Warner Bros. Discovery and its streaming service are looking to capitalize on the immense talent of South Korean filmmakerBong Joon-hoin more ways than one. In addition to the upcoming March theatrical release of hishighly anticipated 2025 filmMickey 17(which WB produced and is distributing), the filmmaker’s earlier work is making its way to their streaming service.Bong Joon-Ho’s monster 2006 movie,The Host, is set to land on Max on February 1st. And the South Korean monster movie is as unconventional as it is gripping.
The film follows a mutated fish that wreaks havoc in a South Korean city, and the Park family, consisting of grandfather Hee-Bong (Byun Hee-Bong) and his three children, Gang-du (Song Kang-ho), Nam-Joo (Bae Doona), and Nam-il (Park Hae-il), who attempt to rescue Gang-Du’s teenage daughter Hyun-seo (Go-Ah-sung) after she is seemingly taken away by the mysterious giant monster. The movie is a part of Bong Joon-Ho’s earlier South Korean work and was the third-ever film he directed after his debutBarking Dogs Never Biteand the landmark neo-noir crime thrillerMemories of Murder.
The Hostserves as the perfect example of Bong Joon-ho’s ability to expertly weave in between genres with each film he makes. WhileThe Hostisn’t necessarily his best film, it’s still incredibly impressive to see how he was able to step into the realm of science fiction following the dark and intensely grounded film that wasMemories of Murder.The Hostwouldn’t be the director’s lastforay into science fiction, as several films later on in his career would show his mastery of the genre.
‘The Host’ Showcases Bong Joon-ho’s Mastery of Genre Films & Character Work
While Bong Joon-ho has flipped between the noir thriller and sci-fi genres, the consistent character work has kept viewers coming back to watch his films. His2019 filmParasiteand its historic wins at the Oscars prove that people everywhere enjoy films driven primarily by powerful thematic concepts executed by empathetic and human performances. Other sci-fi movies in his filmography, likeSnowpiercer, tell similar themes of social divide and classism asParasite, while always maintaining interesting characters we both want to root for and despise.
Parasite Director Bong Joon-ho Can’t Get Enough Of This Alfred Hitchcock Movie
Can you guess what it is?
InThe Host, Bong Joon-ho takes somewhat comedic characters like Gang-du and puts a subtle level of tragedy behind the character’s demeanor. The film, which is largely about empathy, executes that theme to an intense degree, making the mutated fish and its attacks a way of creating powerful and profound character moments. For fans of Bong Joon-ho’s later work,The Hostis an excellent glimpse at the once-burgeoning director honing his craft.
The HostjoinsParasiteas the only other Bong Joon-ho film available on the platform. Other films, likeOkjaandMemories of Murder, are available onphysical media via the Criterion Collection. For now, fans can look forward to experiencing a modern monster movie masterpiece that still tells a moving story about family and empathy.
