Hwayi: A Monster Boy

Plot

In the middle of a forest, a notorious five-member crime organization lives together on a deserted farm. One day, following a plan that didn't go as expected, an infant whom they had kidnapped in a blackmailing scheme is left with them. 14 years later, this boy, who is now named Hwa-yi, lives as the son of his five criminal fathers: Seok-tae, the cold but charismatic leader, Ki-tae, a stammering driving expert, Jin-seong, an ideal planner, Beom-soo, a guns expert, and Dong-beom a cold martial artist. Hwa-yi has been brought up in a unique way, learning skills from his five fathers instead of going to school. Though he has adapted to this life, sometimes he longs for the ordinary life of other boys, which seems impossible for him.

The gang plans another crime, which will see Hwa-yi participate for the first time. During a fight, Hwa-yi fires a gun to kill someone. At first, his fingers tremble and the gun shakes but after one shot, he keeps pulling the trigger as though possessed. He finds a picture of a child on the man he shot and soon Hwa-yi starts to uncover a huge secret and his tragic destiny. His life is turned upside down when he learns that the man he killed was his real father. From that moment on, Hwa-yi vows revenge on his gangster fathers, using the devious skills he picked up from a life in crime.

Cast

Box office

Released on October 9, 2013, known as Hangul Day, a national holiday in South Korea, Hwayi: A Monster Boy opened strong at the box office, reaching 1.2 million admissions over its first five days. At the end of its run, it had sold a total of 2,394,418 tickets, with a gross of ₩17,695,189,795.

Remake

Lee Jun-dong, head of Hwayi's production company Now Film, will co-produce an English-language remake with U.S.-based Spanish producer Frida Torresblanco (Pan's Labyrinth). Lee said, "We have decided to take part in the production as a collaborator in order to ensure the quality of the remake, rather than simply handing over the storyline."