[K-Movie Review] A Werewolf Boy (2012)

“A Werewolf Boy”, which stars actor Song Joong Ki and Park Bo Young is the heartwarming hit movie of 2012.

The Fantasy Romance movie was released in Korea this year and has exceeded six million views on November 26, 2012. Singers like BoA, Park Ji Min and many others were seen on Twitter talking about the movie and how amazing it was. We here at HypnoticAsia also had the privilege of watching the movie before it’s release in America it was probably the best movie we’ve watched all year. I personally give this movie a 10/10. The actors were perfect for their roles, the scenes were well filmed and the story was heartwarming and beautiful.

If there is a movie that can make you cry, laugh, and have your full attention until the end, it’s “A Werewolf Boy”. In this movie, actor Song Joong Ki becomes the “Wolf Boy” and even though this is his first time filming a movie like this, he has done an excellent job with his role.  It was revealed that Song Joong Ki visited the zoo’s multiple times to study animal movements and of course, behaviors. Song says, “Because the ‘wolf boy’ cannot speak, I had to express all emotions through my eyes, facial expressions, bodily movements, and breathing. The challenge of becoming a ‘wolf boy’ was an invaluable experience and I feel pride in doing something that no one has tried before.”

The movie was shown at Toronto’s International Film Festival 2012,  Vancouver International Film Festival 2012, as well as Hawaii International Film Festival 2012. All three commented on how lovely and touching the fairy-tale was and Anderson Le of Hawaii International Film Festival said “an emotional roller coaster that will fulfill and dazzle you to the very end.” He also agreed that it was one of the best Korean films of this year.

Synopsis

Summoned by an unexpected phone call, an elderly woman visits a cottage the way she used to when she was a young girl. She remembers a boy she knew half a century before. Moving to a peaceful village when she was a girl she discovered a “wolf boy”, hiding his large, contorted body in the darkness. The girl, now a woman, has never been able to purge the images of his wild eyes and animal-like behavior from her mind. She recalls teaching the boy how to wait patiently before a meal, how to wear clothes, how to speak, how to write and other human behaviors so that he could one day live like a normal man. She opened her heart to the innocent boy and he fell in love with the girl, the only person to ever show him affection. However when threatened, he let loose his bestial instincts and became the subject of the villagers’ fears. In order to save the life of the boy who risked his to be by her side, she left him with a promise: “Wait for me. I’ll come back for you”.