Midnight (2021 film) explained

Midnight
Native Name:
Hangul:미드나이트
Rr:Mideunaiteu
Director:Kwon Oh-seung
Producer:Kim Hyun-woo
Music:Hwang Sang-jun & Sebastien Pan[1]
Cinematography:Cha Taek-gyun
Editing:Lee Gang-hui
Studio:Peppermint & Company
CJ ENM
Distributor:CJ Entertainment
TVING
Runtime:103 minutes
Country:South Korea
Language:Korean
Korean Sign Language
Gross: US$814,018[2]

Midnight is a 2021 South Korean psychological thriller film, written and directed by Kwon Oh-seung. The film starring Jin Ki-joo, Wi Ha-joon and Kim Hye-yoon, depicts a life-threatening hide-and-seek scenario between a psychopathic killer and a deaf woman.[3] [4] The film was slated to release in 2020 but its release was postponed due to the resurgence of the COVID-19 pandemic. Finally the film was released simultaneously in theatres and via streaming media TVING on June 30, 2021.[5] Midnight was also made available on iQIYI from 18 September 2021.[6]

Premise

Kyeong-mi is a deaf woman and a sign language counselor at the sign language call center who becomes the target of a serial killer Do-sik after she witnessed him stabbing So-Jung. Jong Tak, So-Jung's brother and a security guard sets out to protect his sister and Kyeong-mi. On the other hand Kyeong-mi's deaf mother also learns about this and helps Jong Tak in protecting them.

Cast

Special appearance

Production

In August 2019, Jin Ki-joo and Wi Ha-joon confirmed their appearance for the film.

Filming began on September 8, 2019.[10]

Release

The film was released simultaneously in theatres and via streaming media TVING on June 30, 2021.

Midnight got an invitation from the Fantasia International Film Festival and the New York Asian Film Festival to screen the film. The three-week festivals were held from August 5 to 25 in Montreal, Canada and from August 6 to 22, 2021 in New York respectively.[11] In the 20th New York Asian Film Festival, the film was screened in the ‘Genre Masters’ section on August 7, at Lincoln Center and SVA Theatre.[12] In 25th Fantasia International Film Festival, the film was screened in the ‘Canadian Premiere’ section on August 22, 2021.[13] It was also invited at the 13th UK Grimmfest Film Festival, held from October 7 to October 10, where it won the best feature award.

The film has also been invited to the New Zealand International Film Festival in Wellington edition to be screened on November 12, 2021.[14] [15]

The film entered the new director competition section of the 40th Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival and was screened for Belgian premiere on September 2, 2022.[16] [17]

Reception

Box office

The film was released on June 30, 2021 on 693 screens. According to the integrated computer network for movie theater admissions by the Korea Film Council (KoFiC), the film was at third place on the Korean box office by collecting 25,566 audience on the opening day.[18] It is at 21st place among all the Korean films released in the year 2021, with gross of US$796,540 and 108,523 admissions, .[19]

Critical response

[20]

Seo Jeong-won reviewing for Maeil Business quoted from Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak's, essays Can Subalterns Speak?, to highlight the subjugation of the 'subalterns' (sub-subjects) at the bottom of society, including women and migrants. Jeong-won opined that the way two mute and deaf women fought the serial killer and used their own means to confront the killer made it different. Ending review Jeong-won wrote, "The clear contrast between the stillness and the roar is also common. The more you watch Midnight with your breath, the more you can enjoy the film's gauguin."[21]

Seoul Economic Daily reporter Choi Soo-jin reviewing the film wrote that the fast-paced chase of deaf and mute, in everyday space is the main attraction of the film. Quoting director Oh-seung Kwon, as: “It was made by grinding the cartilage of the actors,” the reviewer wrote, "....the movie's charm is the performances of the actors running and running. Runs, slides, rolls and hangs on windows." Praising the performance of Jin Ki-joo Soo-jin wrote, "Jin Ki-joo's passion for acting, who plays Kyung-mi, who is deaf, also stands out." For other actors, Wi Ha-jun Wi and Park Hoon Soo-jin opined, "After the efforts of the two actors, an action scene full of hit was completed."[22]

