The Host
The talk of the 2006 Cannes International Film Festival, South Korean film The Host – the latest film from critically acclaimed visionary director Bong Joon-ho – has already garnered a substantial amount of international buzz. Utilizing state-of-the-art special effects courtesy of a creative partnership between Weta Workshop (King Kong, The Lord of the Rings) and The Orphanage (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Sin City) , The Host is equal parts creature-feature thrill ride and poignant human drama. It was released in South Korea on July 27, 2006 and exceeded 6 million viewers on the morning of August 6, 2006. This made it the 8th most popular movie in South Korean cinematic history. As of September 10, 2006, the film is the highest grossing South Korean film of all time, with 12.5 million viewers in South Korea alone.
Gang-du (Song Kang-ho) works at a food-stand on the banks of the Han River. Dozing on the job, he is awakened by his daughter, Hyun-seo (Ko A-sung) , who is angry with him for missing a teacher/parent meeting at school. As Gang-du walks out to the riverbank with a delivery, he notices that a large crowd of people has gathered, taking pictures and talking about something hanging from the Han River Bridge. The otherwise idyllic landscape turns suddenly to bedlam when a terrifying creature climbs up onto the riverbank and begins to crush and eat people. Gang-du and his daughter run for their lives but suddenly the thing grabs Hyun-seo and disappears back into the river. The government announces that the thing is apparently The Host of an unidentified virus. Having feared the worst, Gang-du receives a phone call from his daughter who is frightened, but very much alive. Gang-du makes plans to infiltrate the forbidden zone near the Han River to rescue his daughter from the clutches of the horrifying Host…
The Host's original music is composed by Byeongwoo Lee , the most famous guitar player in Korea. He is known for creating music that draws inspiration from various musical styles. His score to The Host harmoniously accompanies the story of the characters, capturing the most intense, dramatic and at times even comedic moments.
Tracklisting:
- Prologue: Mighty Han River The monster is growing (2:09)
- Sudden attack in broad daylight (3:18)
- The monster¹s lair (2:53)
- Yellow Virus (4:17)
- Checkpoint in the rain (1:37)
- Hyun Suh! (2:23)
- Starving brothers (1:39)
- Brother and sister in the sewer (1:52)
- Most wanted (2:46)
- Dawn, hard rain and a bloody fight (2:03)
- Wet newspaper (2:10)
- Smart fugitive (2:23)
- Over Wonhyo Bridge (4:38)
- Running lonely (2:46)
- Unreachable hand, Can¹t let go of the hand (4:15)
- Reunion (2:18)
- A single Molotov cocktail (2:26)
- A new family (2:02)
- In Praise of the Han River (trumpet version) (1:36)
- Abandoned song (2:36)
- In Praise of the Han River (vocal) (3:02)
- Little hut in snow (2:49)
- Running lonely (version 2) (1:52)
