Hide and Seek (2013 South Korean Film)

Hide and Seek (Korean: 숨바꼭질; RR: Soombakkokjil) is a 2013 South Korean mystery-thriller film written and directed by Huh Jung. The film, which marks the directorial debut of Huh Jung, explores themes of paranoia and social anxiety within the context of urban living.

Promotional poster for the film Hide and Seek.

Plot

Sung-Soo (Son Hyun-Joo), a successful cafe owner, lives in an affluent apartment complex with his wife and two children. Despite his comfortable lifestyle, he harbors a deep-seated fear of germs and carries the burden of a long-standing estrangement from his older brother. When he learns that his brother has gone missing, Sung-Soo visits his brother's residence, located in a dilapidated neighborhood. There, he discovers mysterious codes scrawled near the entrances of various apartments, which appear to indicate the gender and number of occupants residing within. While investigating, he meets Joo-Hee (Moon Jeong-Hee), a woman living across the hall from his brother who expresses fear that someone is constantly watching her and her daughter. The tension escalates when Sung-Soo discovers similar markings appearing outside his own upscale apartment.

Cast

The film features an ensemble cast, including:

Son Hyun-Joo as Sung-Soo
Jeon Mi-Sun as Sung-Soo's wife
Moon Jeong-Hee as Joo-Hee
Jung Joon-Won as Ho-Se (Sung-Soo's son)
Kim Soo-Ahn as Soo-A (Sung-Soo's daughter)
Kim Ji-Young as Pyeong-Hwa (Joo-Hee's daughter)

Actor Son Hyun-Joo — Son Hyun-Joo, who portrays the lead character Sung-Soo.

Actress Jeon Mi-Sun — Jeon Mi-Sun, who portrays Sung-Soo's wife.

Actress Moon Jeong-Hee — Moon Jeong-Hee, who portrays Joo-Hee.

Production and Release

Hide and Seek was released in South Korea on August 14, 2013, and was distributed by Next Entertainment World. The film was produced by Kim Eui-Sung, with cinematography by Kim Il-Yeon. It has a runtime of 107 minutes.

Reception and Awards

The film received recognition at several film festivals and award ceremonies. It was screened at the 37th Montreal World Film Festival in 2013 under the "Korean Cinema of Today" section. Huh Jung was awarded Best New Director at the 33rd Korean Association of Film Critics Awards in 2013. Additionally, Jo Young-Wook received the Best Music award at the 50th Daejong Film Awards in 2013.

Actor Jung Joon-Won — Jung Joon-Won, who plays Ho-Se.

Actress Kim Soo-Ahn — Kim Soo-Ahn, who plays Soo-A.

Actress Kim Ji-Young — Kim Ji-Young, who plays Pyeong-Hwa.

Scene from the film — A scene from the thriller Hide and Seek.