Why ‘Spellbound’?
Adding a spice of horror to romance?
A provocative approach to tapped-out romantic comedies!
Adding a spice of horror to romance?
A provocative approach to tapped-out romantic comedies!
A sweet leading lady falls in love with a self-absorbed male counterpart. They break up, and then get back together again... generally with the same backbone of a story, romantic comedies are well received by female audiences, but are lacking fresh, new ideas.
While romantic comedies have been sweet and romantic, <Spellbound> boldly breaks free from the norm into a perfect mix-match of horror and romantic comedy to present fresh, new entertainment. Hardly a suitable combination: heart-warming romance and extreme horror, this film takes you away from the existing realms of your typical romantic comedy. Sweet scenes that audiences can fall in love with are mixed in with petrifying, spine-chilling horror to present both laughter and thrills. The elevator horror sequence following Yu-ri’s blind date is the perfect example that amplifies the thrill and entertainment that is birthed from the mix of these two genres. Why is this mix effective in the film? Director Hwang In-ho says, “Jo-gu’s decision to stay with Yu-ri, no matter what her unique circumstances present must not be easy. That’s why finding true love is rare and constantly needs to be worked on, which is why it’s so beautiful.” Questioning the true nature of romance in a witty and exciting matter, <Spellbound> is drawing much attention for its fresh new approach.
The terrifying ghost to star in a romantic comedy
Not to be mistaken by the cute trailer and romantic love story, <Spellbound> is garnering a lot of buzz due to the terrifying background behind Yu-ri’s curse. The ghost who haunts Yu-ri and threatens Jo-gu does not let you get away from her scary presence throughout the film. These eerie spirits come out strong and have been giving audiences in Korea a good scare. The ghosts in <Spellbound> come in all different ages, genders, and appearances. However, the most extreme presence comes with Yu-ri’s high school friend who was killed in a tragic bus accident years ago. Bringing back the all too familiar “Asian female ghost” with the long black hair and gray eyes, this movie does not hold back with the horror it presents. This spirit that stands in the way of Yu-ri and Jo-gu’s relationship appear when we least expect her, presenting spine-shivering entertainment.
Director Hwang In-ho
“Rather than drawing out a familiar genre in the usual way, I add in alien factors, which create great chemistry and excitement from the imbalance.”
Through his screenplay <To Catch a Virgin Ghost>, Hwang In-ho brought quite a stir to Korean filmmaking with his fresh, new mix-match of horror and comedy genres. His later works, such as <Love Phobia> and <2 Faces of My Girlfriend>, also received much attention and praise for his unique characters and stories. Now, the talented and well-prepared screenwriter makes his directorial debut with <Spellbound>. Along with Korea’s top romantic actress, Son Ye-jin, and the comedic and charming, Lee Min-ki, director Hwang has birthed a new genre in the film industry. Adding onto his extensive experience in screenwriting, director Hwang In-ho’s directorial debut, <Spellbound> is currently creating a lot of buzz in South Korea and has been leaving audiences wildly entertained with a never before seen story of love and spine-tingling horror.
[Screenplays] <2 Faces of My Girlfriend> (2007), <Love Phobia> (2006), <To Catch a Virgin Ghost> (2004)
Spellbound - 오싹한 연애 (2011)
Runtime: 114mins
Genre: Romantic Comedy, Horror
Language: Korean with English Subtitles
Rating: NR not rated by the MPAA (US Rating) / 12+ (KOR Rating)
Korea Release: December 1st, 2011
Director: Hwang In-ho
Production: SANG SANG FILM
Distribution: CJ E&M
