#Gwoemul

[jugeullae]

THE HOST 괴물 (2006, Bong Joon Ho)

[fanofspooky]

[alihsi]

Monstober Day 18: Gwoemul is apparently the Korean word for monster, but this particular creature comes from a film I haven't watched called The Host. I believe the premises is that it's a fish that was mutated by toxins in the water, but I find the design has a lot of amphibious elements. The nifty mouth structure reminds me of a sarcastic fringehead's mouth so I added dentition that calls back to that fish. I think this is one of my favorite renderings from this year. Pentel brushpen, Winsor & Newton fine-line marker, and Prismacolor fine-line marker on Canson mixed media.

[kothogamonster]

Mis figuritas :3

[lavenderghostly]

🎵In Praise of the Han River🎵

[univiresque]

i think that like… the host by bong joon ho should be required reading (watching) for dungeon meshi fans. not out of a disrespect for dunmeshi lovers bc it really is so so good i just think that if you liked dunmeshi the host is something with like similarly important themes of eating and being hungry and survival. i am not a guy who watches movies often so maybe this sounds a little hollow but like the host by bong joon ho is like. one of the best films ever maybe. unparalleled

[daviddingobleecher]

“Monstober 2023 Day 18: The Gwoemul” From “The Host” (ref. Ryu Seong-Hie concept art) #DigitalArt #TheHost #Monstober #Monstober2023 #thegwoemul

[steelneck95]

Gwoemul my beloved

[ichorandpride]

Fuck all these weird anons what was your monsterfucker beginning

i have so many potential answers to this because this is obviously one of those things that stems from childhood. the big ones i can think of at the moment are these three

Gwoemul from The Host (2006)

amazing movie btw go watch it. it's not just a Big Monster Killing People film. much like with godzilla, it's a huge criticism against western actions leading to horrible shit and references actual irl crimes

regardless, one of the best monster designs for the mid 2000's and the movie gets slept on so fucking much despite how good it is. it's one of those films where even critic reviews all say it's good if that matters

Sammael from Hellboy (2004)

because of course a del toro film is here. no explanation needed. where people fangirling over Hellboy, i was sitting there frothing over this thing

Kothoga from The Relic (1997)

like. idk. you can kinda see my love for big drooly teeth and maws lmao

some bonus mentions i guess because it's obvious they'd be here too but actually arent from my childhood

Xenomorph Queen aka she who has been sexualized so much already

Moder from The Ritual aka this is five things in one

idfk Clover from Cloverfield?

[kangaracha]

NEVERMORE: MONSTERS & MOVEMENTS

the governmental and musical powers of the clé

Read NEVERMORE | Content List

STRAY KIDS & THE SIX

Throughout all of the Clé's living history, these two forces have been present; two groups, locked in eternal battle for control, new versions of themselves always coming back with new music to light up the worlds. They are called one at a time periodically, when the Miroh or the Clé itself gets bored or stagnant and needs to be moved again; each time another comes, it signifies the end of the reign of the other, until a new version of them is called and the cycle starts again. The only time this has not happened was most recently, when The Six created the Moment to stop Stray Kids and extend their reign past its ending point, spiralling the Clé into an era of blank, faceless art and soulless music, and eventually into time being frozen itself.

THE ISEKAI

The Isekai are the supporters of The Six, a nameless and faceless army that stands behind them. They are near-mythological within the Clé, particularly in Miroh - whether they are real people, or summoned into being out of someone's imagination, the regular people of the city cannot decide. The Isekai are responsible for a number of tasks across the Clé, from peacekeeping to the keeping of the ghosts in Injeon, to overseeing Geomijul and District 9, and whenever someone crosses The Six, they are there.

THE DOKKAEBI

A rebel organisation created in Miroh and Levanter, by a group of people enamoured with the hidden tales of the Clé before The Six came. Their purpose is to remove everyone from power and let the Clé itself become its own governing body again, even if this means a return to a more difficult and nomadic lifestyle in an ever-changing world, fighting against the tight control of The Six which keeps the Clé stable and allows life to run as it would in a 'normal' world outside of its borders.

