The Night Owl (2022 film) explained

The Night Owl
Native Name:
Hangul:올빼미
Rr:Olbbaemi
Director:Ahn Tae-jin
Music:Hwang Sang-jun
Cinematography:Kim Tae-kyeong
Editing:Kim Sun-min
Distributor:Next Entertainment World
Runtime:118 minutes
Country:South Korea
Language:Korean
Budget:[1]
Gross:[2]

The Night Owl is a 2022 South Korean period thriller drama film directed by Ahn Tae-jin, starring Ryu Jun-yeol and Yoo Hae-jin. Set in the Joseon period, it is based on the mystery surrounding the death of Crown Prince Sohyeon, who returned from the Qing Dynasty in the Joseon Injo period. It was released on November 23, 2022.[3]

Plot

Kyung-soo is blind but has excellent acupuncture skills. He enters the palace after being recognized for his talent by Lee Hyung-ik. Around that time, Crown Prince Sohyeon, who was taken hostage by the Qing Dynasty, returned to Korea after 8 years. Injo, while happy for his son, is overcome with unknown anxiety for a while. Then one night, Kyung-soo, who can see faintly in the dark, witnesses the death of Crown Prince Sohyeon. As he tries to tell the truth, bigger secrets and conspiracies are revealed, putting his life at risk. After the death of his son, Injo's anxiety turns into madness and begins to run rampant, and Kyung-soo, who witnessed the death of the crown prince, attempts to reveal the truth behind the crown prince’s death.

Cast

Reception

Box office

, it is the fifth highest-grossing Korean film of 2022, with a gross of US$26,395,809, and 3,317,510 admissions. On December 23, 2022, The Night Owl surpassed 3 million cumulative audiences on this afternoon. An additional 900,000 people were mobilized in two weeks after exceeding the break-even point of 2.1 million on the 8th, which led the box office for three consecutive weeks.[6]

The film was in competition at FFCP 2023, the festival dedicated to Korean film in Paris.[7]

Accolades

Award ceremony! scope="col"
YearCategoryNomineeResult
Baeksang Arts Awards2023Best FilmThe Night Owl[8]
Best DirectorAhn Tae-jin
Best New Director
Best ActorRyu Jun-yeol
Best Supporting ActorKim Sung-cheol
Best Supporting ActressAhn Eun-jin
Best ScreenplayAhn Tae-jin and Hyun Kyu-ri
Best Technical Award (Lighting)Hong Seung-cheol
Director's Cut Awards2023Best New Director in filmAhn Tae-jin[9]
Best Director in film[10]
Best ScreenplayAhn Tae-jin and Hyun Kyu-ri
Best Actor in filmRyu Jun-yeol
Yoo Hae-jin
Best New Actor in filmKim Sung-cheol
Best New Actress in filmAhn Eun-jin
Korean Association of Film Critics AwardsBest ActorRyu Jun-yeol[11]
Best New DirectorAhn Tae-jin
Cinematography AwardKim Tae-kyeong
Buil Film Awards2023Best ActorRyu Jun-yeol[12]
Yoo Hae-jin
Best New Director Ahn Tae-jin
Best ScreenplayAhn Tae-jin and Hyun Kyu-ri
Best New ActressAhn Eun-jin
Best FilmThe Night Owl
Golden Cinema Film Festival 2023Best Actor Ryu Jun-yeol[13]
Best Supporting ActorChoi Moo-sung
Best DirectorAhn Tae-jin
Best CinematographyKim Tae-kyeong
Best lightingHong Seung-chul
Grand Bell Awards2023Best FilmThe Night Owl
Best ActorRyu Jun-yeol
Best New ActressAhn Eun-jin
Best New ActorKim Sung-cheol
Best New DirectorAhn Tae-jin
Best ScreenplayAhn Tae-jin and Hyun Kyu-ri
Best CinematographyKim Tae-kyeong
Best SoundPark Yong-ki
Best Costume DesignShim Hyun-seop
Best EditingKim Sun-min
Blue Dragon Film Awards2023Best FilmThe Night Owl
Best ActorRyu Jun-yeol
Best New ActressAhn Eun-jin
Best New DirectorAhn Tae-jin
Best ScreenplayHyun Eun-mi, Ahn Tae-jin
Best Cinematography and lightingKim Tae-kyeong, Hong Seung-chul
Best Technical award (Sound)Park Yong-ki
Best Art DirectionLee Ha-jun
Best EditingKim Sun-min

