The Host

The Host, directed by Bong Joon-ho, became the biggest domestic hit ever, drawing approximately 13,010,000 viewers nationwide (Nikki J.Y. Lee 47) in South Korea.

As Nikki J. Y. Lee, the author of Localized Globalization and a Monster National: The Host and the South Korean Film Industry, has stated “The Host does not appear to draw overtly on nationalism or the concept of the Korea nation.” (Lee 53),  I think the film focuses subtly on some anti-U.S. sentiment and South Korea's role and relation with the U.S. and centres on the notion of family and family identity.

The film does reveal some anti-U.S. sentiment that portrays Americans as people who are careless about the locals (South Koreans) and as the dominant force that interferes and dictates South Korean government including its territorial and health concerns. For example, in the opening scene in a lab, a U.S. military officer/scientist orders a Korean military officer/scientist to dumb many bottles of toxic liquid in the Han River despite the fact that the Korean military officer is unwilling to do so since it could devastate South Korean environment by contaminating the Han River. Also, in the film, U.S. government broadcasts a warning about the danger of a “virus” (non-existent) allegedly transmitted by the mutant monster and pressures the South Korean government to close the area in order to prevent the spread of “fake” virus which prevents family members from rescuing Hyun-seo, Park Gang-du’s daughter and hinders South Korean government from tracking down the monster (Lee 47) in their own country.

However, the movie also presents itself as a family-centered drama appealing to audiences of multiple generations (Lee 54). Hee-bong, Park Gang-du’s father, represents the senior audience while Hyun-seo, a junior high school student, represents teenagers (Lee 54). Also Park Gang-du’s younger siblings, Nam-il and Nam-joo, speak to people particularly those of student movement generation in 1980s and 1990s Korea and people in 20s respectively (Lee 54). The fact that the movie could attract many demographic groups into theaters is perhaps one of the reasons why this film has become South Korea’s blockbuster movie.