Monstrum
Short description
Set in Joseon-era Korea, this action-horror film follows a former general who is called back to service when unsettling reports reach the royal court. A mysterious beast is said to be roaming Mount Inwangsan, and a plague is spreading through the region, leaving the population fearful and the king anxious. Yun-gyeom, the trusted commander, sets out with his daughter Myeong-i, his longtime subordinate Seong-han and a royal court officer named Heo to find the creature and determine what is really happening in the mountains.
Huh Jong-ho directed and co-wrote the film with Heo Dam, following his 2015 feature The Advocate: A Missing Body. The cast is led by Kim Myung-min as Yun-gyeom, with Kim In-kwon, Lee Hye-ri, Choi Woo-shik, Lee Kyung-young and Park Hee-soon. Made for about 7 million dollars, it is a modestly scaled production rather than a large historical epic.
Released in September 2018, the film drew a worldwide box office of roughly 5 million dollars. On IMDb it holds 6.1 out of 10 from around 3,100 votes, and on TMDB 6.5 out of 10 from about 205 votes. Its critics' rating sits at 6.9 out of 10 from 17 reviews, noticeably higher than the audience scores. Monstrum blends creature-feature horror with period political intrigue, built around the question of whether the monster is real.
What's left behind the scenes
- Filming took place from April 10 to July 21, 2017.
- The original title of the film can be translated as "Strange Thing" (referring to the monster).
- The film is inspired by a real historical event. In 1527, for unknown reasons, King Chungjong and his court were forced to move to another palace.
- Director Shin Jung-won was originally slated to direct the film, but he left the project.
- One of the main roles was offered to Jung Woo-sung, but he declined the offer.
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