Guide Note

The Host is a 2006 South Korean monster film directed by Joon-ho Bong. It was released in the United States in 2007 and received very high ratings from the critics. The Host is also currently available on DVD. The movie also contains elements of comedy and satire.

Fast Facts

1. Producer: Yong-Bae Choi
2. Starring: Song Kang-ho, Byeon Hee-bong, Park Hae-il, Bae Doona, Ko Ah-seong
3. Theatrical Release: March 9, 2007 (Limited)
4. Rated R
5. Run time: 1 hour and 59 minutes
6. DVD Released: July 24, 2007
7. Budget: $11 million
8. Highest grossing South Korean film of all time
9. Called Gwoemul in Korean, meaning "creature" or "monster"

Trivia

1. The slash effects from when the monster dove into the water were made by the crew using metal barrels
2. Over 20% of the South Korean population watched the movie
3. The director designed all the creatures movements

Review Quotes

If this madly entertaining movie has a fault, it's that it's too ingenious for the genre it ostensibly inhabits. — TIME Magazine

Their individual stories bog down the film's pace, but The Host recovers quickly to redefine horror for the new millennium. This you have to see. — Rolling Stone

What a pleasure to watch an ambitious horror film that not only frightens but also surprises and engages us completely with its artful shifting of tones. — USA Today