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The Host

Original title: Goemool
  • 2006
  • R
  • 2h
IMDb RATING
7.1/10
138K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
3,022
148
Ko Ah-sung in The Host (2006)
Home Video Trailer from Magnolia Home Entertainment
Play trailer2:07
6 Videos
51 Photos
KaijuMonster HorrorPsychological DramaTragedyDramaHorrorSci-Fi

A monster emerges from Seoul's Han River and begins attacking people. One victim's loving family does what it can to rescue her from its clutches.A monster emerges from Seoul's Han River and begins attacking people. One victim's loving family does what it can to rescue her from its clutches.A monster emerges from Seoul's Han River and begins attacking people. One victim's loving family does what it can to rescue her from its clutches.

  • Director
    • Bong Joon Ho
  • Writers
    • Bong Joon Ho
    • Won-jun Ha
    • Chul-hyun Baek
  • Stars
    • Song Kang-ho
    • Byun Hee-Bong
    • Park Hae-il
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.1/10
    138K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    3,022
    148
    • Director
      • Bong Joon Ho
    • Writers
      • Bong Joon Ho
      • Won-jun Ha
      • Chul-hyun Baek
    • Stars
      • Song Kang-ho
      • Byun Hee-Bong
      • Park Hae-il
    • 409User reviews
    • 336Critic reviews
    • 85Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 29 wins & 36 nominations total

    Videos6

    The Host (2006)
    Trailer 2:07
    The Host (2006)
    Bong Joon Ho Makes Oscars History
    Clip 3:24
    Bong Joon Ho Makes Oscars History
    Bong Joon Ho Makes Oscars History
    Clip 3:24
    Bong Joon Ho Makes Oscars History
    'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3' Director Selects
    Clip 4:05
    'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3' Director Selects
    The Host Scene: Scene 1
    Clip 1:08
    The Host Scene: Scene 1
    The Host Scene: Scene 3
    Clip 0:53
    The Host Scene: Scene 3
    The Host Scene: Scene 2
    Clip 1:19
    The Host Scene: Scene 2

    Photos51

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    + 43
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    Top cast84

    Edit
    Song Kang-ho
    Song Kang-ho
    • Park Gang-Doo
    Byun Hee-Bong
    Byun Hee-Bong
    • Park Hie-bong
    • (as Byun Hee-bong)
    Park Hae-il
    Park Hae-il
    • Park Nam-il
    Bae Doona
    Bae Doona
    • Park Nam-Joo
    • (as Bae Doo-na)
    Ko Ah-sung
    Ko Ah-sung
    • Park Hyun-seo
    Oh Dal-su
    Oh Dal-su
    • The Monster
    • (voice)
    • (as Dal-su Oh)
    Lee Jae-eung
    • Se-jin
    • (as Jae-eung Lee)
    Dong-ho Lee
    • Se-joo
    Yun Je-mun
    Yun Je-mun
    • Homeless Man
    Pil-sung Yim
    Pil-sung Yim
    • Fat Guevara
    • (as Pil-Sung Yim)
    Kim Roe-ha
    Kim Roe-ha
    • Hazmat Suit Man at Funeral
    Yu Yeon-su
    • District officer Mr. Jo
    • (as Yeon-su Yu)
    Park No-shik
    Park No-shik
    • Inquiry officer
    Go Su-hee
    • Hostage nurse
    • (as Su-hee Go)
    Scott Wilson
    Scott Wilson
    • Douglas
    Kim Hak-sun
    Kim Hak-sun
    • Civilian Military Mr. Kim
    Paul Lazar
    Paul Lazar
    • American Doctor
    Brian Rhee
    • Young Korean Doctor
    • (as Brian Lee)
    • Director
      • Bong Joon Ho
    • Writers
      • Bong Joon Ho
      • Won-jun Ha
      • Chul-hyun Baek
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    The Host

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Co-Writer and Director Bong Joon Ho and the designer of the creature nicknamed it Steve Buscemi, based on the actor's screen persona and the way he acted in Fargo (1996).
    • Goofs
      The sewage they are searching the monster in, is dry and clean.
    • Quotes

      Park Gang-Du: Let's have a cold one. Here.

