My Heart Puppy (Korean멍뭉이) is a 2022 South Korean comedy-drama film directed by Jason Kim, starring Yoo Yeon-seok and Cha Tae-hyun. The film revolves around two men who are going to be separated from their family-like pet dog, and their journey to find a new owner. It was released theatrically on March 1, 2023.

My Heart Puppy
Theatrical release poster
Hangul
멍뭉이
Revised RomanizationMeongmungi
McCune–ReischauerMŏngmungi
Directed byJason Kim
Screenplay byJason Kim
Starring
CinematographyKim Yong-seong
Edited byKim Sun-min
Music byKoo Ja-wan
Production
companies
Yworks Entertainment[1]
Don Quixote Entertainment[1]
7OSIX[1]
Distributed byLittle Big Pictures[2]
Kidari Studio[1]
Release dates
  • October 31, 2022 (2022-10-31) (Seoul Animal Film Festival)
  • March 1, 2023 (2023-03-01) (South Korea)
Running time
113 minutes
CountrySouth Korea
LanguageKorean
Budget₩3 billion[3]
Box officeUS$1.3 million[4]

Synopsis

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Min-soo (Yoo Yeon-seok) is an ordinary office worker who dreams of a perfect family. He has a dog, Rooney, whom he treats as a younger brother. Unexpected circumstances arise in Min-soo's life, when he can no longer live with Rooney ahead of his marriage with his fiancée who is allergic to dogs. Together with his cousin, Jin-guk (Cha Tae-hyun) who owns a cafe that went bankrupt, Min-soo decides to find a new family for Rooney. On their journey that starts in Seoul and continues to Jeju Island to find the perfect owner, the two encounter the heartbreaking reality of abandoned pets.

Cast

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Production

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Development

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Director-screenwriter Jason Kim wrote the story of the film based on his experience of separating from his dog, which he had been raising since childhood.[8] Rooney, the name of the pet dog in the film, is also the name of his dog. Kim began writing the script of the film in 2018.[3]

Casting and filming

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Initially, in June 2019, Choi Woo-sik and Gong Myung were confirmed to star in the movie and the filming was expected to start in the second half of that year.[9] But in August 2019, it was reported that production companies had decided to step down from the film[10] and the production was put on hold.[11] Later, Choi and Gong withdrew from the project.[12]

In March 2020, Cha Tae-hyun was confirmed to appear in the film,[6] Yoo Yeon-seok joined the film in May and filming began in June.[5] The film reunited actors Cha and Yoo after their 2008 drama General Hospital 2.[13]

Director Kim revealed that actors Cha and Yoo agreed to lower the amount they would normally get paid for appearing in the film, while Kim Yoo-jung, who makes a cameo appearance, stars in the film without pay.[14]

