''Doomsday Book'' (; lit. "Report on the Destruction of Mankind") is a 2012

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 ...

science-fiction Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel univers ...

anthology film An anthology film (also known as an omnibus film, package film, or portmanteau film) is a single film consisting of several shorter films, each complete in itself and distinguished from the other, though frequently tied together by a single theme ...

directed by

Kim Jee-woon Kim Jee-woon (; born July 6, 1964) is a South Korean film director and screenwriter. Career Kim started out directing theater but has worked with increasing levels of success in cinema, showing accomplished acting and a detailed stylization in ...

and

Yim Pil-sung Yim Pil-sung (born May 13, 1972) is a South Korean film director and screenwriter. He wrote and directed ''Antarctic Journal'' (2005), ''Hansel and Gretel'' (2007), and '' Scarlet Innocence'' (2014). Career Short films Yim Pil-sung began directi ...

. It tells three unique stories of human self-destruction in the modern high-tech era, while displaying an alternative form of genuine humanity and compassion. ''A Brave New World'' is a political satire about a viral zombie outbreak; ''The Heavenly Creature'' philosophizes on whether a robot can achieve enlightenment; and in ''Happy Birthday'' a dysfunctional family bonds in the midst of an apocalypse. It won the top prize at the 2012

Fantasia Festival Fantasia International Film Festival (also known as Fantasia-fest, FanTasia, and Fant-Asia) is a film festival that has been based mainly in Montreal since its founding in 1996. Regularly held in July of each year, it is valued by both hardcore ...

. The jury honored it with the Cheval Noir Award for best film for "its intelligence and originality."

Production

''Doomsday Book'' was originally conceived as a three-part

to be directed by

, and

Han Jae-rim Han Jae-rim (born July 14, 1975) is a South Korean film director. He directed ''Rules of Dating'' (2005), ''The Show Must Go On'' (2007), ''The Face Reader'' (2013), '' The King'' (2017), and '' Emergency Declaration'' (2021). Career Born in 19 ...

. Filming began on May 21, 2006, but shortly after Kim and Yim had shot their segments, financing fell apart and the film was put on hold. Han's third segment titled "The Christmas Gift" (a SF

musical Musical is the adjective of music. Musical may also refer to: * Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance * Musical film and television, a genre of film and television that incorporates into the narr ...

retelling of

O. Henry William Sydney Porter (September 11, 1862 – June 5, 1910), better known by his pen name O. Henry, was an American writer known primarily for his short stories, though he also wrote poetry and non-fiction. His works include "The Gift of the M ...

short story A short story is a piece of prose fiction that typically can be read in one sitting and focuses on a self-contained incident or series of linked incidents, with the intent of evoking a single effect or mood. The short story is one of the oldest ...

, about a woman's primal desires emerging when confronted with her last chance to survive after witnessing the end of the world) was never shot, and the two thirds remained unreleased. But in 2010 with backing from new investor TimeStory, shooting restarted quietly with Yim and Kim collaborating on a new third installment to the trilogy with Yim as the lead director and Kim in more of a "guest director" role. It was pre-sold to six countries at the Berlin Film Market and screened at the

Cannes Film Festival The Cannes Festival (; french: link=no, Festival de Cannes), until 2003 called the International Film Festival (') and known in English as the Cannes Film Festival, is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films o ...

Synopsis

A Brave New World

() Left alone after his parents go abroad on a holiday with his sister, geeky research scientist Yoon Seok-woo (

Ryoo Seung-bum Ryoo Seung-bum (born August 9, 1980) is a South Korean actor. He made a name for himself in his older brother director Ryoo Seung-wan's eclectic films, notably ''Die Bad'' (his acting debut in 2000), ''Arahan'' (2004), ''Crying Fist'' (2005), ''T ...

) disposes of the accumulated rubbish in the family flat, which includes a rotten apple. Through the waste disposal system, the apple enters the food chain in the form of recycled feed for cows. Seok-woo and his date, Kim Yoo-min (

Go Joon-hee Go Joon-hee (born Kim Eun-joo on August 31, 1985) is a South Korean actress. She made her entertainment debut as a school uniform model in 2001, then launched an acting career in 2003. Background Kim adopted the stage name Go Joon-hee in 2008, ...

