The Host (2006) is a Korean horror-thriller movie directed by Bong Joon-ho. This movie is the story of a family desperately trying to retrieve their daughter from a monster that emerges from the Han River.
This is not based on urban legends like Howling Village (2019), but its suspense and thriller make the movie worth watching and acquire a good response from critics.
The Host (2006) Movie Details Plot Explanation
* * * Spoiler Alert – If you haven’t seen the movie yet, turn back now! * * *
The movie starts in 2000 when a rude American pathologist orders his Korean assistant to dump 200 bottles of toxic chemicals down a drain. It leads into the river Han which could be dangerous for the ecosystem but pathologists don’t care about that.
The scene changes to the next several years and we see fish are dying in the Han River. Amphibians have been sighted in the waterway in many unofficial sightings.
It is now six years later in 2006, a clumsy man named Park Gang-du runs a small snack bar in the park, which is near the river Han. His father Hee-bong also works with Gang-du. Other family members of Gang-du’s daughter Hyun-seo, alcoholic brother Nam-li. His sister Nam-jo also lives with them who is a national medalist archer.
Gang-du works at the park as other days. Suddenly a huge creature comes from the river and starts to mess up everything. It kills many people and takes Hyun-seo and back to the river.
Gang-du feels so sad that he couldn’t save his daughter.
In the aftermath of the incident, government officials and the American military arrive and quarantine those who were in contact with the creature. Gang-du and his family are also put in quarantine and locked up in a hospital building.
It has been publicly revealed that the creature carries a deadly virus.
A phone call arrives from Hyun-seo to Gang-du. Hyun-seo tells Gang-du that she is trapped in the sewers with the creature. Unfortunately, her phone turns off.
Related House of Wax (2005) Ending Explained.
Gang-du and his family decide to go to find Hyun-seo and escape the hospital. Then they buy armoires from a local gangster.
We see Hyun-seo helping Se-joo hide inside a drain pipe. In this way, Hyun-seo saves his life.
The Parks confront the creature and shoot at it until their ammunition runs out. The Army captures Gang-du, and Nam-il and Nam-joo become separated. Hee-bong is killed by the creature.
Nam-li meets Fat Guevara. She asks for help and discovers the government has placed a bounty on his family.
The government has contacted Fat Guevara so he can claim the bounty, unaware of Nam-il. After finding Hyun-seo’s location, Nam-il escapes. She meets a homeless man who helps her.
A scientist from the United States tells Gang-du that there is no virus. This is a fabrication designed to make people forget the creature’s origin. To silence Gang-du, it is decided to lobotomize him. An attempt is made by the government to kill the creature by releasing a toxic chemical called Agent Yellow into the river.
Hyun-seo and Se-joo try to escape but the creature attacks them and swallows.
Gang-du successfully escapes from where he is being held by taking a nurse hostage. When he finds the creature, he realizes that Hyun-seo’s arm is hanging from its mouth.
On his way to the location where Agent Yellow is to be released, he comes across Nam-joo. The creature attacks the crowd protesting the chemical dump. Agent Yellow is released and stuns the creature. Hyun-seo is pulled out of Gang-du’s mouth, but she is dead. She is still clutching Se-joo who is unconscious, but alive.
In reaction to the death of his daughter, Gang-du attacks the creature, assisted by Nam-il, Nam-joo, and the homeless man. A pole was used to impale Gang-du, who then set it on fire, killing it as a result. Se-joo is revived by Gang-du as they mourn Hyun-seo.
Later, Gang-du inherits his father’s snack bar and adopts Se-joo. As he watches the river, he hears a noise and picks up a shotgun to investigate, but finds nothing.
A news broadcast stating that the aftermath of the incident was due to misinformation is ignored by him and Se-joo during a meal.
Summary
Original Title Gwoemul
Other Titles The Host (USA), Monster (Literal Title)
Genre Horror/ Thriller
Runtime 2hr 00min
Original Language Korean, English
Directed by Bong Joon Ho
Written by Bong Joon Ho, Won-jun Ha, Chul-hyun Baek
Tagline It is Lurking Behind You
Release date March 30, 2007 (USA)
Origin Country South Korea
Awards 29 Wins, 35 Nominations
Cast of Characters
| Actor/Actress Name | Character Name |
|---|---|
| Kang-ho Song | Park Gang-Doo |
| Byun Hee-Bong | Park Hie-bong |
| Park Hae-il | Park Nam-il |
| Ko Asung | Park Hyun-seo |
| Bae Doona | Park Nam-Joo |
| Dong-ho Lee | Se-joo |
| Jae-eung Lee | Se-jin |
