The official trailer for Director Choi Dong-hoon’s “Alienoid Part 2,” also known as “Return to the Future,” has just been unveiled. Serving as a sequel to the 2022 release “Alienoid Part 1,” the movie follows in the footsteps of its predecessor. Unfortunately, the first installment underperformed, managing only 1.5 million viewers, significantly lower than the 7 million breakeven point.
CJ ENM MOVIE, the distributor, is reportedly considering a dual release strategy for “Alienoid Part 2,” slated for January 2024. With a breakeven threshold of 8 million, they’re contemplating a theatrical launch coupled with streaming on the Tving OTT platform. The strategy hints at a potential early OTT release to mitigate projected losses, seemingly acknowledging the challenge of reaching the breakeven mark. Even ahead of its premiere, the odds of “Alienoid Part 2” hitting the breakeven point appear slim.
Despite these challenges, “Alienoid Part 2” is scheduled to debut in theaters on January 10, 2024
Official Trailer of Alienoid Part 2
Synopsis of Alienoid Part 2
Lee Ahn is trying to return to the future she departed from with retreiving the devine sword. Meanwhile Mureuk senses a strange presence within his body. Heug-seol and Cheong-woon, the two mage from Samgaksan also suspect the existence of a yokai in the body of Mureuk. Jijang aims to retrieve the divine sword to return to the future and dominate the Earth. Amidst the entangled battle surrounding the divine sword, another character enters the competition to get the sword.
Casting of Alienoid Part 2
Ryu Jun-Yeol as Mureuk
The protagonist, a skilled bounty hunter with a profound mastery of sorcery, undergoes a profound journey of rediscovery, gradually piecing together fragments of their childhood memories and confronting unsettling truths. Throughout his odyssey, he is accompanied by two remarkable feline companions, Uwang and Juwang, who reside within a peculiar home—a fan that serves as their dwelling.
The character of Mureuk in this film is intricately linked to Director Choi Dong-hoon’s previous work, “Jeon Woochi: The Taoist Wizard.” Part 1 cleverly pays homage to a notable scene from “Jeon Woochi,” establishing a self-referential connection.
“Jeon Woochi” featured Choraingi, portrayed by Yoo Hae-jin, as the assistant to the titular character. Similarly, in this movie, the introduction of two sidekick cats, Uwang and Juwang, who accompany Mureuk, echoes that familiar dynamic. Director Choi Dong-hoon’s evident fondness for “Jeon Woochi” is subtly woven into this narrative.
Following the disappointment of “Alienoid Part 1” at the box office, some fans even proposed that the director might consider delving into “Jeon Woochi Part 2,” given the strong resonance and nostalgia surrounding that previous work.
Kim Woo-bin as Guard
An extraterrestrial robot that observes extraterrestrial criminals confined within human bodies and tracks down fugitive criminals. It has the ability to transform into a human appearance and develops affection for a human child named Lee Ahn.
Kim Woo-bin plays a multi-role in this movie, portraying both the human form of Guard and the human form of Thunder.
Kim Dae-myung As Thunder
It is a program that carries out missions alongside Guard. It can transform into a human form, and when it transforms into a human form, it takes on the appearance identical to Guard.
Kim Dae-myung is responsible for voicing Thunder exclusively.
Kim Tae-ri as Lee Ahn
Lee Ahn, an orphaned infant, was clandestinely transported to the present by Thunder during his mission in the Goryeo Dynasty. Subjected to brain experiments intended for human research, this baby develops extraordinary physical capabilities far beyond the norm. Despite Thunder and Guard losing their abilities, this resilient individual manages to survive in the Goryeo Dynasty, relentlessly pursuing the elusive divine sword.
Yum Jung-ah as Heug-seol / Jo Woo-jin as Cheong-woon
They are always together in the movie, known as two mage from Samgaksan, but they are not a married couple despite being close friends. They were supposed to inherit the divine sword from their friend Hyungam, but when Hyungam is murdered, they set out to pursue the divine sword.
Kim Eui-sung as Ja-jang
Originally a regular doctor, he became possessed by one of the escaped extraterrestrial criminals. After accidentally landing in the Goryeo Dynasty, they took control of Milbon and pursued the divine sword.
Jin Sun-kyu as Neungpa
Neumgpa is a blind warrior who believes that the divine sword can restore their sight, hence relentlessly pursuing it.
This character made their first appearance in Part 2. He is one of the the most eye-catching charactersin the Part 2 teaser, displaying an extraordinary charisma and skill.
Lee Hanee as Min Gae-in
She is Lee Ahn childhood friend’s aunt. She holds a liking for Guard’s human form.
Initially expected to make a cameo in Part 1, her presence had a profound impact in the teaser for Part 2. Anticipation grows as it’s believed her role will take on greater significance in the upcoming installment.
Production crew of Alienoid Part 2
- Director Choi Dong-hoon took charge of both the scriptwriting and directing for this project.
Director Choi Dong-hoon’s legacy in the Korean box office generated immense anticipation for “Alienoid” or “Alien+Human Part 1” prior to its release. However, the film’s reception was somewhat underwhelming post-release. Some argue that had Choi Dong-hoon not directed “Alienoid Part 1,” evaluations might have been more favorable. Judging the movie on its own merit, it might not have received such harsh criticism or been labeled a disappointment.
Choi Dong-hoon stands as a prominent figure in South Korea’s filmmaking realm. While commercial success isn’t the sole measure, achieving ten million viewers for two of his previous films is undeniably significant.
The “Alienoid” series boasted an impressive lineup, featuring acclaimed actors like Ryu Jun-yeol, Kim Tae-ri, Yeom Jung-ah, Cho Woo-jin, Kim Ui-sung, Lee Ha-nui, Jin Sun-kyu, So Ji-sub, and Shin Jung-geun, all renowned for their exceptional performances. However, despite this star-studded cast and the extensive investment, including shooting content for two parts, the director arguably shoulders responsibility for the underperformance.
Furthermore, some suggest that adapting the series into a 10-episode format might have served it better than the movie structure it followed.
Based on the teasers that have been revealed and the sense that it’s moving away from the obligation of explaining the world, “Alienoid Part 2” seems poised to excel, promising a greater degree of cinematic completeness and entertainment value compared to Part 1.
Behind the Scene of Alienoid Part 2
- “Alienoid Part Part 1” is currently streaming on Netflix. While the film didn’t succeed in theaters, its release on Netflix has garnered a response suggesting that it’s not as much of a failure as its initial reception suggested.
- Actor So Ji-sub, who played the role of Detective Moon Doseok, possessed by the designer, mentioned in an interview that he will not be appearing in “Alienoid Part Part 2.”
- Director Choi Dong-hoon mentioned in an interview ahead of the release of “Alienoid Part 2” that he paid special attention to the editing for audiences who might watch Part 2 without having seen Part 1. This likely involved a lot of deliberation, especially considering the lengthy gap of about 1 year and 4 months between the two parts. However, it seems challenging to convey the content of Part 1 to viewers who haven’t seen it, especially within the narrative structure of a film.
- The “Alienoid” series became both Director Choi Dong-hoon’s and Kim Tae-ri’s first box office failures.
Alienoid Part 1 is available at netflix, https://www.netflix.com/kr-en/title/81623319
What could be Ryu Jun-yeol’s next choice? https://triviaaboutkorea.com/ryu-jun-yeol-with-yeon-sang-ho-revelation/