), end up eating the toxic beef during a barbecue one evening, and soon they and the rest of the population become flesh-eating

zombie A zombie (Haitian French: , ht, zonbi) is a mythological undead corporeal revenant created through the reanimation of a corpse. Zombies are most commonly found in horror and fantasy genre works. The term comes from Haitian folklore, in whic ...

s. Directed by

. Written by Yim Pil-sung, Lee Hwan-hee. Also starring

Kim Roi-ha Kim Roi-ha (born November 15, 1965) is a South Korean actor. Notable roles include a detective in ''Memories of Murder'' (2003), and a gangster in ''A Bittersweet Life'' (2005). Kim won Best Actor at the 2001 Dong-A Theatre Awards for his portr ...

(as Seok-woo's father),

Lee Kan-hee Lee Kan-hee (born February 3, 1969) is a South Korean actress. Filmography Film Television series Awards and nominations References External links * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Lee, Kan-hee 1969 births Living people South Korean telev ...

(as Seok-woo's mother), Hwang Hyo-eun (as Seok-woo's sister),

Ma Dong-seok Ma Dong-seok (born Lee Dong-seok on March 1, 1971), also known as Don Lee, is a South Korean–American actor. With his breakout performance in ''Train to Busan'' and subsequent leading roles, he has become one of South Korea's most successful a ...

(as a disorderly student),

Jung Woo Jung Woo (born Kim Jung-guk on January 14, 1981) is a South Korean actor. He is best known for his roles in the drama ''Reply 1994'' (2013) and ''You're the Best, Lee Soon-shin'' (2013). Career Jung Woo made his acting debut in 2006, and began ...

(as Joong-dong),

Choi Deok-moon Choi Deok-moon (born 1970) is a South Korean actor. Filmography Television series Film Theater References External links * * * Choi Deok-moonat Daum Choi Deok-moonat Naver Movies {{DEFAULTSORT:Choi, Deok-moon 1970 births Livin ...

(as cook),

Kim Mu-yeol Kim Mu-yeol (born May 22, 1982) is a South Korean actor. Following a successful career in musical theatre, Kim was first cast in minor parts on film and television. But after getting good reviews in his supporting roles in '' The Scam'' (2009) an ...

(as Ji-ho),

Bong Joon-ho Bong Joon-ho (, ; Hanja: 奉俊昊; born September 14, 1969) is a South Korean film director, producer and screenwriter. The recipient of four Academy Awards, his filmography is characterised by emphasis on social themes, genre-mixing, black h ...

(as Lee Joon-ho), Park Ho-young (as Park Ho-young), and

Yoon Je-moon Yoon Je-moon (born March 9, 1970) is a South Korean actor. He appears in theater, film and television, notably in the movies ''The Man Next Door'' (2010) and ''Dangerously Excited'' (2012), and the TV series '' The End of the World'' (2013). F ...

(as Joo Je-moon).

The Heavenly Creature

() Park Do-won (

Kim Kang-woo Kim Kang-woo (born July 11, 1978) is a South Korean actor. He is best known from his roles in '' The Taste of Money'' and '' The Missing''. Career Kim Kang-woo majored in Theater and Film at Chung-Ang University. In early, Kim work as singer in ...

), a young technician employed by robotics corporation UR International, is called out to check an RU-4 robot named In-myung (voiced by

Park Hae-il Park Hae-il (born 26 January 1977) is a South Korean actor. He began his acting career in theater, but soon gained the film industry's attention in 2003 with ''Jealousy Is My Middle Name'' and ''Memories of Murder''. Park's film career took off, ...

) employed at a

Buddhist Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...

monastery. In-myung has become Buddhist and claims to have achieved

enlightenment Enlightenment or enlighten may refer to: Age of Enlightenment * Age of Enlightenment, period in Western intellectual history from the late 17th to late 18th century, centered in France but also encompassing (alphabetically by country or culture): ...

; the monks want to know whether he really is one or is just a robot with a technical glitch. Do-won gives In-myung a clean bill of technical health but says he is unqualified to do any more. Later, UR chairman Kang (Song Young-chang), and his team led by research executive Min (

Kim Seo-hyung Kim Seo-hyung (born October 28, 1973) is a South Korean actress. She is best known for her portrayal as the evil mistress Shin Ae-ri in the SBS revenge drama '' Temptation of Wife'' (2008) and as Coach Kim in the JTBC television series ''Sky Ca ...

), arrive at the monastery to decommission In-myung, on the grounds that he is an old series. Do-won and

Bodhisattva In Buddhism, a bodhisattva ( ; sa, 𑀩𑁄𑀥𑀺𑀲𑀢𑁆𑀢𑁆𑀯 (Brahmī), translit=bodhisattva, label=Sanskrit) or bodhisatva is a person who is on the path towards bodhi ('awakening') or Buddhahood. In the Early Buddhist schools ...