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2022-12-29 . [인터뷰] 2023 전망④ 김수연 NEW 영화사업부 이사, "결국은 시나리오의 힘" ]. 2023-01-02 . . ko.
  2. Web site: KoBiz - Korean film, news, actor, movie, cinema, location & Korean Film Archive .
  3. News: 유해진X류준열 사극 스릴러 '올빼미' 11월 23일 개봉확정. Yoo Hae-jin X Ryu Jun-yeol's historical thriller 'Owl' confirmed for release on November 23rd. Kim. Da-eun . . Naver. October 4, 2022 . October 20, 2022 . ko.
  4. Web site: Kim. Bo-ra. December 11, 2022 . 올빼미' 이주원 "캐스팅 돼 엄마랑 울었다…유해진 닮고 싶어"(종합)[인터뷰]]. Owl' Lee Joo-won "I cried with my mom after being cast... I want to be like Hae-jin Yoo" (Comprehensive)[Interview]. December 11, 2022. OSEN. . ko.
  5. Web site: 류준열과 아역 배우들의 훈훈 케미…250만 돌파 '올빼미' 인기 비결. Kang. Min-kyung. Ryu Jun-yeol and child actors' warm chemistry... The secret to the popularity of 'Owl' that surpassed 2.5 million. Ten Asia. Naver. December 12, 2022. March 18, 2023. ko.
  6. Web site: Kang. Min-kyung . December 23, 2022 . [공식] '올빼미', 300만 돌파…유해진→류준열·김성철 감사 인사 ]. [Official] 'Owl' surpasses 3 million views... Yoo Hae-jin → Ryu Jun-yeol and Kim Seong-cheol’s thanks . December 23, 2022 . Ten Asia. Naver. ko.
  7. Web site: JulienJamesVachon . 2023-11-04 . The Night Owl la pépite du FFCP 2023 . 2023-11-04 . Direct-Actu . fr-FR.
  8. Web site: Park Soo-in . April 29, 2023 . '헤어질 결심' 대상→더 글로리' 3관왕, 이변 없는 수상[백상예술대상①] ]. 'Decision to break up' Daesang→The Glory' 3 crowns, no surprises [Baeksang Arts Awards ①] . April 29, 2023 . Newsen . ko . Naver.
  9. Web site: 박찬욱 '헤어질 결심', 디렉터스컷 어워즈 5관왕. Yoon. Ki-baek. Park Chan-wook's 'Decision to Break Up' wins 5 Director's Cut Awards. E-daily. Naver. February 24, 2023. February 24, 2023. ko.
  10. Web site: 제21회 '디렉터스컷 어워즈', 3년 만에 오프라인 개최 [공식]]. Kim. Bo-young. The 21st 'Director's Cut Awards' held offline for the first time in 3 years [Official]. E-Daily . Naver. February 9, 2023. February 17, 2023. ko.
  11. Web site: 김서형 류준열, 영평상 주연상 받는다...작품상은 '다음 소희. Yang. So-young. Kim Seo-hyung Ryu Jun-yeol, Youngpyeong Award for Best Actor... 'Next Sohee' for Best Picture . Star Today . Naver. September 4, 2023. September 6, 2023. ko.
  12. Web site: Nam . Yoo-jung . Lee . Woo-young . 2023-08-27 . 누가 받아도 될 정도로 훌륭한 후보들, 그중 최고는 누구? . Great candidates to anyone can accept, who is the best of them? . 2023-08-27 . . ko.
  13. Web site: 류준열 김서형 황금촬영상 주연상...'올빼미' 6관왕. Yang. So-young. Ryu Jun-yeol Kim Seo-hyung Golden Cinematography Award for Leading Actor...'Owl' wins 6 awards. Star Today . Naver. October 20, 2023. November 3, 2023. ko.