Happy Killers

Happy Killers

Theatrical poster
Directed by Kim Dong-wook
Produced by Kim Hyun-shin
Eo Ji-yeon
Written by Kim Dong-wook
Based on Happy Killers 
by Seo Mi-ae
Starring Kim Dong-wook
Yu Oh-seong
Shim Eun-kyung
Music by Lee Hyeong-ju
Gang Hak-seon
Cinematography Lee Ki-won
Edited by Kim Chang-ju
Steve M. Choe
Distributed by Lotte Entertainment
Release dates
  • 8 April 2010
Running time
 107 minutes
Country South Korea
Language Korean
Box office US$3,799,385[1]

Happy Killers (Hangul: 반가운 살인자; RR: Bangaun Sarinja) is a 2010 South Korean comedy-thriller film.[2] It was adapted from a mystery short story of the same title written by Seo Mi-ae in 2005.[3][4]

Plot

Jung-min is the new detective assigned to a neighborhood where a serial killer commits murder every rainy Thursday. Laidback and blundering at his job, Jung-min is actually secretly studying for a civil servant exam to get away from his boss who's always picking on him. Every day, residents protest outside the police station, shouting that the police should make up for the falling apartment prices and catch the murderer. To make matters worse, Jung-min's mother who happens to be the president of the women's association is leading the protest. He vows to catch the killer this time in order to save his dignity as a detective and a son. However, his elaborate plans are upset by the appearance of Young-seok, the neighborhood unemployed bum. Because of the reward for the killer's capture, Young-seok is trying to catch him well, and his natural detective skills lead him to always arrive at the crime scene one step ahead of the police. Furthermore, he criticizes every little thing that Jung-min does and is a royal pain in the neck. Jung-min absolutely cannot let Young-seok solve the case and take away his chance of a lifetime, so a rivalry forms between the two as they both race to catch the killer.[5][6]

Cast

  • Kim Dong-wook as Detective Choi Jung-min
  • Yu Oh-seong as Kim Young-seok
  • Shim Eun-kyung as Kim Ha-rin, Young-seok's daughter
  • Kim Eung-soo as Team leader
  • Kim Seon-hyuk as Detective Im
  • Lee Mi-do as Jjookkoomi ("webfoot octopus")
  • Han Seong-sik as Distributor
  • Jin Kyung as Mi-young
  • Lee Jae-gu as Young-seok's friend
  • Lee Yul as Yi-kyung
  • Jeong Jong-yeol as Detective 1
  • Jeong Mi-seong as Detective 2
  • Lee Ho-yeon as Detective 3
  • Shin Jeong-min as Player 1
  • Baek Eun-kyeong as Player 2
  • Lee Soo-jin as Player 3
  • Lee Myeong-ho as Jae-won
  • Kim Ri-ah as First victim
  • Lee Jang-mi as Second victim
  • Kim Mi-yeong as Third victim
  • Jo Kyeong-sook as Small store owner
  • Kwon Oh-jin as Drunkard
  • Tak Seong-eun as Nurse
  • Jeon Seong-ae as Adviser for studying abroad
  • Kim Ji-eun as Homeroom teacher
  • Kim Jeong-sik as Teacher 1
  • Shin Hye-jeong as Teacher 2
  • Oh Ki-hwan as Apartment security guard
  • Kim Kang-woo as Male demonstrator 1
  • Choi In-soo as Male demonstrator 2
  • Kim Mi-joon as Female demonstrator 1
  • Jeong Mi-hye as Female demonstrator 2
  • Kwon Beom-taek as Chief of police
  • Seong Hyeon-joon as Criminal psychologist
  • Son Kyeong-min as Pretty boy in adult entertainment district
  • Heo Haeng-wook as Convenience store worker
  • Kim Tae-hyeong as Delivery worker
  • Ok Ja-yeong as Weather forecaster
  • Ryoo Sang-woo as Scooter man
  • Kim Hyo-je as Airport security worker
  • Oh Yeon-seo as Magazine model
  • Sung Ji-roo as Taxi driver (cameo)
  • Song Ok-sook as Jung-min's mother (cameo)

Reception

Shim Eun-kyung received Best New Actress nominations at the 47th Grand Bell Awards in 2010 and the 47th Baeksang Arts Awards in 2011.

References

  1. ↑ "Happy Murderer (2010)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2014-05-28.
  2. ↑ Hong, Lucia (12 April 2010). "Clash of the Titans topples box office again". 10Asia. Retrieved 2014-05-29.
  3. ↑ Djuna. "Happy Killers". Koreanfilm.org. Retrieved 2014-05-28.
  4. ↑ 반가운 살인자. Aladin.co.kr (in Korean). Retrieved 2014-05-29.
  5. ↑ Manfred Selzer. "Happy Killers (South Korea, 2010); aka Hello! Murderer - Review". Asian Movie Web. Retrieved 2014-05-28.
  6. ↑ James Mudge (12 August 2010). "Happy Killers (2010) Movie Review". Beyond Hollywood. Retrieved 2014-05-28.

External links