Here is a review of the top K drama film, Hello Ghost
IMDB: 8.1/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 86%M
This contains the spoiler for this Movie
Hangul: 헬로우 고스트
Hanja: N/A
Released date: December 23, 2010
Genres: Comedy, Drama, Family, and Romance
Distributed By: Next Entertainment World
Directed By: Kim Young-tak
Written By: Kim Young-tak
Produced By: Lim Sung-bin and Choi Moon-soo
Original language: Korean
Budget: N/A
Box office: $19,774,455
Hello Ghost – Storyline
Sang-man (Cha Tae-hyun) spent his childhood in an orphanage and has lived alone for as long as he can remember. He grows weary of living and wants to die. Unfortunately, he is unable to accomplish that. He is often saved, but one day he awakens in a hospital where he encounters odd figures that it seems only he can see. For the psychologist, this is an obvious situation, but when Sang-man goes to a fortuneteller, she eventually offers him a different option.
He is surrounded by ghosts that won’t let him leave this world as long as they still have unfinished business keeping them here, including a chain smoker (Ko Chang-seok), a cry-baby (Jang Young-nam), a lustful drinker (Lee Moon-su), and a young child (Cheon Bo-geun). Sang-man consequently makes the forced decision to grant their requests in order to finally succeed in taking his own life. He keeps running into nurse Yeon-soo (Kang Ye-won) while running errands, though, and she reportedly plays a crucial role in finding a solution to his dilemma.
Cast
| Real Name | Movie name |
| Tae-Hyun Cha | Sang-Man |
| Ye-won Kang | Jung Yun-Soo |
| Moon-su Lee | Poppy ghost |
| Chang-Seok Ko | Chain-smoker ghost |
| Jang Young-Nam | Crybaby ghost |
| Bo-geun Cheon | Elementary school student ghost |
| Ho-seok Kong | Blind fortuneteller Goo |
Hello Ghost – Review
Asian movies frequently feature ghost stories, but comedies like this one are less common. It turns out that “Hello Ghost” is a fantastic first-rate comedy. Even while it does not completely redefine the genre, it always hits the proper notes and succeeds in being both enjoyable and touching.
I am rarely as pleasantly surprised by a film as I was by this one, especially considering that the title and promotional poster did not exactly suggest high-caliber filmmaking. But “Hello Ghost” has the perfect balance of romance, drama, and humor. Movies like “My Sassy Girl” have already proven to have this as their greatest asset.
The intended audience should consequently be completely satisfied with this film, but everyone else will undoubtedly appreciate it as well.
Even though the film also addresses more somber topics like life and death, the lighthearted tone is maintained the entire time. Sang-man’s ultimate goal is to successfully end his life, which does not lend the comedy a somber tone but rather adds to its black humor. Finally, and unsurprisingly, it is the ghosts who lead him down new life pathways
. Naturally, he must assist them in getting rid of them, but it goes without saying that as he fulfills their requests, he also discovers a great deal about himself. The tales are therefore rife with life lessons, and it appears that the ghosts are genuinely there to help him overcome his death want.
Which gets us to the movie’s one real flaw: The movie’s division into its four episodes by the requests of the four ghosts. Fortunately, Kim Young-tak did his best to keep the movie cohesive in his debut as a director (before that, he had already written the script for “Miracle of Giving Fool”).
As a result, the transitions between the episodes are quite seamless, the different ghosts do not immediately vanish after their desires are granted, and Sang-man, of course, serves as the link between the stories while the nurse also occasionally plays a significant role.
The ghosts are eminent individuals who initially merely seem to be comedic caricatures. However, as Sang-man finds that it appears that he must speak directly to the ghosts in order for them to communicate, the ghosts’ appearances alter.
After some time, the chain smoker and the crybaby in particular become very dear to our hearts, especially because they provide a great deal of character development and are portrayed by two excellent supporting performers. Cha Tae-hyun, who has starred in a number of popular comedies, including the aforementioned “My Sassy Girl,” is given the opportunity to add some color and diversity to his character, even though this frequently ends up being on a comedic level because the spirits can take possession of his body.
There should be ample opportunities for everyone to chuckle because the humor also functions on a more subtle level. The more somber sequences about dying, in which Sang-man keeps going back to the hospital and seeing Yeon-soo, are equally surprising. This creates a contrast with the film’s comic elements.
The movie’s inevitable romance development is deftly weaved into the narrative and is in fact charming. Although Kang Ye-won (“Quick”) occasionally plays what at first glance seems to be more of a supporting part, she manages to make the most of her character and keep the drama between her and Sang-man honest. Near the end, the story builds a bridge that is quite unexpected.
This adds a lot of passion to the film and may even cause some audience members to cry uncontrollably. However, the drama is endearing, so you can overlook its bluntness. The big conclusion is highly powerful and highlights the movie’s steadily improving quality. You might not have had high expectations at first, but “Hello Ghost” keeps getting better and concludes with a bang. fantastic genre film!
Trophies and Awards
| Year | Award | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 47th Baeksang Arts Awards | Best Actor (Film) | Nominated |
| Best New Director (Film) | Won | ||
| 48th Grand Bell Awards | Best Actor | Nominated | |
| Best Supporting Actress | Nominated | ||
| Best New Director | Nominated | ||
| Best Screenplay | Nominated | ||
| 32nd Blue Dragon Film Awards | Best Supporting Actress | Nominated | |
| Best New Director | Nominated |
Also Read: Swing Kids (2018) Movie Review
