The Childe | |
---|---|
Hangul | 귀공자 |
Hanja | 貴公子 |
Literal meaning | Scion |
Revised Romanization | Gwigongja |
McCune–Reischauer | Kwikongcha |
Directed by | Park Hoon-jung |
Written by | Park Hoon-jung |
Produced by |
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Starring | |
Cinematography |
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Edited by | Jang Lae-won |
Music by | Mowg[1] |
Production companies | |
Distributed by | Next Entertainment World |
Release date |
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Running time | 118 minutes |
Country | South Korea |
Language | Korean |
Box office | US$5.9 million[3][4] |
The Childe (Korean: 귀공자; Hanja: 貴公子; MR: Gwigongja; lit. Nobleman) is a 2023 South Korean neo-noir action thriller film directed by Park Hoon-jung, starring Kim Seon-ho and Kang Tae-joo in his film debut and also Kim Kang-woo, and Go Ara.[5] It was released theatrically on June 21, 2023.[6][7]
Marco resides in the Philippines, caring for his sick mother, while also participating in fights within illegal stadiums in the country. With a complex heritage as the offspring of a Korean father and a Filipino mother, Marco has tirelessly sought his estranged father's whereabouts. His sole motivation is to secure funds for his mother's crucial surgery, yet his relentless pursuit has yielded no results. Following a harrowing encounter with a gang that ultimately lands him in the hospital, a lawyer suddenly emerges, claiming to represent his long-lost father. Seizing the opportunity, they hastily embark on a journey to South Korea that very night. However, during the flight, Marco finds himself in an unsettling encounter with a mysterious individual who possesses an uncanny knowledge beyond what initially meets the eye.[8][9][10][unreliable source?]
Upon Marco's arrival in South Korea, he is immediately ambushed by an unnamed assassin known only as "Nobleman," the very same individual he had an unsettling encounter with on the plane. He soon discovers that he is being relentlessly pursued by a dangerous group of individuals. Alongside the Nobleman, Marco finds himself a target of Han Yi-sa, a wealthy heir with intentions of claiming his father's vast fortune, and Yoon-ju, a mysterious woman with whom Marco unexpectedly reunites in South Korea. Caught in a whirlwind of unpredictability and madness, Marco becomes entangled in a web of uncertainty. Amidst this chaotic scenario, he is compelled to confront a shocking truth that will shatter everything he once believed about his past and present.[10][11]
The first script reading was held on December 3, 2021[18] and filming began on December 10, 2021.[5] The film's shooting location were in Jangseong, Gokseong, Jeju Island, and overseas.[19][20] Kim Seon-ho departed for Thailand on March 31, 2022, for the shooting of the film.[21][1]
Originally titled Sad Tropic (Korean: 슬픈 열대; RR: Seulpeun Yeoldae) on November 30, 2022, the movie distributor Next Entertainment World announced the new title as The Childe and shared that the featured film was planned to be released in 2023.[22] On May 16, 2023 it was reported that the film will be released theatrically on June 21, 2023, in South Korea.[23]
On May 16, 2023 it was reported that the film will be released theatrically on June 21, 2023 in Taiwan,[24] in Philippines on July 5,[25] and Thailand on July 27.[26][27]
On May 17, 2023 Screendaily reported that The Childe was sold to several international distributors including Well Go USA (North America), MovieCloud (Taiwan), Sahamongkolfilm International (Thailand), Laon Company+ (the Philippines), Encore Inflight, and Clover Films (Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, East Timor, Hong Kong and Macau).[27] It was released in India in August 4.[28]
In North America, The Childe was released on June 30, 2023.[29] The film also took part in several film festivals. The Childe was screened on Friday July 14 at 9:30 p.m. in 2023 Dallas Asian Film Festival.[30] It also had its Quebec premiere on Wednesday, August 2 at 27th Fantasia International Film Festival.[31] The Childe is set to be featured in Asian Pop-Up Cinema (APUC) as part of its upcoming Season 17 lineup, taking place in Chicago from September 8 to October 7, 2023. The film will be showcased as a special encore presentation during the South Korea Cinema Showcase on Friday, October 6, at 9:15 p.m. The screening is scheduled to be held at AMC Newcity 14 in Chicago.[32] Eckerd College also will be screening The Childe as part of The International Cinema Series on Friday, September 29, 2023, 7 p.m. in the Dan and Mary Miller Auditorium, Florida.[33]
In Europe, the film garnered attention from various film festivals. Next Entertainment World, announced on August 9, 2023, that The Childe had been invited to the esteemed Òrbita section of the 56th Sitges Film Festival, which took place from 5 October to 15, 2023, in Sitges, Catalonia, Spain. This festival is considered one of the top three fantastic film festivals worldwide, along with the Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival and Fantasporto in Portugal.[34][35]
Shortly after, on August 21, 2023, it was announced that The Childe had been chosen as the opening film for L'Étrange Festival - XXIXème édition in Paris, France. The film made its European premiere on September 5 at the Forum des Images.[36][37] It participated in the International Competition for the New Genre Grand Prize, where the winning film would be acquired for future broadcasting. Additionally, all films in the competition were eligible for the Audience Award, which would be determined through voting.[38]
