Cobweb (2023 South Korean film)
| Cobweb | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Hangul | 거미집 |
| Revised Romanization | Geomijip |
| Directed by | Kim Jee-woon |
| Written by | Shin Yeon-shick |
| Produced by |
|
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Kim Ji-yong |
| Edited by | Yang Jin-mo |
Production companies | |
| Distributed by | Barunson E&A |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 135 minutes |
| Country | South Korea |
| Language | Korean |
| Box office | US$2.3 million |
Cobweb (Korean: 거미집; RR: Geomijip) is a 2023 South Korean period black comedy-drama film directed by Kim Jee-woon starring Song Kang-ho, Im Soo-jung, Oh Jung-se, Jeon Yeo-been, and Krystal Jung. It premiered in the non-competitive section at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival. The film was released theatrically on September 27, 2023 coinciding with Korean Chuseok holidays.
Premise
In Seoul in the early 1970s, the film director Kim Ki-yeol is obsessed with the fact that the ending of his already wrapped film Cobweb would be better if remade.
Two series of sequences alternating: scenes in colour depicting the events that happen while the crew is filming under constraints of time and censorship, with somehow reluctant actors, who have been asked to come back in emergency to the film studio for two days; and scenes in black-and-white, that are the results of these studio shooting scenes.
Cast
Main
- Song Kang-ho as Kim Ki-yeol
- A movie director who is obsessed with the desire to make Cobweb into a masterpiece.
- Im Soo-jung as Lee Min-mi
- A veteran actress who plays Kang Ho-se's wife in the movie Cobweb.
- Oh Jung-se as Kang Ho-se
- Popular playboy actor who is the male protagonist of Cobweb.
- Jeon Yeo-been as Shin Mi-do
- Person in charge of finance of Shin Sung Film, which produces the movie Cobweb.
- Krystal Jung as Han Yu-rim
- A new actress who is rapidly growing in popularity in Cobweb.
Supporting
- Jang Young-nam as Chairman Baek
- A producer of the movie Cobweb.
- Jung In-ki as Hunter
- A long time colleague of Kim Ki-yeol.
- Jang Nam-yeol as Park Joo-sa
- A literary scholar who visits the filming site of the movie Cobweb.
- Park Jung-soo as Mrs. Oh
- Kim Ki-yeol's regular actress who says that she will appear only for money.
- Shin Sung-pil as Mr. Baek
- The producer of the movie Cobweb
- Kim Min-jae as Chief Kim
- Kim Dong-young as an assistant director who worked with Kim Ki-yeol for a long time
- Kim Joong-hee as Detective Gu
Special appearance
- Jung Woo-sung as Director Shin / Shin Sang-ho
- Film director who died in an unexpected accident.
Production
Principal photography began on March 8, 2022 and concluded on June 6, 2022.
Release
Cobweb has been invited to the out of competition section of the 76th Cannes International Film Festival which premiered worldwide on May 25, 2023. The film was invited to the competition section of the 70th Sydney Film Festival. It will also screen in the Noves Visions section at the 56th Sitges Film Festival. The film has had a limited release in Australia on October 4 through Umbrella Entertainment and Dendy Cinemas. It was released in France on November 8, 2023.
Reception
Box office
As of October 14, 2023, the film has grossed US$2,174,044 at the local box office and accumulated 306,700 admissions from 209 screens.
Critical response
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 76% of 21 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.9/10.
Variety called the film a "frantic, flimsy moviemaking meta-farce".
Awards and nominations
| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney Film Festival | 18 June 2023 | Best Film | Cobweb | Nominated | |
| Blue Dragon Film Awards | 2023 | Best Film | Cobweb | Nominated | |
| Best Director | Kim Jee-woon | Nominated | |||
| Best Actor | Song Kang-ho | Nominated | |||
| Best Supporting Actor | Oh Jung-se | Nominated | |||
| Best Supporting Actress | Jeon Yeo-been | Won | |||
| Krystal Jung | Nominated | ||||
| Best Screenplay | Shin Yeon-shick | Nominated | |||
| Best Music | Mowg | Nominated | |||
| Best Cinematography | Kim Ji-yong | Nominated | |||
| Best Lighting | Pak Jun-u | Nominated | |||
| Best Film Editing | Yang Jin-mo | Nominated | |||
| Best Art Direction | Jung Yi-jin | Won | |||
| Grand Bell Awards | 2023 | Best Film | Cobweb | Nominated | |
| Best Director | Kim Jee-woon | Nominated | |||
| Best Actor | Song Kang-ho | Nominated | |||
| Best Supporting Actor | Oh Jung-se | Won | |||
| Best Supporting Actress | Jeon Yeo-been | Nominated | |||
| Krystal Jung | Nominated | ||||
| Best Screenplay | Shin Yeon-shick | Nominated | |||
| Best Music | Mowg | Nominated | |||
| Best Sound | Choi Tae-won | Nominated | |||
| Best Cinematography | Kim Ji-yong | Nominated | |||
| Best Film Editing | Yang Jin-mo | Nominated | |||
| Best Art Direction | Jung Yi-jin | Nominated | |||
| Best Costume Design | Choi Eui-young | Nominated | |||
| Chunsa Film Art Awards | 2023 | Best Director | Kim Jee-woon | Won | |
| Best Actor | Song Kang-ho | Nominated | |||
| Best Supporting Actress | Jeon Yeo-been | Nominated | |||
| Krystal Jung | Won | ||||
| Best Screenplay | Shin Yeon-shick | Nominated | |||
| 10th Korean Film Producers Association Award | 2023 | Best Director | Kim Jee-woon | Won | |
| Best Art Direction | Jung Yi-jin | Won | |||
| Best Cinematography | Kim Ji-yong | Won | |||
| Best Music | Mowg | Won | |||
| Director's Cut Awards | 2024 | Best Director | Kim Jee-woon | Pending | |
| Best Actress | Jeon Yeo-been | Pending | |||
| Krystal Jung | Pending | ||||
| Best Actor | Song Kang-ho | Pending | |||
| Best Screenplay | Shin Yeon-shick | Pending | |||
| Best New Actress | Krystal Jung | Pending |