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:

River | Monster | Daughter | Archery | Panic

Awards:

18 wins & 13 nominations

Cast

Kang-ho Song	...	Park Gang-Du
Hie-bong Byeon	...	Park Hie-bong (as Byun Hee-bong)
Hae-il Park	...	Park Nam-il
Du-na Bae	...	Park Nam-Joo (as Bae Doo-na)
Ah-sung Ko	...	Park Hyun-seo (as Ko A-sung)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
David Joseph Anselmo	...	Donald
Martin Lord Cayce	...	U.S. Senator
Cristen Cho
Paul Lazar	...	US Doctor trying to operate Gang-Du
Brian Lee
Clinton Morgan	...	Agent Yellow
Dal-su Oh	...	The Monster (voice)
No-shik Park
Brian Rhee	...	Young Korean Doctor (as Brian Lee)
Scott Wilson	...	US Doctor in Morgue
Pil-Sung Yim	...	Fat Guevara

Also Known As:

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

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:

South Korea:12 | Singapore:PG | Hong Kong:IIA | UK:15 | Ireland:15A | Malaysia:U | New Zealand:R13 | USA:R | Germany:16 | Australia:M | Sweden:11 | Finland:K-15 | Argentina:16 | Norway:15 | Netherlands:16 | Portugal:M/12 | Philippines:PG-13 | France:U (with warning) | Brazil:14 | Peru:14 | Mexico:B15 | Canada:14+ | Denmark:15

Filming Locations:

Dong-ho Bridge, Seoul, South Korea

Company:

Chungeorahm Film

Trivia:

The scene where Nam-il kicks Gang-du at the funeral ceremony was improvised.

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:

Featured in "The Rotten Tomatoes Show: Mosters vs Aliens/The Haunting in Connecticut/12 Rounds (#1.5)" (2009)

Enjoyable action/horror with humour

South Korean movies are usually enjoyable, offering a humour to counter the plot and disturbing theme(s), and this movie was no exception. I usually hate horror movies, but I enjoyed this action/horror/drama end to end and I left the cinema with a strong feeling of contentness.

The horror was actually quite interesting, as were each of the main actors and the relationships between them were surprising and amusing, with some really witty sub themes thrown in along the way and some good suspense as well.

The movie had great undertones and conversation topics to keep you talking to your friends for hours.

Overall: It was a really enjoyable experience, witty and well constructed.