Midnight (2021 film)

Midnight (Korean: 미드나이트; RR: Mideunaiteu) 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.[5] Finally the film was released simultaneously in theatres and via streaming media TVING on June 30, 2021.[6] Midnight is also available on iQIYI from 18 September 2021.[7]

Midnight
Official release poster
Hangul
미드나이트
Revised RomanizationMideunaiteu
Directed byKwon Oh-seung
Written byKwon Oh-seung
Produced byKim Hyun-woo
Starring
CinematographyCha Taek-gyun
Edited byLee Gang-hui
Music byHwang Sang-jun & Sebastien Pan[1]
Production
companies
Peppermint & Company
CJ ENM
Distributed byCJ Entertainment
TVING
Release date
  • June 30, 2021 (2021-06-30)
Running time
103 minutes
CountrySouth Korea
LanguagesKorean
Korean Sign Language
Box officeest. US$814,018[2]

Synopsis

Kyeong-mi (Jin Ki-joo), a deaf woman, works as a sign language counselor at the sign language call center. One night she witnesses So-Jung's (Kim Hye-yoon) stabbing and becomes a new target for the Jekyll and Hyde serial killer Do-sik (Wi Ha-joon). It now turns into a silent chase. Jong Tak (Park Hoon), So-Jung's brother, a security guard has to protect his sister. On the other hand Kyeong-mi's deaf mother (Gil Hae-yeon) will do anything to protect her daughter.

Cast
  • Jin Ki-joo as Kim Kyung-mi, a deaf person who works as a sign language counselor at a call center[5]
  • Wi Ha-joon as Do-shik, a serial killer, who attacks women and men at night
  • Kim Hye-yoon as Choi So-jung, Jong-tak's younger sister[8]
  • Park Hoon as Jong-tak, brother of Choi Seo-jung, a former officer in the Marine Corps, currently working at a security company
  • Gil Hae-yeon as Kyung-mi's mother[9]
  • Kang In-seo as male employee 1
  • Noh Su-min as couple man
  • Na Eun-saem as couple woman
  • Lee Jae-seok as employee 5
  • Park Ji-hoon
  • Song Yoo-hyun as section chief

Special appearance
  • Bae Eun-woo as Police
  • Kwon Young-min
  • Jung Wo Chang as Police 2

Production

In August 2019, Jin Ki-joo and Wi Ha-joon confirmed their appearance for the film.[5]

Filming began on September 8, 2019.[10]

Release

The film was released simultaneously in theatres and via streaming media TVING on June 30, 2021.[6]

Midnight got invitation from Fantasia International Film Festival and 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 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.[14]

The film has also been invited at New Zealand International Film Festival in Wellington edition to be screened on November 12, 2021.[15][16]

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.[17][18]

Reception

Box office

The film was released on June 30, 2021 on 693 screens.[2] 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.[19] 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, as of December 12, 2021.[20]

Critical response

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 100% of 13 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.9/10.[21]

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."[22]

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."[23]

Awards and nominations
Year Awards Category Recipient Result Ref.
2021 25th Fantasia International Film FestivalSilver Audience Award for Best Asian FilmMidnightWon[24][25]
2021 13th UK Grimmfest Film FestivalBest Feature AwardWon[14]
2022 Brussels International Fantastic Film FestivalEmerging RavenNominated[26]