The Childe was also featured in the lineup of Asian films screened at the 17th Lisbon International Horror Film Festival, held in Lisbon, Portugal, from September 5 to 11, 2023.[39][40][41] The film was also included in the Korean films showcased at the 12th Korean Film Festival Frankfurt, held from October 25 to 29, 2023, at Cinestar Metropolis and Eldorado.[42] Furthermore, it was screened at the Canary Islands Ciudad de La Laguna Calavera Island Fantastic Film Festival, taking place from November 10 to 19, 2023.[43] Between November 8 and November 16, it was also screened at the 33rd Fantastic Film Festival of the University of Málaga, also known as Fancine Málaga, in Málaga, Spain. The screenings took place on November 11, 2023, and November 14, 2023, at Cine Albéniz.[44] It was also featured in the 7th edition of the Maniatic Film Festival, taking place from November 20 to 25 at its new location, the ABC Park Cinemas, specifically on November 24.[45]
The Childe made its mark in Asian film festivals as well. It was part of the selection of 16 South Korean and Indonesian films showcased at the "Korea Indonesia Film Festival" (KIFF) held from October 20 to 22, 2023, across CGV Cinemas Indonesia in four cities in Indonesia: Jakarta, Bandung, Yogyakarta, and Surabaya.[46] Continuing its journey, the film was also featured in the "2023 ASEAN-Korea Film Festival" held from November 27 to November 30, 2023, at CGV Mall Pacific Place in Jakarta. This festival showcased a lineup of nine films from Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, and South Korea. The Childe was screened on November 28.[47]
The Childe had theatrical releases in Spain. The Spanish release, titled "El Bastardo," was scheduled for February 23, 2024.[48] Additionally, the film is part of the lineup of South Korean films to be showcased in the Korean Horizons segment at the 22nd Florence Korea Film Festival, happening from March 21 to 30, 2024, in Firenze, Italy.[49] It was screened on Friday, March 22, at 22:30 at Cinema La Compagnia.[50]
Looking ahead, the Japanese release will take place on April 12, 2024.[51]
The Childe launched a simultaneous VOD service for IPTV and theaters on July 18, 2023, through various platforms such as IPTV (Genie TV, SK Btv, LG U+TV), Home Choice, Google Play, Wavve, Naver Series on, KT skylife, and Cine Fox.[52]
In February 2024, The Childe premiered on terrestrial TV on SBS channel as part of the 2024 Lunar New Year holiday special film. It aired at 22:30 p.m. KST on Saturday, February 10.[53] The movie ranked 8th in the Nielsen TOP 20 household viewership ratings with a 4.3% rating and 5th in the TOP 20 Viewers Nationwide with 910,000 viewers.[54] As part of its special movies programming, cable channel OCN broadcast The Childe on Saturday, February 11, at 10:00 p.m..[55] On Tuesday, March 26, 2024, at 10:20 p.m., SBS channel aired a re-run of The Childe.[56] The movie ranked 15th in the Nielsen TOP 20 household viewership ratings with a 3.4% rating and 18th in the TOP 20 Viewers Nationwide with 345,000 viewers.[57]
On the review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 94% based on reviews from 16 critics as well as 95% based on reviews from audiences.[58]
Peter Marsh of the South China Morning Post gave The Childe three out of five rating, said that, "K-drama heartthrob Kim Seon-ho steals the show... injecting his well-groomed assassin with a refreshing dose of self-effacing irreverence... Like a shotgun-toting episode of Succession, The Childe escalates into a greed-fuelled bloodbath."[59] Cary Darling of Houston Chronicle stated that, "This twisty thriller...is what might happen if Quentin Tarantino, with a bit of an assist from John Woo, Park Chan-wook's Old Boy and the spirit of Alfred Hitchcock, had directed an episode of Succession."[60]
Newsen reported audience reviews, with some stating, "Exciting chase action, unpredictable story, and a feast of attractive characters." The film The Childe is receiving enthusiastic acclaim, with actual audience members expressing their thoughts such as, "2 hours without a dull moment" and another viewer mentioning, "Director Park Hoon-jung's action, a touch of black comedy, and a new frontier in noir." It is worth noting that The Childe is the only film among the top 10 box office hits that is not accessible to young audiences (R-Rated). Despite this restriction, the film has maintained high rankings in both box office revenue and reservation rates, creating expectations for a successful box office run.[61]
On July 11, 2023, CBI Pictures announced that "The Childe" had become the second-highest-grossing South Korean film in Indonesia.[62] As of August 25, 2023, the film has continued to hold its place among the Top Ten Korean Commercial Films of 2023, according to the Kobiz Database.[63]
Award ceremony | Year | Category | Nominee / Work | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
60th Baeksang Arts Awards | 2024 | Best New Actor | Kim Seon-ho | Pending | [64] |
Blue Dragon Film Awards | 2023 | Best New Actor | Nominated | [65] | |
Kang Tae-joo | Nominated | ||||
Buil Film Awards | 2023 | Best New Actor | Kim Seon-ho | Won | [66][67] |
Popular Star Award | Nominated | ||||
Kim Kang-woo | Nominated | ||||
Kang Tae-joo | Nominated | ||||
Go Ara | Nominated | ||||
7th Canary Islands Fantastic Film Festival[a] | 2023 | Best feature film in the Official Section to Competition | The Childe | Nominated | [68] |
Festival Film Bandung | 2023 | Best Imported Film |
Top 10 | [69][70] | |
Best Imported Action-Comedy Film[b] | Won | ||||
Grand Bell Awards | 2023 | Best New Actor | Kim Seon-ho | Won | [71] |
43rd Golden Cinema Film Festival | 2023 | Best Film | The Childe | Nominated | [72] |
Best New Actor | Kang Tae-joo | Won | [73] | ||
Sitges Film Festival | 2023 | Best feature film in the Òrbita section | The Childe | Nominated | [74] |
Publisher | Year | Listicle | Placement | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
Asian Movie Pulse | 2023 | The 20 Best Korean Movies of 2023 | 11th | [75] |
GQ India | 10 enthralling Korean thriller movies on Amazon Prime Video that will blow your mind |
Top 10 | [76] |