M (Korean: 엠) is a 2007 South Korean psychological drama film starring Gang Dong-won, Lee Yeon-hee and Gong Hyo-jin. The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, and the final cut had its Korean premiere at the Pusan International Film Festival.
Using visual effects, complex dream sequences, and gliding camerawork, director Lee Myung-se describes his film as "a dark labyrinth of dream and reality," and that instead of using computer graphics, he prefers to "capture the fantasy elements through lighting and emotions."
Contents
Plot
A prominent up-and-coming author Min-woo readies his new much anticipated follow-up novel while suffering from writer's block, as well as frequent nightmares and hallucinations. This unexplainable condition affects both his personal and professional life. Soon he can't differentiate reality from fantasy and continues to have feelings of being chased. His paranoia leads him to a café in a dark, unassuming alley and encounters a charming young woman named Mimi. Min-woo starts to wonder how he and this girl in front of him are connected and traces long-forgotten memories of his first love.
Cast
Gang Dong-won as Min-woo
Lee Yeon-hee as Mimi
Gong Hyo-jin as Eun-hye
Jeon Moo-song as bartender
Song Young-chang as Company president Jang
Im Won-hee as Sung-woo
Lim Ju-hwan as umbrella man
Seo Dong-soo as editor
Jung In-gi as doctor
Kim Dong-hwa
Yoon Ga-hyun as groom's sister
Jung Sun-hye
Choi Dae-sung as Min-woo's friend
Awards and nominations
2007 Korean Film Awards
Best Cinematography – Hong Kyung-pyo
Best Art Direction – Yoon Sang-yoon, Yoo Joo-ho
Nomination – Best Film
Nomination – Best Director – Lee Myung-se
Nomination – Best Editing – Ko Im-pyo
Nomination – Best Visual Effects – Jang Seong-ho
Nomination – Best New Actress – Lee Yeon-hee
2008 Baeksang Arts Awards
Nomination – Best Director – Lee Myung-se
Nomination – Best New Actress – Lee Yeon-hee
2008 Buil Film Awards
Best Art Direction – Yoon Sang-yoon, Yoo Joo-ho
Best Lighting – Choi Chul-soo
Nomination – Best Supporting Actress – Gong Hyo-jin
Nomination – Best Cinematography – Hong Kyung-pyo
2008 Grand Bell Awards
Best Art Direction – Yoon Sang-yoon, Yoo Joo-ho
Nomination – Best Editing – Ko Im-pyo
Nomination – Best Visual Effects – Jeong Do-an, Yu Yeong-jae
Adaptation
Mimi, a four-episode miniseries inspired by the film, aired on Mnet in 2014.
