Hyundai Motor premiered its first film, Night Fishing, created in collaboration with famous Korean actor Son Sukku and director Moon Byounggon, on June 14 at CGV, Korea’s largest multiplex cinema brand.
The movie’s plot revolves around an unexpected event between an agent, played by Sukku, and an unidentified individual at an EV charging station.
The film is described as a “humanistic thriller” shot partially from the perspective of a vehicle model using specially mounted cameras, creating a cross-over between automotive technologies and artistic expression.
For its first foray into film production, Hyundai worked with Sukku, known for his roles in The Roundup 2 and the Netflix original series D.P., and Byounggon, the first Korean to win the Palme d’Or in the short film competition at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival.
Night Fishing distinguishes itself from other “car movies” by focusing on the scenes around the car rather than the car itself, while subtly showing how its cameras aid in safer driving by reducing blind spots. For the film, specially rigged cameras were installed on the vehicle to capture the scenes.
Night Fishing has already gained recognition at film festivals.
The film was presented at the Sundance Film Festival’s ChefDance program in January and has been selected for the upcoming Fantasia International Film Festival’s International Short Film Competition in July.
It has received positive reviews, with Nicolas Archambault, a programmer at the Fantasia International Film Festival, praising its inventive direction and impressive production values.
Actor Sung Kang from the Fast & Furious franchise also praised the film’s cinematography and storytelling.
At the film’s premiere, Sukku said it was hard to imagine how the story could be told from the vehicle’s perspective but was pleased with the final result. Byounggon echoed these sentiments, stating that the limitations of the camera movements allowed for the development of a unique story line and character settings.
Hyundai said the film would be introduced as a “snack movie”, a new format offering a brief but high-quality cinematic experience for audiences who prefer shorter films.
With a running time of 10 minutes and a ticket price of just 1,000 won (RM3.42), the film is said to offer an accessible and enjoyable cinema experience for consumers.
