Underdog (Korean: 언더독; RR: Eondeodog) (alternatively labelled A Dog's Courage) is a 2018 South Korean animated film about the story of abandoned dogs. The film is directed by Lee Chun-baek and Oh Sung-yoon and stars Doh Kyung-soo, Park So-dam and Park Chul-min. It was released in theaters on January 16, 2019.[2][3][4][5]
| Underdog | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Oh Sung-yoon Lee Chun-baek |
| Screenplay by | Oh Sung-yoon |
| Produced by | Oh Sung-yoon Choi Yoon-kyung |
| Starring | Doh Kyung-soo Park So-dam Park Chul-min |
| Music by | Lee Ji-soo |
Production company | Odoltogi |
| Distributed by | NEW Mango Films |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 102 minutes |
| Country | South Korea |
| Language | Korean |
| Box office | US$7 million[1] |
The film opened the 22nd Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival in July 2018.[6][7] Tickets for the film were sold out in 9 seconds, setting a record for the shortest time for an opening film at the BIFAN to be sold in such time.[8] It was also chosen to be screened in North Korea as the first act of the South Korea-North Korea film exchange program.[9][10]
Underdog was featured in the Taiwanese Kaohsiung Film Festival in the Kids Fantasy section on October 20–21, 2018.[11]
In March 2019, Underdog was featured in Tokyo Anime Award Festival, being the first Korean film to do so.[12] In June 2019, Underdog was featured in Annecy International Animated Film Festival, being the only Korean animation film out of eight to do so.[13]
Plot
editA blue and white collie dog named Moongchi is driven by his owner to a forest somewhere in North Korea where he is released and abandoned.
Moongchi waits for his owner to return. While waiting, he is discovered by a pack of stray dogs consisting of two Chihuahua mates wearing vests, a German Shepherd named Gaeko, and their leader, a small scruffy Shih Tzu named Jjangah. They inform Moongchi that his owner won't return which he finds hard to believe until the conversation is interrupted by a car parking nearby, leaving a scrawny crippled dog on the roadside and driving away. Moongchi is mortified and begins to believe that he too has been abandoned. The strays carry the new crippled dog with them into a human town; there Moongchi encounters the local dogcatcher but makes a narrow escape with the help of another town stray named Bongji, and they return to the Strays' home inside a dilapidated abandoned building. They discuss their living conditions with the dangers of the dog-hunter and Gaeko mentions a distant paradise they could travel to by scent, only to be shot down by Jjangah.
The following day the strays travel to a nearby restaurant where a friendly chef is known to feed the dogs. There Moongchi sees a human he mistakes for his owner and chases them into the restaurant only to be hastily driven from the building. That night as Moongchi lies awake, the sickly dog begins moving; she asks Moongchi to bring her to her mom and then collapses. The following morning she is found to have passed away. The dogs bury her in the buildings dirt yard along with other past graves where they gather and mourn; Moongchi leaves to disown his tennis ball into a river.
Moongchi witnesses a pack of wild dogs hunting a boar and running off into the mountains. The pack consists of a black dog named Bami, a pair named Shirley and Edward, and their son Trevin. They return to their den site where they discuss the recent lack of prey due to humans and their fear of human settlements. That day the town strays find that the friendly chef was fired for attracting stray dogs and they are no longer welcome.
The next day, Moongchi goes to visit the wild dogs where he meets Trevin and follows him to their den site. He hopes to make friends with them with a bone as a gift, only to be told that town strays don't belong with wild dogs and gets sent back to town. That night Bongji is captured by the dog catcher and the stray town dogs again debate their living conditions. Gaeko mentions the potential paradise he vaguely remembers and Moongchi mentions living in the mountains like the wild dogs, but Jjangah chastises Moongchi's criticism of their lifestyle.
Moongchi runs off with hopes to impress the wild dogs by driving goats from a human farm into the mountains for them to kill and eat, only for Edward to chastise him for endangering them by angering the humans. As expected, the goat farmer calls animal control services for the wild dogs resulting in Jacob and Trevin being captured and put into a pound. Moongchi is injected with a GPS tracking chip with intent on later using him to locate the other stray dogs.
Moongchi recalls his childhood in a puppy mill where he was separated from his mother and siblings to be sold in a pet store, where he was adopted by a family who were unaware of how large he would grow. That night he, Trevin and all other captive dogs are freed from the pound by the wild dogs. As they flee they discuss their need for a new home and Moongchi recalls the paradise Gaeko mentions. The town dog's abandoned building is destroyed by human construction and they too need a new home. Together they and the wild dogs agree to follow Gaeko to the land he remembers.
The dogs cross a highway, but Shirley and Edward are killed by a car collision. The dogs find that the fields on the other side make safe living grounds and successfully hunt a deer together. Bami tells Moongchi about her childhood in a puppy mill where dogs are abused and disposed of and how her mother was taken when she became too ill; Bami was almost doomed to the same life but managed to escape, ending up with the wild dogs.
