Host, The [2]
Entry updated 24 August 2026. Tagged: Film, People.
South Korean film (2006; original title Goemool ["Monster"]). Chungeorahm Film. Directed by Bong Joon Ho. Written by Bong Joon-ho, Ha Joon-won and Baek Chul-hyun. Cast includes Bae Doona, Byun Hee-bong, Go Ah-sung, Lee Dong-ho, Park Hae-il and Song Kang-ho. 119 minutes. Colour.
After an American military doctor stationed in Korea orders huge amounts of formaldehyde to be dumped in a drain, unconfirmed reports of strange sightings emerge from the nearby Han river, and customers complain of mutated animals in the fast food served by the dim witted Gang-du (Song). Six years later, an enormous creature emerges from the river, running wild through a park, and swallowing several people, including Gang-du's daughter Hyun-seo (Go), before disappearing back into the water. All those attending the funeral of the victims are quarantined, after the Korean government and US military declare the Monster to be carrier of an unknown virus.
While in hospital, Gang-du receives a call from Hyun-seo, who, along with the homeless man Se-joo (Lee), has been regurgitated and is still alive but trapped in the creature's lair. Gang-du escapes hospital, but is captured by the army, who plan to kill or lobotomize anyone who might know the real cause of the monster, especially after Gang-du overhears them admit the virus was a hoax to fool the public. Hyun-seo and Se-joo are eaten again when trying to escape, while the army release a toxic chemical to try to contain the creature. While they prove useless, Gang-du and friends manage to set fire to the monster, then kill it, rescuing Se-joo, but not Hyun-seo, who does not survive. There are hints later that the army's chemical has created further monsters.
By some distance the best of Bong's sf films (see Mickey 17; Okja; Snowpiercer), The Host balances Horror, Humour and social commentary in a way he has not always managed in his English-language films. It is some ways an old-fashioned film, as there is no attempt to sympathize with or humanize the creature: it is a monster that remains a monster. Despite unashamedly using Hollywood models as inspiration, the film was seen as anti-American by many on release, with Bong likening their response to the monster and subsequent attempts to dupe the public to US actions in Iraq and the Middle East, though the Korean government is also a target for satire. These subtexts provoked considerable debate in Korea upon the film's release, but what made it a huge hit at home and abroad is more likely the fact that it is one of the most enjoyable monster movies of recent times.
Upon release, Bong faced accusations that the film plagiarized the Anime WXIII: Patlabor the Movie 3 (2002), directed by Fumihiko Takayama. Despite similarities in their fairly generic plots, Bong plausibly denied ever having heard of the earlier film. Plans for sequels and a Hollywood remake have so far come to nothing. Among many festival awards, it won best film at the inaugural Asian Film Awards, and the national Korean Film Awards. [CWa]
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