괴물 (2006)
12-month trend
12-month trend
Monthly article views
2025-09 to 2026-08
A family must navigate a desperate search for their kidnapped daughter after a mysterious creature emerges from the Han River.
The story
In 2006, Park Gang-du, a man running a snack bar near the Han River, faces a crisis when a large, mysterious creature emerges from the water and attacks the area. During the chaos, Gang-du loses hold of his daughter, Hyun-seo, who is snatched by the beast and dragged into the river. As the government declares a quarantine due to a suspected virus, Gang-du and his family—including his father, brother, and sister—must defy authorities to locate and rescue the girl. The family navigates a landscape of fear and official negligence, attempting to find their child before the situation escal1s further.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Following the emergence of a creature in the Han River, a man named Park Gang-du loses his daughter, Hyun-seo, to the beast. While the government imposes a quarantine and claims the creature carries a deadly virus, the Park family escapes to search for her. They encounter the monster, which kills Gang-du's father, Hee-bong. Meanwhile, the brother, Nam-il, and sister, Nam-joo, split up to find clues. Gang-du discovers the government's 'virus' is a cover for their inability to handle the creature. In a final confrontation, the family joins forces with others to confront the beast as the military prepares to use 'Agent Yellow' to destroy it. Gang-du finds Hyun-seo in the creature's lair, but she has died while protecting a young homeless boy, Se-joo. After the monster is destroyed, Gang-du adopts Se-joo and continues his life by the river.
- First release year
- 2006
- Runtime (minutes)
- 119
- Production countries
- South Korea; Japan
- Original languages
- Korean
- Directors
- Bong Joon Ho
- Writers
- Bong Joon Ho · co-writer; Ha Joon-won · co-writer; Baek Chul-hyun · co-writer
- Cast and characters
- Song Kang-ho · Park Gang-du; Byun Hee-bong · Park Hee-bong; Park Hae-il · Park Nam-il; Bae Doona · Park Nam-joo; Go Ah-sung · Park Hyun-seo; Lee Dong-ho · Se-joo
- Genres
- monster; action; black comedy; comedy horror; independent; multilingual; science fiction
- Themes
- government incompetence; anti-American sentiment; family bonds; environmental consequences
- Tone and mood
- comedy; horror; suspense
- Premise and plot tags
- monster; survival; urban fantasy; political satire
- Reception
- The film received widespread critical praise, being hailed as a masterpiece of the genre and a landmark of Korean cinema. It was noted for its blend of comedy, horror, and political satire, with many critics praising the performances and the unique creature design.
- Awards and nominations
- Asian Film Award · Best Film · win; Asian Film Award · Best Actor · win; Asian Film Award · Best Cinematographer · win; Asian Film Award · Best Visual Effects · win; Golden Raven · Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival · win
- Production trivia
- The film's creature design was based on a local report of a deformed fish with an S-shaped spine.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
Your lists
Loading your lists…