M (2007 film)

M
M
	Theatrical poster
Hangul	엠
Revised Romanization	Em
McCune–Reischauer	Em
Directed by	Lee Myung-se
Written by	Lee Myung-se ; Lee Hae-kyeong ; Jo Jin-guk
Produced by	Oh Su-mi
Starring	Gang Dong-won ; Lee Yeon-hee ; Gong Hyo-jin
Cinematography	Hong Kyung-pyo
Edited by	Ko Im-pyo
Music by	Jo Seong-woo ; Choe Yong-rak
Production; company	Production M
Distributed by	Chungeoram Film
Release date	October 25, 2007;
Running time	109 minutes
Country	South Korea
Language	Korean
Box office	US$2,929,249

M (Korean: 엠) is a 2007 South Korean psychological drama film starring Gang Dong-won, Lee Yeon-hee and Gong Hyo-jin.^[2] The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival,^[3] and the final cut had its Korean premiere at the Pusan International Film Festival.^[4]^[5]

Using visual effects, complex dream sequences, and gliding camerawork, director Lee Myung-se describes his film as "a dark labyrinth of dream and reality," and that instead of using computer graphics, he prefers to "capture the fantasy elements through lighting and emotions."^[6]^[7]

Plot

A prominent up-and-coming author Min-woo readies his new much anticipated follow-up novel while suffering from writer's block, as well as frequent nightmares and hallucinations. This unexplainable condition affects both his personal and professional life. Soon he can't differentiate reality from fantasy and continues to have feelings of being chased. His own paranoia leads him to a café in a dark, unassuming alley and encounters a charming young woman named Mimi. Min-woo starts to wonder how he and this girl in front of him are connected and traces long-forgotten memories of his first love.

Cast

Gang Dong-won - Min-woo
Lee Yeon-hee - Mimi
Gong Hyo-jin - Eun-hye
Jeon Moo-song - bartender
Song Young-chang - Company president Jang
Im Won-hee - Sung-woo
Lim Ju-hwan - umbrella man
Seo Dong-soo - editor
Jung In-gi - doctor
Kim Dong-hwa
Yoon Ga-hyun - groom's sister
Jung Sun-hye
Choi Dae-sung - Min-woo's friend

Awards and nominations

2007 Korean Film Awards^[8]

Best Cinematography – Hong Kyung-pyo
Best Art Direction – Yoon Sang-yoon, Yoo Joo-ho
Nomination – Best Film
Nomination – Best Director – Lee Myung-se
Nomination – Best Editing – Ko Im-pyo
Nomination – Best Visual Effects – Jang Seong-ho
Nomination – Best New Actress – Lee Yeon-hee

2008 Baeksang Arts Awards

Nomination – Best Director – Lee Myung-se
Nomination – Best New Actress – Lee Yeon-hee

2008 Buil Film Awards

Best Art Direction – Yoon Sang-yoon, Yoo Joo-ho
Best Lighting – Choi Chul-soo
Nomination – Best Supporting Actress – Gong Hyo-jin
Nomination – Best Cinematography – Hong Kyung-pyo

2008 Grand Bell Awards

Best Art Direction – Yoon Sang-yoon, Yoo Joo-ho
Nomination – Best Editing – Ko Im-pyo
Nomination – Best Visual Effects – Jeong Do-an, Yu Yeong-jae
Nomination – Best Sound – Park Jun-oh

2008 Blue Dragon Film Awards

Nomination – Best Cinematography – Hong Kyung-pyo
Nomination – Best Art Direction – Yoon Sang-yoon, Yoo Joo-ho
Nomination – Best Lighting – Choi Chul-soo

Adaptation

Mimi, a four-episode miniseries inspired by the film, aired on Mnet in 2014.

References

^ "Box office by Country: M" Archived 2016-03-21 at the Wayback Machine. Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2012-06-04.
^ Yang, Sung-hee (7 November 2007). "More than just a pretty face". Korea JoongAng Daily. Archived from the original on 2014-02-22. Retrieved 2014-02-07.
^ Yi, Chang-ho (13 August 2007). "LEE Myung-se's M in Toronto's Visions Competition". Korean Film Council. Archived from the original on 2014-02-23. Retrieved 2014-02-07.
^ Yi, Chang-ho (14 September 2007). "LEE Myung-se Finalizes M for Korean Premiere at Pusan". Korean Film Council. Archived from the original on 2014-02-23. Retrieved 2014-02-07.
^ Lee, Hyo-won (7 October 2007). "M Sets Busan Film Festival on Fire". The Korea Times. Archived from the original on 2014-02-21. Retrieved 2014-02-07.
^ Yi, Chang-ho (23 February 2007). "LEE Myung-Se Explores Borders of Beauty and Fear". Korean Film Council. Archived from the original on 2014-02-23. Retrieved 2014-02-07.
^ Yang, Sung-jin (18 October 2007). "Movie Review: Lee Myeong-se's psychodrama M big on the glitzy visuals". The Korea Herald via Hancinema. Archived from the original on 2013-10-12. Retrieved 2014-02-07.
^ "M - Awards" Archived 2024-05-30 at the Wayback Machine. Cinemasie. Retrieved 2012-06-04.

External links

Official website (in Korean)
M at IMDb
M at the Korean Movie Database (in Korean)
M at HanCinema
M at AllMovie

[1] "Box office by Country: M" Archived 2016-03-21 at the Wayback Machine. Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2012-06-04.

[2] Yang, Sung-hee (7 November 2007). "More than just a pretty face". Korea JoongAng Daily. Archived from the original on 2014-02-22. Retrieved 2014-02-07.

[3] Yi, Chang-ho (13 August 2007). "LEE Myung-se's M in Toronto's Visions Competition". Korean Film Council. Archived from the original on 2014-02-23. Retrieved 2014-02-07.

[4] Yi, Chang-ho (14 September 2007). "LEE Myung-se Finalizes M for Korean Premiere at Pusan". Korean Film Council. Archived from the original on 2014-02-23. Retrieved 2014-02-07.

[5] Lee, Hyo-won (7 October 2007). "M Sets Busan Film Festival on Fire". The Korea Times. Archived from the original on 2014-02-21. Retrieved 2014-02-07.

[6] Yi, Chang-ho (23 February 2007). "LEE Myung-Se Explores Borders of Beauty and Fear". Korean Film Council. Archived from the original on 2014-02-23. Retrieved 2014-02-07.

[7] Yang, Sung-jin (18 October 2007). "Movie Review: Lee Myeong-se's psychodrama M big on the glitzy visuals". The Korea Herald via Hancinema. Archived from the original on 2013-10-12. Retrieved 2014-02-07.

[8] "M - Awards" Archived 2024-05-30 at the Wayback Machine. Cinemasie. Retrieved 2012-06-04.

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