Hye-joo ( Kim Gyu-ri) then try to save the robot from its imminent demise. Written and directed by

. Original story by Park Seong-hwan. Also starring

Jo Yoon-hee Jo Yoon-hee (born October 13, 1982) is a South Korean actress. She is best known for starring in the television dramas ''My Husband Got a Family'' (2012) and ''Nine'' (2013). Personal life She is originally from Cheongju, Chungcheongbuk-do, b ...

(as Ji-eun), Lee Bong-gyu (as Monk Joo-ji), and Jung Jae-jin (as Spiritual Leader).

Happy Birthday

() Young Park Min-seo (

Jin Ji-hee Jin Ji-hee (born March 25, 1999) is a South Korean actress. Career She began her career as a child actress, and is best known for her roles in the relationship drama ''Alone in Love'' (2006), the horror fairytale ''Hansel and Gretel (2007 fil ...

) secretly orders a replacement 8 Ball from a strange website so her

pool Pool may refer to: Water pool * Swimming pool, usually an artificial structure containing a large body of water intended for swimming * Reflecting pool, a shallow pool designed to reflect a structure and its surroundings * Tide pool, a rocky pool ...

-obsessed father ( Lee Seung-joon) and nerdy uncle Hwan (

Song Sae-byeok Song Sae-byeok (born December 25, 1979) is a South Korean actor. After gaining attention as a supporting actor in ''The Servant A servant is a person working within an employer's household. Servant or servants may refer to: Places * Servant, ...

) won't notice she's damaged it. She throws the original ball out of the window and it drops down a hole in the street. Two years later, South Korea is threatened by an asteroid that looks exactly like a giant version of the 8 Ball. In their underground shelter, the family tries to cancel the order via the extraterrestrial website. Ten years later, the adult Min-seo (

Bae Doona Bae Doona (; born October 11, 1979; also credited as Doona Bae), is a South Korean actress and photographer. She became known outside Korea for her roles as a political activist in Park Chan-wook's ''Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance'' (2002), archer ...

) and her family emerge from their shelter. Directed by

. Written by Yim Pil-sung, Jang Jong-ah. Original story by Park Su-min. Also starring

Yoon Se-ah Yoon Se-ah (born January 2, 1978) is a South Korean actress best known for her roles in '' The City Hall'', ''Wife Returns'', '' A Gentleman's Dignity'', '' Stranger'', ''Sky Castle'', and ''Snowdrop''. Yoon was paired with Korean-French-Canadian ...

(as Min-seo's mother),

Ryu Seung-soo Ryu Seung-soo (born August 12, 1971) is a South Korean actor. Ryu made his acting debut in 1997 with a minor role in Park Chan-wook's film ''Trio'', and has been active as a supporting actor on film and television since. Among his notable films a ...

(as male newscaster),

Lee Young-eun Lee Young-eun (born August 9, 1982) is a South Korean actress. She is best known for starring in Korean dramas such as ''Likeable or Not'', ''Obstetrics and Gynecology Doctors'', '' While You Were Sleeping'', and ''Can't Stand Anymore''. Persona ...

(as female newscaster Lee Eun-kyung), John Kim (as former

NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research. NASA was established in 1958, succeeding t ...

researcher), Kevin Lee (as

Ministry of Science and Technology A Science Ministry or Department of Science is a ministry or other government agency charged with science. The ministry is often headed by a Minister for Science. List of Ministries of Science Many countries have a Ministry of Science or Ministry ...

resource person), Oh Jae-min (as male home shopping channel host), Kim Ok-jin (as female home shopping channel host), Jung Chul (as home shopping model 1), Jo Seung-min (as home shopping model 2), Nam Yoon-young (as home shopping model 3),

(as weather girl), Lee Kyung-ho (as signs scholar), and Lee Sang-joon (as Galaxy courier).

Awards and nominations

2012

* Cheval Noir Award

2013 File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fact ...

Asian Film Awards Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...

* Nomination - Best Visual Effects - Kwak Tae-yong, Hwang Hyo-kyun, Im Jung-hoon

References

External links

* * * * * {{Kim Jee-woon 2012 films 2010s science fiction films South Korean science fiction films South Korean zombie films Android (robot) films Films about impact events Films about Buddhism South Korean anthology films Films set in the future Films set in Seoul Films directed by Yim Pil-sung Films directed by Kim Jee-woon 2010s Korean-language films Lotte Entertainment films 2010s South Korean films