Awards and nominations

YearAwardsCategoryRecipientResultRef.
2021Silver Audience Award for Best Asian FilmMidnight[23] [24]
202113th UK Grimmfest Film Festival Best Feature Award [25]
2022Emerging Raven [26]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Midnight (2021) - IMDb . .
  2. Web site: KOFIC, KOBIS (Korean Box Office Information System) Midnight (2021). July 19, 2021. KOFIC.
  3. Web site: Midnight - (Korean Movie, 2020, 미드나이트) . July 1, 2021. HanCinema.
  4. News: [단독]진기주 '미드나이트' 티빙 공개-지창욱 '발신제한' 극장 개봉..변화의 시작 [종합] ]. Jeon Hyung-hwa . [Exclusive] Jin Ki-joo 'Midnight' Teabing Release - Ji Chang-wook's 'Call Restriction' theatrical release... The beginning of change . Star News. May 10, 2021. July 1, 2021. ko.
  5. News: '미드나이트' 진기주 "누군가의 인생작품을 만드는 것이 꿈" . 'Midnight' Jin Ki-joo "It's my dream to make someone's life work" . Hong Sang-hee . YTN . Naver . July 1, 2021. July 1, 2021. ko.
  6. Web site: Midnight. iQIYI. June 30, 2021 . 9 October 2021.
  7. News: [단독]진기주X위하준, 범죄스릴러 '미드나이트' 출연 확정 ]. [Exclusive] Jin Ki-joo X Wi Ha-jun confirmed to appear in crime thriller 'Midnight' . Kim Bo-ra . Osen . Naver . August 27, 2019 . July 1, 2021 . ko.
  8. News: [단독] 'SKY캐슬' 김혜윤, 영화 '미드나이트' 합류…'대세 행보' ]. [Exclusive] 'SKY Castle' Kim Hye-yoon joins the movie 'Midnight'... 'Top trend' . Jang Ah-reum . News 1. September 3, 2019 . July 1, 2021. ko.
  9. News: '미드나이트' 길해연 "진기주와 모녀 호흡..참 애틋했다" [인터뷰] ]. Kim Mi-hwa . 'Midnight' Gil Hae-yeon "Mother and daughter breathing with Jin Ki-joo.. It was very affectionate" [Interview] . Star News . Naver . July 1, 2021 . July 1, 2021 . ko.
  10. News: "청각장애인vs연쇄살인마" 진기주X위하준 '미드나이트' 8일 크랭크인[공식] ]. "Deaf vs Serial Killer" Jin Ki-joo X Wi Ha-jun 'Midnight' crank-in on the 8th [Official] . Cho Yeong . Daily Sports . September 5, 2019 . July 1, 2021 . ko . October 6, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211006155340/http://m.isplus.joins.com/news/article/article.aspx?total_id=23571032 . dead .
  11. Web site: 'Midnight' invited to two North American film festivals . Park . Jun-hee . July 2, 2021 . July 4, 2021 . Korean Herald.
  12. Web site: Korean Films on Show at 20th Anniversary of New York Asian Film Festival . Conran . Pierce . July 15, 2021. July 25, 2021. KOFIC.
  13. Web site: Canadian Premiere, Selection 2021, Midnight. Fantasia Festival . August 26, 2021.
  14. Web site: Strong Asian Selection Characterizes New Zealand Film Festival. Patrick . Frater. 12 October 2021 . 23 October 2021. Variety.
  15. Web site: Midnight 2021 - New Zealand International Film Festival. 23 October 2021 . NZIFF . en.
  16. News: 브뤼셀 국제판타스틱영화제 29일 개막…'마녀2' 경쟁부문 진출. The Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival opens on the 29th... 'Witch 2' entered the competition section . Lee Yul . Yonhap News. Naver . August 26, 2022. August 27, 2022. ko.
  17. Web site: Selection 2022, Midnight. The Brussels International Festival of Fantastic Film . August 5, 2022. August 27, 2022.
  18. News: '발신제한' 8일 연속 1위…누적관객수 46만↑ [Nbox] ]. Ahn Tae-hyun . 'Send Restriction' ranked first for 8 consecutive days Cumulative audience 460,000↑ [Nbox] . News 1 . Naver . July 1, 2021 . July 1, 2021 . ko.
  19. Web site: KOFIC, KOBIS (Korean Box Office Information System) All Korean films (2021) (Korean films ranking). December 12, 2021 . KOFIC.
  20. Midnight (2021). midnight_2021. m. January 29, 2024.
  21. News: [영화 리뷰] '미드나이트', 말할 수 없는 이들…폭력에 저항하다 ]. Seo Jeong-won . [Movie Review] 'Midnight', those who can't speak... resist violence . Maeil Business . Maekyung . June 27, 2021 . July 2, 2021 . ko.
  22. News: [리뷰]'미드나이트' 들리지 않는 공포, 그 두려움 속으로… ]. Choi Soo-jin . [Review] 'Midnight' Unheard of fear, into that fear... . Seoul Economic Daily . Maekyung . June 23, 2021 . July 2, 2021 . ko.
  23. News: '미드나이트', 제25회 판타지아국제영화제 관객상. 'Midnight', 25th Fantasia International Film Festival Audience Award . Kim Hyun-Rok . September 1, 2021. September 1, 2021. Spotify News . ko.
  24. Web site: AUDIENCE AWARDS: BEST ASIAN FEATURE . Fantasia Festival . September 1, 2021 . August 27, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210827045010/https://fantasiafestival.com/en/news/fantasia-announces-awards-for-25th-edition . dead .
  25. News: Korean Crime Thriller Film, MIDNIGHT, Starring Spackman Media Group Artist Wi Ha-jun of SQUID GAME, Wins Best Feature Award At The 13th UK Grimmfest Film Festival. 28 October 2021. Taiwan News. 29 October 2021. October 29, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211029065916/https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4327977. dead.
  26. Web site: MIDNIGHT – wikibifff .

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