The strays' newfound peace is short-lived as the dog-hunters find them using Moongchi's tracking device, but the dogs narrowly escape in a wildfire. Along their journey they encounter a household of friendly humans who rescue injured animals and have several crippled dogs. Moongchi attempts to leave the others due to suspecting the tracking chip in his neck but Bami refuses to allow it. They encounter the lead dog-hunter whom they defeat in a fight and leave in the middle of the forest, the man ending up in a mine field with no way out. Jjangah decides that he will stay with the humans and they make their goodbyes before the strays continue their journey.
The strays arrive at the border of the Korean Demilitarized Zone and see the paradise they've been seeking on the other side of the barbed fence wall in South Korea. Gaeko recalls he was once a guard dog here. The stray dogs escape through the gate into the wilderness on the other side, except for Moongchi, who gets stuck behind. After being chased around by the military personnel, Moongchi leaps over the wall and escapes with the strays into the peaceful, uninhabited wilderness. The film's end credits show the strays living a happy life in their new home and Moongchi and Bami eventually having a litter of puppies, and it's revealed that Jjangah has started a family with his new mate as well.
Voice cast
edit- Doh Kyung-soo as Moongchi (a Border Collie)[14]
- Park So-dam as Bami (a wild dog)[15]
- Park Chul-min as Jjangah (a Shih Tzu)[16]
- Lee Jun-hyuk as Hunter
- Jeon Sook-kyung as Ari
- Yeon Ji-won as Tari
- Kang Seok as Gaeko (a German Shepherd)
- Park Joong-geum as Cari
- Tak Won-jung as Bongji
Production
editDirector Oh Sung-yoon had previously directed the animated film Leafie, A Hen into the Wild (2011).[14] The production of Underdog started in April 2013 and ended in June 2018.[17] Dubbing began in January 2016.[18]
Original soundtrack
edit| Underdog OST | |
|---|---|
| Soundtrack album by Various Artists | |
| Released | January 15, 2019 |
| Recorded | May 2018 in the Dvořák Hall, Rudolfinum |
| Genre | Soundtrack |
| Length | 49:01 |
| Language | Korean |
| Label | MUSIC&NEW |
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Artist | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Abandoned Dog" (버려진 개) | Lee Ji-soo | Lee Ji-soo | Lee Ji-soo | 2:48 |
| 2. | "Mungchi's Determination" (뭉치의 결심) | Lee Ji-soo | Lee Ji-soo | Lee Ji-soo | 2:52 |
| 3. | "Black Goat Farm" (흑염소 농장) | Seo Ye-ji | Seo Ye-ji |
| 3:32 |
| 4. | "Escape from the Cage" (개 공장에서의 탈출) | Lee Ji-soo | Lee Ji-soo | Lee Ji-soo | 4:22 |
| 5. | "The Journey of Dogs I" (개들의 여정 I) | Lee Ji-soo | Lee Ji-soo | Lee Ji-soo | 2:29 |
| 6. | "Accident and Death" (자유로 사고) | Lee Ji-soo | Lee Ji-soo | Lee Ji-soo | 2:49 |
| 7. | "The Recollection of Bami" (밤이의 회상) | Lee Ji-soo | Lee Ji-soo | Lee Ji-soo | 2:11 |
| 8. | "Fighting with Hounds" (사냥개들과의 싸움) | Kim Jin-hwan | Kim Jin-hwan |
| 3:49 |
| 9. | "Escape from the Fire" (불 속에서의 탈출) | Lee Ji-soo | Lee Ji-soo | Lee Ji-soo | 2:28 |
| 10. | "The Journey of Dogs II" (개들의 여정 II) | Lee Ji-soo | Lee Ji-soo | Lee Ji-soo | 3:43 |
| 11. | "Hunter's Chase" (사냥꾼의 추격) | Lee Ji-soo | Lee Ji-soo | Lee Ji-soo | 4:38 |
| 12. | "Finally We Arrive There" (마침내 그곳으로) | Lee Ji-soo | Lee Ji-soo | Lee Ji-soo | 1:48 |
| 13. | "Cross the 'DMZ'" ('DMZ'를 넘어) | Lee Ji-soo | Lee Ji-soo | Lee Ji-soo | 3:55 |
| 14. | "Dreaming Place" (꿈꾸는 그곳) |
| Lee Ji-soo | Kim So-hee | 3:50 |
| 15. | "Dreaming Place" (꿈꾸는 그곳) (Inst.) | Lee Ji-soo | 3:47 | ||
| Total length: | 49:01 | ||||
Release
editBefore its premiere, Underdog was sold to 69 territories including France, United States, Canada, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia.[19]
Promotion
editOn January 7, directors Oh Sung-yoon and Lee Chun-baek and voice actors Doh Kyung-soo, Park So-dam and Lee Jun-hyuk attended the film's preview at CGV Yongsan I'park Mall.[20][21][22] On January 15, the directors and voice actors held a showcase for the film at Lotte Cinema World Tower.[23]
Underdog has also opened a funding for rescuing abandoned animals. Donators were rewarded with figurine and dolls of the main characters Moongchi and Bami.[24]
Awards and nominations
edit| Year | Award | Category | Recipient | Result | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Golden Silk Road Media Awards | Best Animated Feature Film | Underdog | Won | [25] |
| 2019 | Seoul International Cartoon & Animation Festival | Special Award | Won | [26] |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "A Dog's Courage". Box Office Mojo.