The dokkaebi are viewed more as a nuisance than anything else by The Six, leading to them being named after a race of mythical, mischievous goblins. They were defeated in the third Moment, where most of them were caught and the rest scattered across the Clé, forming small cells or living in isolation to avoid further punishment, which remains as their current state at the beginning of Nevermore.

SORIKKUN

Sorikkun is the superpower of the Clé, a word to describe people who have the ability to read or manipulate the world in some way. It manifests in many different ways, and sometimes isn't even noticed by the person who wields it; it is just a part of life, something that makes them stand out from the crowd a little more than others. It is tied to artistry, affecting musicians and artists and creators of different pieces of culture, those who already affect the world and the people around them with the skills they have.

There are a lot of different powers that come from being sorikkun. Glitches fall into this category, the inability to be fooled by anything in the Clé, the innate drive to go against the grain. Some can open doors between worlds in one way or another, or can hear what the different worlds are saying or feel their intentions. Others might manipulate things like the winds that blow through Miroh and Levanter, signifying a change in fortunes or circumstances, or see between the worlds in mirrors and windows, or to places outside of the Clé.

THE GWOEMUL

The Gwoemul is a monster that has crawled out of the dark corners of the Nevermore, the in-between of all the worlds, the lining of the universe. It is a world-eater, an immortal outside of the realm of time or purpose, a hungry beast wanting to devour all of the life in the Clé simply out of boredom. It doesn't even have a physical form, its shape changing on any whim it pleases to suit the world it has found itself in.

Like the Clé, it is born from the natural rhythms of the world and is especially tuned into music. Its favourite meal is people's voices; not their physical ability to make sound, but the emotion and intention behind their words, their ability to sing or speak and to have it resonate with others like them. It is capable of far more though; as shown in its singlehanded destruction of Injeon, where it turned every physical being into a ghost, a fraction of a soul left wandering around as if it never died.

The Gwoemul is a sly and devious creature, and capable of pettiness too - once crossed, it delights in the pursuit of revenge. The Six in particular have crossed it several times - and so, even though the potential of its resident's voices is an enticing enough meal, its driving force is to escape the corner of Geomijul it is imprisoned in and make its way to Miroh, to devour everything in its wake and finally cut The Six down to size.

GLITCHES

Glitches, simply, are people who cannot fit into the crowd. They are a type of sorikkun that is more common than the others. Where everything in the Clé moves to a rhythm, like a charmed snake or a sailor hearing a siren call, they move against it, creating their own burst of melody over the top of it. They are cursed to be individual and other, to float between worlds without ever being held by one, as no door can close to them, no ground can trick them into staying - and under the rule of The Six, they are cursed to be outsiders too, looked down upon and shunned as criminals by a society that no longer understands what their gift is for.

THE MOMENT

This is a weapon created by The Six to ensure their victory over anything that might end their rule prematurely. The Moment is a kind of combination of sorikkun power and science, made to manipulate the Clé into running time backwards. Every use of it ebbs away at the life force of the Clé itself, breaking down the very fabric that holds this universe together.

[fanofspooky]

365 horror movies day 343:

The Host (Gwoemul)

“In a word... her birth was an accident, and so was her death. Old people have always said... that an animal which kills a human... should be torn limb from limb. That it's a human's duty to do so. Until I slit that beast's stomach... and at least find Hyun-seo's body... I'll never leave this world in peace.”

[wanderingnork]

Giant Monster Horror Movies

Exactly what it says on the tin: horror movies with big monsters. Ones I don't see recommended often, presented in ascending order of scale!

Gwoemul/The Host (2006): A mutant monster, born from American chemical pollution, emerges from the Han River to terrorize residents of a Korean city. The monster is a work of art, comparable in size to an elephant. Beautiful in the water and on land, it's a delight to watch in motion. It's reminiscent of a fish, a lizard, a xenomorph, and a metaphor for American imperialism, yet is still something all its own.

Monstrum (2017): Based on an anecdote from 1527 in the real Annals of the Joseon Dynasty! In the midst of a plague, a gargantuan monster stalks the mountains, and a retired general (alongside his found family) is sent forth to deal with it. A stunning, somewhat feline monstrosity plays the title role. This one's a bit heavier on the action, but the horror elements remain strong enough to land it on the list.