References
  1. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14757872/fullcredits/?ref_=tt_ql_1
  2. "KOFIC, KOBIS (Korean Box Office Information System) Midnight (2021)". KOFIC. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  3. "Midnight - (Korean Movie, 2020, 미드나이트)". HanCinema. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
  4. Jeon Hyung-hwa (May 10, 2021). "[단독]진기주 '미드나이트' 티빙 공개-지창욱 '발신제한' 극장 개봉..변화의 시작 [종합]" [[Exclusive] Jin Ki-joo 'Midnight' Teabing Release - Ji Chang-wook's 'Call Restriction' theatrical release... The beginning of change]. Star News (in Korean). Retrieved July 1, 2021.
  5. Kim Bo-ra (August 27, 2019). "[단독]진기주X위하준, 범죄스릴러 '미드나이트' 출연 확정" [[Exclusive] Jin Ki-joo X Wi Ha-jun confirmed to appear in crime thriller 'Midnight']. Osen (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
  6. Hong Sang-hee (July 1, 2021). "'미드나이트' 진기주 "누군가의 인생작품을 만드는 것이 꿈"" ['Midnight' Jin Ki-joo "It's my dream to make someone's life work"]. YTN (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
  7. "Midnight". iQIYI. June 30, 2021. Retrieved October 9, 2021.
  8. Jang Ah-reum (September 3, 2019). "[단독] 'SKY캐슬' 김혜윤, 영화 '미드나이트' 합류…'대세 행보'" [[Exclusive] 'SKY Castle' Kim Hye-yoon joins the movie 'Midnight'... 'Top trend']. News 1 (in Korean). Retrieved July 1, 2021.
  9. Kim Mi-hwa (July 1, 2021). "'미드나이트' 길해연 "진기주와 모녀 호흡..참 애틋했다" [인터뷰]" ['Midnight' Gil Hae-yeon "Mother and daughter breathing with Jin Ki-joo.. It was very affectionate" [Interview]]. Star News (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
  10. Cho Yeong (September 5, 2019). ""청각장애인vs연쇄살인마" 진기주X위하준 '미드나이트' 8일 크랭크인[공식]" ["Deaf vs Serial Killer" Jin Ki-joo X Wi Ha-jun 'Midnight' crank-in on the 8th [Official]]. Daily Sports (in Korean). Retrieved July 1, 2021.
  11. Park, Jun-hee (July 2, 2021). "'Midnight' invited to two North American film festivals". Korean Herald. Retrieved July 4, 2021.
  12. Conran, Pierce (July 15, 2021). "Korean Films on Show at 20th Anniversary of New York Asian Film Festival". KOFIC. Retrieved July 25, 2021.
  13. "Canadian Premiere, Selection 2021, Midnight". Fantasia Festival. Retrieved August 26, 2021.
  14. "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". Taiwan News. October 28, 2021. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
  15. Frater, Patrick (October 12, 2021). "Strong Asian Selection Characterizes New Zealand Film Festival". Variety. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
  16. "Midnight 2021 - New Zealand International Film Festival". NZIFF. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
  17. Lee Yul (August 26, 2022). "브뤼셀 국제판타스틱영화제 29일 개막…'마녀2' 경쟁부문 진출" [The Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival opens on the 29th... 'Witch 2' entered the competition section]. Yonhap News (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved August 27, 2022.
  18. "Selection 2022, Midnight". The Brussels International Festival of Fantastic Film. August 5, 2022. Retrieved August 27, 2022.
  19. Ahn Tae-hyun (July 1, 2021). "'발신제한' 8일 연속 1위…누적관객수 46만↑ [Nbox]" ['Send Restriction' ranked first for 8 consecutive days Cumulative audience 460,000↑ [Nbox]]. News 1 (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
  20. "KOFIC, KOBIS (Korean Box Office Information System) All Korean films (2021) (Korean films ranking)". KOFIC. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
  21. "Midnight (2021)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
  22. Seo Jeong-won (June 27, 2021). "[영화 리뷰] '미드나이트', 말할 수 없는 이들…폭력에 저항하다" [[Movie Review] 'Midnight', those who can't speak... resist violence]. Maeil Business (in Korean). Maekyung. Retrieved July 2, 2021.
  23. Choi Soo-jin (June 23, 2021). "[리뷰]'미드나이트' 들리지 않는 공포, 그 두려움 속으로…" [[Review] 'Midnight' Unheard of fear, into that fear...]. Seoul Economic Daily (in Korean). Maekyung. Retrieved July 2, 2021.
  24. Kim Hyun-Rok (September 1, 2021). "'미드나이트', 제25회 판타지아국제영화제 관객상" ['Midnight', 25th Fantasia International Film Festival Audience Award]. Spotify News (in Korean). Retrieved September 1, 2021.
  25. "AUDIENCE AWARDS: BEST ASIAN FEATURE". Fantasia Festival. Retrieved September 1, 2021.
  26. https://wiki.bifff.net/movie/midnight/
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