- ^ [인사이드] 애니메이션 <언더독> 도경수, 박소담, 박철민 캐스팅 外. 씨네21 (in Korean). 2016-01-15. Retrieved 2017-02-25.
- ^ 도경수 박소담 박철민, 애니메이션 영화 '언더독'에 목소리 출연예정… '2017년 여름 개봉' (in Korean). Retrieved 2017-02-25.
- ^ "도경수-박소담-박철민, 애니 '언더독' 출연 확정". 2016-01-11. Retrieved 2017-02-25.
- ^ "'언더독', 1월 개봉확정..도경수X박소담X박철민 목소리 연기[공식입장]" (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-11-29.
- ^ 엑소 도경수 출연 '언더독', 부천국제판타스틱영화제 개막작 (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-06-01.
- ^ "Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival". BIFAN. Retrieved 2018-06-21.
- ^ "'언더독', 티켓 오픈 9초만에 매진…'BIFAN' 개막작 역대 최단기록" (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-06-27.
- ^ [단독] 애니 ‘언더독’ 북한 개봉 추진…남북영화 교류 출발. sports.donga.com (in Korean). 11 July 2018. Retrieved 2018-07-11.
- ^ [단독] 애니 ‘언더독’ 북한 개봉 추진…남북영화 교류 출발 (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-07-11.
- ^ "The Underdog | 2018高雄電影節". www.kff.tw. Retrieved 2019-01-16.
- ^ "UNDERDOG Becomes 1st Korean Film Invited to Tokyo Anima Award Festival". Korean Film Biz Zone. Retrieved 2019-04-29.
- ^ [공식]'언더독', '애니메이션의 칸' 안시 국제애니메이션 페스티벌 '경쟁부문' 초청 [[Official]'Underdog','Animation Khan' invited to Annecy International Animation Festival'Competition Section']. entertain.naver.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2020-11-27.
- ^ a b "EXO's D.O Lends His Voice To New Animated Flick 'Underdog'". KpopStarz. January 11, 2016. Retrieved January 27, 2016.
- ^ "| 도경수-박소담, 애니메이션 '언더독' 목소리 호흡텐아시아". 텐아시아 (in Korean). 2016-01-11. Retrieved 2017-02-25.
- ^ 도경수-박소담-박철민, '언더독' 캐스팅. 한국일보 (in Korean). 11 January 2016. Retrieved 2017-02-25.
- ^ "KOBIZ - Korean Film Biz Zone : in Production". Korean Film Biz Zone. Retrieved 2018-07-11.
- ^ "도경수 박소담 박철민, 유기견 애니메이션 '언더독' 성우 > 그룹G_1 | 사이트". newsa.shinha.kr (in Korean). Retrieved 2017-02-25.
- ^ ‘언더독’, 미국·프랑스·중국까지..개봉 전 69개국 선판매 쾌거. entertain.naver.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-12-14.
- ^ "보자마자 한마디! '뭉치', 공을 내려놔도 돼! <언더독>". MOVIST. January 8, 2018. Retrieved 2019-01-08.
- ^ 도경수·박소담·이준혁·오성윤 감독·이춘백 감독, 애니메이션 '언더독' 주역들. sports.hankooki.com (in Korean). 8 January 2019. Retrieved 2019-01-08.
- ^ "[엑's HD포토] 박소담-도경수 '언더독에서 만났어요'". entertain.naver.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2019-01-08.
- ^ 도경수 ‘언더독’, 사상 최초 극장 안 꽃가루 이벤트 “감동의 시네마천국”. entertain.naver.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2019-01-16.
- ^ 영화 굿즈탄생. tumblbug (in Korean). Retrieved 2019-01-08.
- ^ "'언더독' 中실크로드영화제 베스트 애니상 수상..韓영화 최초". Naver. October 15, 2018. Retrieved 2019-01-09.
- ^ "2019 서울국제만화애니메이션페스티벌 수상작 발표... '더 타워', '추적' 그랑프리 영예". 문화뉴스 (in Korean). 2019-07-23. Retrieved 2019-07-24.
