Secret Zoo (Korean: 해치지않아; lit. I Don't Bully You) is a 2020 South Korean comedy film directed by Son Jae-gon, starring Ahn Jae-hong, Kang So-ra, Park Yeong-gyu, Kim Sung-oh and Jeon Yeo-been.[3] Based the webtoon I Don't Bully You by Hun,[4] it was released on January 15, 2020 in South Korea and on January 24 in the United States.[5]
| Secret Zoo | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical poster | |
| Directed by | Son Jae-gon (손재곤) |
| Screenplay by |
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| Based on | I Don't Bully You by Hun |
| Produced by |
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| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Lee Seung-hoon |
| Edited by | Lee Kang-hui |
| Music by | Lee Jean-hui |
Production companies |
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| Distributed by | Acemaker Movieworks |
Release date |
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Running time | 117 minutes |
| Country | South Korea |
| Language | Korean |
| Budget | ₩10 billion[1] (~US$8.1 million) |
| Box office | $8,357,581[2] |
Plot
editStuck in a dead-end temp position at a renowned law firm, attorney-at-law Tae Soo (Ahn Jae-Hong) dreams of one day landing a permanent position there. One day, he is given a special job to revitalize a failing zoo. The problem is, there are no animals. Moreover, he has exactly 3 months to do so. With the zookeepers' help, he comes up with a brilliant idea of having the zookeepers dress up as animals.
One by one, the zookeepers put on animal suits and masks and become polar bears, lions, gorillas, and sloths. The new zoo opens and Tae Soo's polar bear goes viral when a video of him drinking a can of coke hits the internet. Thanks to everyone's help, the zoo with fake animals is a massive hit and Tae Soo can now go back to the law firm with a permanent job. But before he leaves the zoo, he finds out what his law firm was planning with the zoo.
Can Tae Soo come up with another brilliant idea to save not only himself but the zookeepers and the zoo?
Cast
edit- Ahn Jae-hong as Kang Tae-soo
- Kang So-ra as Han So-won[6]
- Park Yeong-gyu as Director Seo
- Kim Sung-oh as Kim Gun-wook
- Jeon Yeo-been as Kim Hae-kyung
- Park Hyuk-kwon as President Hwang
- Seo Hyun-woo as Secretary Oh
- Jang Seung-jo as Sungmin
- Park Hyung-soo as Barrister Song
- Kim Heung-rae as Black Nose
- Lee Hyun-wook as Min Chul-hyun
- Han Ye-ri as Min Chae-ryung
- Kim Gi-cheon as Representative Go
- Song Duk-ho as Person in audience
- Kim Hyun as Dismissed employee
Production
editPrincipal photography began on October 8, 2018 and filming was completed on January 19, 2019.[7]
Reception
editBox office
editThe film debuted in first place during its opening weekend.[8] However, ticket sales decreased by 77% in its second week.[9]
Critical response
editSecret Zoo holds an 83% approval rating on the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, based on six reviews.[10]
Michael Rechtshaffen of the Los Angeles Times said that "resistance might not be futile, but to deny oneself the amiably goofy charms of South Korea's Secret Zoo, an inspired family comedy that gives fresh meaning to faux fur, would be a real shame."[11] For Panos Kotzathanasis of HanCinema, "Secret Zoo is a film that aims at providing fun for its audience, and in that regard, it succeeds to the fullest.[12]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Park, Jung-sun (January 17, 2020). 100억원은 우습다..한국영화 제작비 대폭 상승. JoongAng Ilbo (in Korean). Retrieved May 20, 2020.
- ^ "Secret Zoo (2020)". Korean Film Council. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
- ^ '해치지않아', 주말 흥행 1위…"안재홍X강소라, 코믹 케미". Dispatch (in Korean). January 20, 2020. Retrieved March 10, 2020.
- ^ 안재홍 이색 공약, '해치지 않아' 어떤 영화?. Herald Corp (in Korean). January 3, 2020. Retrieved March 10, 2020.
- ^ "[USA] "Secret Zoo" - South Korean Comedy Premieres 1.24". HanCinema. January 17, 2020. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
- ^ "Actress Kang So-ra Learns How to Take Things Easy". The Chosun Ilbo. January 11, 2020.
- ^ Kim, Bo-ra (December 30, 2019). '이층의 악당' 손재곤 감독, '해치지않아'로 10년 만에 컴백(종합)[현장의 재구성]. OSEN (in Korean). The Chosun Ilbo. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
- ^ Conran, Pierce (January 21, 2020). "Secret Zoo Opening Confines Bad Boys For Life". Korean Film Council. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
- ^ Conran, Pierce (January 29, 2020). "The Man Standing Next dges Out Hitman in Busy Lunar New Year Weekend". Korean Film Council. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
- ^ "Secret Zoo". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. Retrieved 2021-10-10.
- ^ Rechtshaffen, Michael (January 23, 2020). "Review: Cuddly South Korean comedy 'Secret Zoo' delivers laughs and heart". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
- ^ Kotzathanasis, Panos (January 25, 2020). "[HanCinema's Film Review] "Secret Zoo"". HanCinema. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
External links
edit- Secret Zoo at the Korean Movie Database (in Korean)
- Secret Zoo at HanCinema