''Mug Travel'' (, known as ''My Friend Bernard'' in English) is a
2007 South Korean computer-animated
Computer animation is the process used for digitally generating animations. The more general term computer-generated imagery (CGI) encompasses both static scenes ( still images) and dynamic images (moving images), while computer animation refe ...
film, directed by Lim Ah-ron and based on his animated TV series, ''
Bernard''.
Plot
A little girl named Bebe (known as Sam in the English version), all alone on
Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve is the evening or entire day before Christmas Day, the festival commemorating the birth of Jesus. Christmas Day is observed around the world, and Christmas Eve is widely observed as a full or partial holiday in anticipation ...
, is given a magical pendant from
Santa Claus
Santa Claus, also known as Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas, Saint Nick, Kris Kringle, or simply Santa, is a Legend, legendary figure originating in Western Christianity, Western Christian culture who is said to Christmas gift-bringer, bring ...
and embarks on a fantastical adventure. Travelling in a mug with the power of teleportation, Bebe explores a variety of exotic locations from the desert to the North Pole, accompanied by a host of characters including Backkom the polar bear (Bernard in the English version) and Kongkong the penguin (Lloyd in the English version), Bebe and her friends go on a series of adventures through an Arctic tundra and a desert oasis. During this trip they encounter a variety of challenges, including a sea monster, a skiing adventure, and an ominous cave.
Production
Produced by RG Animation Studios and directed by Lim Ah-ron, ''Mug Travel'' is a feature film adaptation of Lim's computer-animated TV series ''
Backkom''.
[Bynum, Aaron H.]
Korea's 'Mug Travel' Wins at Bimini Animation Festival
. ''Animation Insider'', 4 April 2007. Retrieved on 21 November 2008. The film and TV series were made at the same time on a combined budget of
$5.9 million, after Lim noticed a gap in the market for shows aimed at
preschool
A preschool, also known as nursery school, pre-primary school, or play school or creche, is an educational establishment or learning space offering early childhood education to children before they begin compulsory education at primary school ...
children.
[Paquet, darcy.]
Aaron Lim a recognized animator
. ''Variety'', 30 August 2007. Retrieved on 21 November 2008.
Release
''Mug Travel'' was released in
South Korea
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...
on 22 March 2007,
[Box-Office Admission Results]
(2007). ''Koreanfilm.org''. Retrieved on 20 November 2008. and was ranked eighth at the Korean box office on its opening weekend with 48,244 admissions. Over the course of its theatrical run, the film accumulated a total of 135,261 admissions nationwide,
and grossed
$608,835.
''Mug Travel'' was screened at the Fifth Bimini Animation Festival, held in
Latvia
Latvia ( or ; lv, Latvija ; ltg, Latveja; liv, Leţmō), officially the Republic of Latvia ( lv, Latvijas Republika, links=no, ltg, Latvejas Republika, links=no, liv, Leţmō Vabāmō, links=no), is a country in the Baltic region of ...
in March 2007, where it was the winner of "The Best Film for Children" award.
It was subsequently selected to participate in the non-competition category at the Brussels International Festival of Fantastic Film, which ran from 5–17 April 2007 in
Belgium
Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...
.
[D'Sa, Nigel.]
Fantastic Invites 2 Korean Films
. ''Korean Film Council'', 20 March 2007. Retrieved on 21 November 2008.
See also
*
Korean animation
South Korean animation, or ''aeni'' (; ko, 애니), has become an industry that produces characters for other countries' companies, exports its creations globally and generates billions of dollars in profits.
Etymology
The word ''aeni'' comes ...
*
List of Christmas films
Many Christmas stories have been adapted to feature films and TV specials, and have been broadcast and repeated many times on television; since the popularization of home video in the 1980s, their many editions are sold and re-sold every year d ...
References
External links
* (Dead link)
*
* {{hancinema film, Mug_Travel, Mug Travel
2007 films
2007 computer-animated films
South Korean children's films
South Korean Christmas films
2000s children's animated films
2000s Christmas films
South Korean animated films
2000s Korean-language films
Animated films about polar bears
Animated films about penguins
Films about lizards
2000s South Korean films
Animated films about reptiles