Sea Fever (2019): An Irish fishing trawler is stranded in the open ocean and discovers that there's something unusual in the water. Although most of the movie is intimate, taking place in the closed confines of the ship and focusing on relationships between characters, the full unveiling of the creature itself is still a moment of awe. Its entire body isn't seen, so its spot on the list is based strictly on what we do see. It's probably much bigger.

Troll Hunter (2010): A found-footage mockumentary about troll hunters in Norway. All of the trolls in this movie are BIG. But the grand finale is a mountain troll standing what might be a kilometer in height. Its roars shake the ground and it's like watching an entire hill chase after the car. Truly an experience that feels straight out of a myth, and worthy of watching on the biggest screen you can get.

Starfish (2018): A surreal story of a girl who wakes up to find that the world has ended, and her best friend may have known why. Truly a one-scene wonder, a colossus appears for a mere sixty seconds of awe near the climax of the movie. Beautiful and eerie, it doesn't roar or destroy things. Just marches forward. Its presence, like almost the entire movie, is inexplicable--but it's the visual I remember best.

Food for thought: How do these movies manage tension and drama as compared to horror movies focusing on monsters people-size and smaller? In a previous post, I discussed Godzilla (2014), Cloverfield (2008), and the concept of epic horror. What elements of a movie can turn a truly titanic creature into a horrifying creature, rather than an epic one? Can "epic" and "horror" coexist? How big does a monster need to get before it becomes less a living creature and more a part of the environment itself?

(Previous Recommendations)

[iso1600]

Nam Seonyul doesn’t believe in ghosts. Wildly exaggerated tales of gwishin and gwoemul were ingrained in a small town like Geumsan-gun, the eerie rustling of the paddy fields at dusk and the lurking shadows in every corner an easy tool for town elders to scare away the youth. Any other kid, vulnerable to superstition, would cower. But a self-proclaimed rationalist like Seonyul knows better than to buy into the supernatural, for far scarier things lurk in the realm of the tangible.

The sixth floor corridors are always quiet at this hour, even more so when the flicker of the lighter in his hand burns faintly as the only source of light. It's tranquil, almost serene — away from the chaos and clamour of Eden, where it remains a mise-en-scène for solitary nicotine breaks while the rest of the collective slumbers in deep silence. That doesn't end up materialising tonight, however, as a chill grips the air and Seonyul senses a presence he can't shake away.

Nam Seonyul doesn’t believe in a higher power, either. Nine o'clock on Sunday mornings were kept sacred for church growing up, but he quickly grasps that the dichotomy of good and evil extends far beyond the preachings of some old man on a pulpit. Faith's a funny thing when it's cherry-picked and scrutinised for twenty-four odd years, because like a sinner seeking absolution, he finds himself holding the strands of his braided bracelet like a rosary bead, fingers tracing its texture as he quietly slips into prayer.

Hail Mary, full of grace.

Ever so carefully, he takes a step forward. His long limbs must be a curse this time, cumbersome and heavy in the stifling silence that amplifies every creak of the floor beneath his feet, the faint rustling of unseen movements around him.

The Lord is with thee.

He pauses, hesitation crossing his face. A steady hand moves up to remove his glasses, rubs his weary eyes and puts them back on, adjusting to the dim light that casts long, drooping shadows. As he rounds a corner, he catches another glimpse of her — a figure standing motionless, long, black hair draped over her face like a veil.

“Excuse me,” he finally manages, voice breaking slightly, “do you need something?”

UNBELIEVERS / ACT I, SCENE I ft. jeon jaeyi @feelingsaturated

[monstrousmenagerie]

SPECIMEN #29

Gwoemul from The Host

[lil-doodles]

Helltober Day 13. I’m skippping Pumpkinhead today because I already drew him this year. I’m going straight to Gwoemul from the movie Host. I think I’ll draw Sam from Trick R’ Treat instead. He’s a pumpkinhead right?

[jugeullae]

THE HOST 괴물 (2006) dir. Bong Joon Ho