Setting in The Host

The setting in The Host tells us many things about the film as a whole.  The movie takes place in 2006 in South Korea.  The first thing the setting tells us is the reflection of character, the environment a person lives in provides us with clues to understanding the character.  For example Gang-du's home is first introduced as a snack shop in a park on the Han River and we see Gang-du sleeping behind the counter.  This is giving us the impression that Gang-du is a slacker who does not take his job very serious.  We notice that Hee-bong is not respected much by Gang-du because he is sleeping on the job and when Gang-du is asked to cook some squid he takes one of the legs off and starts to eat it.  Lastly we notice that Hyun-seo has little respect for, Gang-du, her father.  We see this when she complains that her phone is too embarrassing to use and when Gang-du shows her the change he is saving for a new phone she simply says its mostly dimes as if she does not appreciate it at all.  The next thing the setting helps with is creating a reality that gives us a sense of a real time and a real place and feeling of actually being there.  We see an example of this when the interior of the park home is revealed.  There are stacks of noodle bowls that cover the cluttered counter space and there is very little empty wall space that is visible, the wall space that is visible appears to be dirty.  The park house seems to be more business and a shop than it is a home as we see more prepackaged food products filling the frame and space in the home.  Also the cramped quality of the small home is emphasized by the tight framing of shots inside that leave almost no space in the frame other than two people.  This brings to our attention the economically marginal status of the family.  I would rate this movie an 7/10.

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