Meet the In-Laws (2011 film)

Meet the In-Laws
Theatrical poster
Directed byKim Jin-young
Written byHa Myeong-mi
Produced byLee Seo-yeol
StarringSong Sae-byeok
Lee Si-young
CinematographyJeong Jin-ho
Edited byMoon In-dae
Music byOh Jun-seong
Production
company
The Pictures With a View
Distributed byLotte Entertainment
Release date
  • March 31, 2011 (2011-03-31)
Running time
118 minutes
CountrySouth Korea
LanguageKorean
Box officeUS$17.6 million

Meet the In-Laws (Korean: 위험한 상견례; RR: Wiheomhan Sanggyeonrye) is a 2011 South Korean romantic comedy film directed by Kim Jin-young, starring Song Sae-byeok and Lee Si-young.[1]

The Korean title literally translates to "Dangerous Formal Greeting Between Families of the Bride and Bridegroom," hence the alternate English titles Clash of the Families and Dangerous Meeting.[2]

A comedic take on star-crossed lovers set after the 1988 Seoul Olympics, the film explores the deep-rooted regionalism that has dogged various aspects of Korean society, particularly the antagonism between people from southeastern Gyeongsang and people from Jeolla.[3][4]

Plot

Naive, pure-hearted Hyun-joon writes romance comics under the pseudonym "Hyun-ji." He becomes pen pals with Da-hong, and the two fall in love and begin dating. When Da-hong reveals that her father is forcing her to go on matchmaking dates with other men, Hyun-joon impulsively decides to propose to her. But Hyun-joon hails from humble roots in South Jeolla Province, and the couple knows that Da-hong's wealthy Gyeongsang family will instantly disapprove of him because of this. Unbeknownst to them, their respective fathers were also bitter rivals in high school baseball. So when Hyun-joon goes to Busan to ask for Da-hong's hand in marriage, he hides his accent and pretends to be from Apgujeong, the ritziest area in Seoul. As her relatives scrutinize, intimidate and spy on him, Hyun-joon is determined to overcome all their obstacles and marry Da-hong.

Cast

Box office

Meet the In-Laws was the ninth best-selling Korean film of 2011, grossing US$17,646,715 (or ₩19.7 billion) with 2,595,625 tickets sold.[4][5][6]

Spin-off

Main article: Enemies In-Law

Kim Jin-young directed a spin-off in 2015, Enemies In-Law. Though not technically a sequel given its different characters, the film's plot is also about an engaged couple facing familial disapproval, this time because the woman is from a family of police officers and the man's parents are criminals.

References

  1. ^ Beck, Una (4 April 2011). "Interview: Actor Song Sae-byeok - Part 1". 10Asia. Retrieved 16 May 2015.
  2. ^ Wheeler, Christopher J. (30 April 2011). "HanCinema's Film Review: Clash of the Families". Hancinema. Retrieved 16 May 2015.
  3. ^ Conran, Pierce (29 November 2011). "Clash of the Families (Wi-heom-han Sang-gyeon-rye) 2011". Modern Korean Cinema. Retrieved 16 May 2015.
  4. ^ a b "Dangerous Meeting Draws Over 2 Million Viewers". The Chosun Ilbo. 26 April 2011. Retrieved 16 May 2015.
  5. ^ "Korea's total box office dips 2.3%, but local films go up 9.9%". Korean Film Biz Zone. 8 July 2011. Retrieved 16 May 2015.
  6. ^ "The Best Selling Films of 2011". Koreanfilm.org. Retrieved 16 May 2015.