Cover Here's everything you should know about Netflix's new Korean movie, "Night in Paradise" (Photo: Courtesy of Netflix)

"Night in Paradise" is the latest Korean movie to hit our screens, here are five things to know about the highly-anticipated Netflix thriller movie

With Netflix releasing at least one movie every week this year, there's no shortage of new titles that we can look forward to. The streaming giant has also pledged US$500 million on Korean content, so we can expect even more Korean flicks coming out over the next twelve months.

Following the success of Space Sweepers (2021), the next Korean movie to grace our screens is Night in Paradise, a Korean thriller movie premiering on April 9. The highly anticipated noir movie promises action, excitement and spectacular performances from the cast.

Excited and curious to know more? We're listing five things to know about the latest Korean movie hitting our screens.

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1. It's a Korean noir movie

Noir movies aren't new in Korean cinema and have in fact wowed audiences and critics both locally and overseas––with Bong Joon-ho's Memories of Murder (2003) and Park Chan-wook's Oldboy (2003) as some of the most notable examples. Night in Paradise is the latest addition to the flourishing genre.

The movie follows Tae-goo (Um Tae-goo), a hotshot of a criminal gang led by Mr. Yang (Park Ho-san). Tae-goo decides to take revenge after his sister and nephew were killed in an accident, supposed to be meant for him. Plotting to remove the boss of another gang, he runs away to Jeju Island and cross paths with Jae-yeon (Jeon Yeo-bin), a terminally ill woman. The two who no longer have a desire to live, get tangled up in each other lives and start to feel pity for one another.

Filming primarily took place in Jeju Island in South Korea and took over three months to complete.

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2. Led by a charismatic cast

Night in Paradise boasts a spectacular cast who promise to deliver an enthralling performance. Leading the pack is Um Tae-goo who has finally landed a feature lead role after his numerous supporting roles in many critically acclaimed movies such as Coin Locker Girl (2015) and The Age of Shadows (2016) as well as his lead role in K-drama, Save Me 2 (2019). Starring opposite him is rising actress, Jeon Yeo-bin, who garnered unanimous praise for her breakout role in After My Death (2018) and well-loved for her slapstick comedic role in the Korean drama, Vincenzo (2021).

Joining the cast is model-turned-actor Cha Seung-won who gained stardom through several comedy hits like My Teacher, Mr. Kim (2003) and Ghost House (2004). Cha showcased his acting range in other genres, seen in the period piece, Blood Rain (2005) and melodrama, My Son (2007). He also transformed himself into an unforgettable villain in Believer (2018).

Other members of the cast include Lee Ki-young from A Bittersweet Life (2005), Prison Playbook's (2017) Park Ho-san and Lookout's (2017) Cho Dong-in.

See also: Vincenzo: All The Jewellery Worn By Jeon Yeo-Bin In The Korean Drama

3. Helmed by an acclaimed director

Director Park Hoon-jung is no stranger to noir films, having a portfolio of highly acclaimed titles under his belt including the gangster epic, New World (2013) which catapult him to critical and commercial success. He also directed the crime-action thriller V.I.P (2017) and mystery film, The Witch: Part 1 (2018). With this, you can say that Night in Paradise is in good hands.

Prior to taking on the director's seat, Park wrote the screenplays for other thriller movies including Kim Jee-won's I Saw the Devil (2010) and Ryoo Seung-wan's The Unjust (2010) for which he won awards for Best Screenplay.

During the movie press conference, Director Park said when casting Yeo-bin, he initially didn't know if she fits the role perfectly. When he saw her previous work, he believed he made the right choice. Meanwhile, cinematographer Kim Young-ho said that the first impression he has for the two leads is that they're both "chic and provocative and silent" but learned that they're "caring and mischievous which goes well with the movie."

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4. It premiered at a prestigious film festival

Night in Paradise first premiered at the 77th Venice International Film Festival, the only Korean film to be screened in the "Out of Competition" category. One of the critics listed the movie as one of the 10 best ones that screened at the prestigious film festival, praising it for its thrilling sequences and extravagant set pieces. Jeon Yeo-bin was also praised as a rarely seen female character in the noir genre.

See also: 9 New Netflix Shows And Movies To Watch In April 2021

5. Netflix over theatrical release

Night in Paradise follows other Korean movies that have chosen Netflix over theatrical releases such as The Call (2021) and Time To Hunt (2020). This is due to the ongoing pandemic which caused cinemas to temporarily close as well as the need for social distancing measures, limiting the number of viewers.

According to the Korean Film Council in September 2020, the number of theatregoers dropped 80 per cent compared to the same period in 2019, making a release on Netflix a more viable option to reach audiences locally and internationally. Hit Korean movie Space Sweepers (2021) was initially also planning a theatrical release but was released exclusively on Netflix instead.

See also: 5 Things To Know About "Space Sweepers"—Netflix's First Korean Space Movie


Night in Paradise releases on April 9 at 3 pm Hong Kong time on Netflix.

Above Watch the trailer of "Night in Paradise"

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