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A world where "prisoners have been kept inside human bodies" for many years unravels in Alienoid, the first of a two-part new Korean blockbuster film series opening in North American theaters on Friday.
From time-traveling, mind-bending, dreamy landscape and underwater scenes to dynamic and explosive apocalyptic fight sequences, the new film captures the "tension" between Western sci-fi and Korean fantasy, after a spaceship descends on the South Korean capital of Seoul.
Meanwhile, in a parallel universe 630 years earlier during the Korean peninsula's Goryeo Dynasty (918–1392), sorcerers attempt to track down a legendary sword known as the Divine Blade, which can move you through time, and chaos ensues as the two worlds collide.
Speaking to Newsweek from Seoul, Alienoid director Choi Dong-hoon (who is behind some of the country's highest-grossing films such as The Thieves and Assassination, in which Squid Game actor Lee Jung-jae stars in), said his latest film is an adventure drama combining the sci-fi and fantasy worlds.
"If science fiction is a Western worldview, the fantasy settings in this film are Asian and Korean. I wanted to capture the tension created by harmoniously blending these two world views," he explained.
The film ends—spoiler alert—with the Muruk character (played by Ryu Jun-yeol, who also stars in the films A Taxi Driver and Reply 1988 on Netflix, as a master swordsman) seemingly dead, and a flashback of him as a child, when an alien from another human host appears to enter his body.
The intriguing finale leaves plenty of questions behind, which hopefully will be answered in the upcoming second part of the film series, which will "become more interesting," Choi hinted.
"If the first part saw all the characters head to the Korean peninsula's Goryeo era, the second part will see them move to the modern world," the director said.
He added a "few mysteries remain," such as where did Thunder (the digital program/alien-fighting robotic partner of the Guard character, played by Kim Woo-bin, who was cast for his ability to portray "strength and softness at the same time") go? And what happens to the alien inside Muruk?
"The story will become more interesting. I'm currently developing the second part with an aim for release in 2023," Choi said.
Completing the film's star-studded line-up is Kim Tae-ri (from BAFTA winner The Handmaiden), as Ean, a child raised by the Guard character who later becomes a masterful shooter. Choi said the most important element of playing Ean was "to express her inner strength with her facial expression and gaze and Kim Tae-ri portrayed it superbly."
Do we humans all have aliens in our head? Choi said: "What we know about the inner world of the human psyche is always insufficient...am I really who I think I am? What if there were aliens in my head without me knowing? This has always been an interesting subject for me.
"The curiosity of the unknown world is the driving force behind this film. What would happen if extraterrestrials existed? The answers to many questions are just a matter of imagination," the director said.
Lending the feel of the Star Wars film series, Choi said Alienoid was inspired by his memories of growing up watching Hollywood sci-fi films from the 1980s (such as The Terminator, Back to the Future and the Alien series).
Among his favorite scenes is when an alien spaceship enters an underground parking lot, which Choi said he liked because of the unexpected and surprising feel of the location.
The scene audiences can look forward to the most is the film's final battle sequence, where "everyone's fate and time are intertwined," Choi said.
The filmmaker has worked with some of South Korea biggest movie stars, such as Squid Game's Lee Jung-jae, who has skyrocketed to international fame following the phenomenal Netflix K-drama.
Asked what he thought of Lee's success and his development since he first directed Lee, Choi said Lee is "not only an extremely passionate learner but is also very dedicated to his craft. No matter how difficult a scene is, he is an actor who does whatever it takes for a movie.
"After achieving international success, he is likely to go on a more colorful course...I'd love to see him acting with actors of various different nationalities," Choi said.
With several more big-budget Korean works slated for release in 2022, could Korean blockbusters become more mainstream, if they haven't already?
"Following the COVID-19 pandemic, the film environment has changed so much and quite quickly and fiercely," Choi said. "Blockbuster films are still being made, but I think it's yet to be known what choices the audience will make."
Alienoid, written and directed by Choi Dong-hoon, is available at select theaters in North America now.
About the writer
Soo Kim is a Newsweek reporter based in London, U.K. She covers various lifestyle stories, specializing in Read more