      [He hands Hyun-seo a can of beer]

      Park Hyun-seo: This is alcohol.

      Park Gang-Du: Well, you're in middle school now.

    • Crazy credits
      Just before the credits ends, you can hear a loud roar of the monster.
    • Alternate versions
      There are two versions in circulation, the worldwide theatrical release, and another, edited cut available in Croatia. Runtines are, respectively, "2h (120 min)" and "1h 50m (110 min) (DVD) (Croatia)".
    • Connections
      Featured in Siskel & Ebert: 300/The Namesake/I Think I Love My Wife/Beyond the Gates/The Host (2007)

    User reviews409

    Featured review
    7/10

    Spectacular and impressive film about a mutant squid monster with nice special effects.

    An American military base of Yongson releases toxic chemicals in the drain to the Han River under the direct order of an arrogant U. S. Army coroner. Six years later, a large monster appears on the riverbank to munch on fistfuls of passers-by. Stars Park Hee-bong (Byun Hee-Bong), a man in his late 60s. He runs a small snack bar on the banks of the Han River and lives with his two sons, one daughter, and one granddaughter. Hee-bong's elder son Gang-du (Song Kang-ho) is an immature and incompetent man in his 40s, whose wife left home long ago. Nam-il (Park Hae-il) is the youngest son, an unemployed grumbler, and daughter Nam-joo (Bae Doona) is an archery medalist and member of the national team. The enormous monster spreads panic and death, and Gang-du's daughter Hyun-seo (Ko Asung) is carried off by the monster and disappears. Others are also carried to its lair as snacks. Along the way, the motley family takes on lots of difficulties, risks, dangers to rescue the little girl. It is Lurking Behind You !. Man has made his newest predator !. Monsters are real !. You are what it eats !. Out of the darkness, something is ready to start feeding !. It's war!.

    This creature feature is South Korea's all-time boxoffice champ to date, having been seen by 14 million of the country's 48 million inhabitants. Containing a ecologist denounce when careless pollution by the US military spawns a huge fleet-footed amphibian thingummy. Constructed around graceful digital effects (courtesy of San Francisco outfit, The Orphanage) , this movie skilfully strings together nail-biting scares , plucky heroism , jet black comedy as a dysfunctional family set aside their differences to rescue their daughter from the beastie's clutches. There'a a misfit group of roles among the family members who hold emotional volatility, but 'The Host' also moves beyond the genre formula, since it's rooted in burning indignation that the working class folk at the centre of events are simply ignored by high-handed authorities in thrall to the Americans -a significant issue in a nation where democracy has recently taken root.

    The motion picture was well directed by Bong Joon Ho. He has directed a few but successful films such as : ¨Mother¨ , ¨Tokyo¨ , ¨Parasite¨ ¨Snowpiercer¨(filmed in seventy-two days , this is Joon-ho Bong's first English-language film) and The Host . His filmography is characterized by emphasis on social themes, genre-mixing, black humor, and sudden tone shifts. He first became known to audiences and achieved a cult following with his directorial debut film, the black comedy Barking Dogs Never Bite (2000), before achieving both critical and commercial success with his subsequent films: the crime thriller Memories of Murder (2003), and the black comedy thriller Parasite (2019), all of which are among the highest-grossing films in South Korea, with Parasite also being the highest-grossing South Korean film in history; Parasite also became the first South Korean film to receive Academy Award nominations, with Bong winning Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay, making Parasite the first film not in English to win Best Picture. The Host rating: 7/10. Better than average.
    • ma-cortes
    • Nov 2, 2024
    • Permalink

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    FAQ19

    • How long is The Host?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • March 30, 2007 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • South Korea
      • Japan
    • Official sites
      • Official site (Australia)
      • Official site (United States)
    • Languages
      • Korean
      • English
    • Also known as
      • El huésped
    • Filming locations
      • Wonhyo Bridge, Seoul, South Korea
    • Production companies
      • Nintendo Entertainment
      • Chungeorahm Film
      • Boston Investments
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • ₩12,215,500,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $2,201,923
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $320,000
      • Mar 11, 2007
    • Gross worldwide
      • $89,433,506
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital EX
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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