In broad daylight, a huge amphibious creature, Gwoemul, bursts out of the Han River, to wreak havoc on the population of a local nearby city.
The plot;
The Host is a 2006 Korean movie directed by Bong Joon-ho, the same director of Parasite. The film follows a monster — a mutated fish created as a result of an American mortician's order to dump hundreds of bottles of formaldehyde down the drain which leads directly to the Han River in Seoul. This pollution was what set the stage for the birth of the mutant creature that feeds on humans.
There was pandemonium as people flee and Gang-du Park quickly, grabs Hyun-seo’s hand to run… but he realizes too late that rather than his daughter's hand, he had grabbed the wrong child.
When he spots Hyun-seo again, it’s too late — the creature captures her with its tail and disappears into the water.
Authorities assume all captured victims are dead. A mass memorial is held. The affected families including the Park family grieves, but then Gang-du gets an unexpected call — it’s his daughter Hyun-seo, still very much alive but trapped in the creature’s underground lair.
The Park family escapes the quarantine facility and tries to track her down. Despite lacking weapons or resources, each member sets out with their own plan, determined to find and rescue their own — Hyun-seo:
My review;
Korean movies touch me in a way where I have now found a new world to explore. It's such great talent and entertainment on display and this movie "the host" hits home just the same.
I would say that the real “host” isn’t just the monster, it’s actual human beings, it's society hosting political lies, environmental neglect, and more specifically, how governments are just more hazardous with how they use chemicals to degrade the environment and their ineptness in handling consequences when issues arise.
But the soul of the story lies in the family love and sacrifice.
Performances & Characters;
Song Kang-ho (Park Gang-du) Hyun-seo's father, is a buffoon who turns out to be very brave. He was the one who dealt the final blow to the monster. With a mix of humor, exhaustion, and resilience, his nuanced performance anchors the emotional core of the film .
Bae Doona portrays Nam-joo, the archery-skilled sister whose athleticism proves unexpectedly very crucial.
Go Ah-sung shines as Hyun-seo. I give her a lot of credit. She's really very good for a kid actor. Her character after being abducted by the monster, represent how innocent people become casualties in a system that's much more interested in power control than in protecting its citizens.
Supporting performances by Byun Hee-bong (grandfather) and Park Hae-il ( brother) all add emotional depth and authenticity .
Final Verdict;
For this film that became the highest-grossing Korean film of 2006, the Host is far more than a creature feature—it’s a smart, emotionally grounded satire that entertains while compelling viewers to reflect on environmental negligence, governmental failures, and the power of family. It’s a must-watch for fans of genre films that dare to be different.
I'm giving it a rating of 9/10.
Thank you very much for your continuous support 🙏