

Language:

Korean | English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital EX

Certification:

Singapore:PG | USA:R | Malaysia:U | New Zealand:R13 | Norway:15 | Portugal:M/12 | Germany:16 | Netherlands:16 | Sweden:11 | France:U (with warning) | Australia:M | Hong Kong:IIA | South Korea:12 | UK:15 | Brazil:14 | Argentina:16 | Finland:K-15 | Ireland:15A | Philippines:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Dong-ho Bridge, Seoul, South Korea

Company:

Chungeorahm Film

Trivia:

Joon-ho Bong was impressed with Scott Wilson after having seen him in, among other films, Monster (2003). He approached the actor by sending him a copy of the script and a DVD of his previous film, Memories of Murder (Salinui chueok (2003)). The actor later agreed to be in the film.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Kang-ho Song's character receives a tissue sample, there is no wound in the remaining scenes, even though he was screaming in pain.

Quotes:

Park Nam-il: Look at that... Isn't that amazing? In this situation?
Park Nam-Joo: Wake him up, there's no time.
Park Hie-bong: Let him sleep a minute. He needs to sleep every so often.
Park Nam-il: Should we leave him here? He's no help anyway?
Park Hie-bong: Kids, wait a minute. Sit down. In your view, is Gang-du really so pathetic?
Park Nam-il: Yup.
Park Nam-Joo: Yes.
Park Hie-bong: You wouldn't know it, but he was a really smart kid. For example, when he was two, he'd sit in front of the village store, and everyone walking by would ask him directions. That's how smart he looked. As you know, when he was young, I was out of my mind, hardly ever coming home, staying out all night. And this poor boy with no mother, he must have been so hungry. Going around, doing seo-ri all the time. Raising himself an organic farm. Whenever he got caught, he'd get beaten up. In this way, he lacked protein when he needed it most. So that's why, every now and then, he dozes off like a sick rooster. I think something up there
[gesturing to his brain]
Park Hie-bong: must have gone wrong too.
[...]

Movie Connections:

References Bronenosets Potyomkin (1925)

Excellent monster movie

This is a movie which will go straight into "best monster movies" lists; it is ground-breaking in the way humorous and horror content has been intertwined by a master film director. It was the closing film, shown last night (July 30) in the Auckland International Film Festival. There was a packed house of which about 60% were Korean people living in New Zealand. The audience was very attentive and the reception given to the movie was justly big applause. The animatronic effects have been done scrupulously well and viewers can look forward to being enthralled by the skills of those who "made the monster". We got the print which had come straight from Cannes and apparently the film opened just two days before we saw it in Auckland. There is no doubt that this movie will go on to do very big business wherever people appreciate great horror films. My inclination to rate it 10/10 was tempered only by a little doubt about the pacing of some sequences, but it is certainly worth 9/10. Look out for when it comes to a theater near you.