Release

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The film was selected as the closing film of the 5th Seoul Animal Film Festival where it premiered on October 31, 2022.[15][16] It was released on March 1, 2023, in theatres in South Korea.[17]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Kim Bora (January 26, 2023). ""멍뭉美"…유연석x차태현 '멍뭉이', 3월1일 극장 개봉 확정[공식]" ["Stupid Beauty"... Yoo Yeon-seok x Cha Tae-hyun's 'Puppy' confirmed to be released in theaters on March 1 [Official]]. OSEN (in Korean). Archived from the original on January 26, 2023. Retrieved January 26, 2023 – via Naver.
  2. ^ Jung Yoo-jin (January 10, 2021). "[N초점] 2021 영화 라인업...에이스메이커·메가박스·리틀빅" [[Focus N] 2021 movie lineup... Ace Maker Megabox Little Big]. News 1 (in Korean). Archived from the original on February 21, 2023. Retrieved March 21, 2022 – via Naver.
  3. ^ a b Jo Ji-young (February 16, 2023). "[SC인터뷰] "개런티 깎으며 출연한 유연석X차태현"…김주환 감독, 초심 찾게 한 '멍뭉이'(종합)" [[SC Interview] "Yoo Yeon-seok X Cha Tae-hyun appeared while cutting guarantees"... Director Kim Joo-hwan, 'Puppy' that made me look for the beginning (comprehensive)] (in Korean). Sports Chosun. Archived from the original on February 16, 2023. Retrieved February 16, 2023 – via Naver.
  4. ^ "KOFIC, KOBIS (Korean Box Office Information System) The Box office: Korean films of 2023". KOFIC. Archived from the original on July 20, 2023. Retrieved January 23, 2023.
  5. ^ a b Jo Hyun-joo (May 27, 2020). "유연석, 영화 '멍뭉이'로 차기작 확정...강아지와 호흡" [Yoo Yeon-seok confirms his next work with movie 'Puppy'... Breathing with a dog]. YTN (in Korean). Archived from the original on July 28, 2020. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
  6. ^ a b Shin Mirae (March 2, 2020). "블러썸 "차태현, 영화 '멍뭉이' 출연"(공식입장)" [Blossom “Cha Tae-hyun to appear in the movie ‘Puppy’” (official position)]. MBN (in Korean). Archived from the original on February 23, 2023. Retrieved March 15, 2022 – via Naver.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Kim Bo-young (February 13, 2023). "정인선·류수영·김유정 명품 배우 총출동…'멍뭉이' 빛낸 특급 카메오" [Jung In-seon · Ryu Soo-young · Kim Yoo-jung luxury actors all out... Special cameo that shined in 'Puppy']. E-Daily (in Korean). Archived from the original on February 13, 2023. Retrieved February 13, 2023 – via Naver.
  8. ^ Jo Ji-young (January 27, 2023). "'청년경찰' 박서준X강하늘 버디 만든 김주환 감독, '멍뭉이' 유연석X차태현'도 흥행 성공할까" [Director Kim Joo-hwan, who made Park Seo-joon and Kang Ha-neul buddy in 'Youth Police', will 'Puppy' Yoo Yeon-seok and Cha Tae-hyun succeed in box office success?] (in Korean). Sports Chosun. Archived from the original on January 27, 2023. Retrieved January 27, 2023 – via Naver.
  9. ^ Kim Eun-ji (June 20, 2019). "최우식·공명 측 "영화 '멍뭉이' 출연 확정" (공식입장)" [Choi Woo-shik and Gong-myung’s side “confirmed to appear in the movie ‘Dog’” (official position)]. MK Sports (in Korean). Archived from the original on February 23, 2023. Retrieved March 16, 2022 – via Naver.
  10. ^ Cho Hyun-joo (August 22, 2019). "'사자' 김주환 감독 '멍뭉이' 제작 차질...최우식X공명, 하차는 NO" ['Lion' Director Kim Joo-hwan's 'Puppy' production setback... Choi Woo-shik X Gong-myung, getting off NO]. YTN (in Korean). Archived from the original on February 23, 2023. Retrieved March 16, 2022 – via Naver.
  11. ^ Nam Jeong-hyun (August 22, 2019). "김주환 감독 새 영화 '멍뭉이' 무산···'사자' 흥행실패 탓?" [Director Kim Joo-hwan's new movie 'Puppy' failed... 'Lion' due to box office failure?]. Newsis (in Korean). Archived from the original on February 23, 2023. Retrieved March 16, 2022 – via Naver.
  12. ^ Kim Ji-won (March 2, 2020). "차태현 측 "'멍뭉이' 출연 확정"…유연석 "검토 중" [공식입장]" [Cha Tae-hyun's side "Confirmed to appear in 'Puppy'"... Yoo Yeon-seok "under review" [Official position]]. Ten Asia (in Korean). Archived from the original on February 23, 2023. Retrieved March 16, 2022 – via Naver.
  13. ^ Kang Min-kyung (January 27, 2023). "[공식] '멍뭉이', 3월 1일 개봉 확정…15년만 재회 유연석·차태현 케미" [[Official] 'Puppy' confirmed to be released on March 1st... Reunion after 15 years, Yoo Yeon-seok and Cha Tae-hyun chemistry] (in Korean). Ten Asia. Archived from the original on September 14, 2024. Retrieved January 27, 2023 – via Naver.
  14. ^ Kim Da-sol (February 21, 2023). "[Herald Interview] Jason Kim dedicates 'My Heart Puppy' to his beloved dog". Korea Herald. Archived from the original on September 25, 2023. Retrieved February 21, 2023.
  15. ^ Lee Sun-myung (September 22, 2020). "유연석-한보름-백예린, 서울동물영화제 홍보대사 위촉" [Yoo Yeon-seok, Han Bo-reum, and Baek Ye-rin appointed as ambassadors for Seoul Animal Film Festival]. Sports Kyunghyang (in Korean). Archived from the original on September 26, 2022. Retrieved September 22, 2022 – via Naver.
  16. ^ "서울동물영화제 - 폐막작" [Seoul Animal Film Festival - Closing film]. www.saff.kr. Archived from the original on October 17, 2022. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
  17. ^ Kim Na-yeon (January 26, 2023). "유연석X차태현 견주 찾기 여정..'멍뭉이', 3월 1일 개봉[무비타이밍]" [Yoo Yeon-seok X Cha Tae-hyun's journey to find the owner...'Puppy', released on March 1st [Movie Timing]]. Star News (in Korean). Archived from the original on January 26, 2023. Retrieved January 26, 2023 – via Naver.
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