Vanishing Time: A Boy Who Returned

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Movie: Vanishing Time: A Boy Who Returned (English title) / Hidden Time (literal title)
Revised romanization: Garyeojin Shigan
Hangul: 가려진 시간
Director: Uhm Tae-Hwa
Writer: Uhm Tae-Hwa, Jo Seul-Ye
Producer: Kwak Shin-Ae
Cinematographer: Ko Rak-Sun
Release Date: November 16, 2016
Runtime: 129 min.
Genre: Drama / Fantasy
Distributor: Showbox
Language: Korean
Country: South Korea

Plot Synopsis by AsianWiki Staff ©

Four young kids, including Sung-Min (Lee Hyo-Je) and Soo-Rin (Shin Eun-Soo), take a trip to the mountain together. They plan to sneak into a restricted area to watch a planned explosion.

The next day, Soo-Rin is the only one found. A few days later, Sung-Min (Gang Dong-Won) appears again, but he is not the same 13-year-old boy. Sung-Min is now adult.

Notes

Filming began October 7, 2015 at Namhae, Gyeongsangnam Province, South Korea.
Shin Eun-Soo was cast after being selected through auditions that involved about 300 applicants.

Cast



Gang Dong-Won	Shin Eun-Soo	Lee Hyo-Je	Kim Hee-Won	Kwon Hae-Hyo
Sung-Min	Soo-Rin	Sung-Min	Do-Gyoon	Baek-Gi



Kim Dan-Yul	Jung Woo-Jin	Um Tae-Goo	Moon So-Ri
Tae-Sik	Jae-Wook	Tae-Sik	Doctor Min

Additional Cast Members:

Park Jong-Hwan - Jin-Sung
Park Jin-Woo - Tae-Sik's father
Park Sung-Yeon - Tae-Sik's mother
Kim Jun-Bae - Jae-Wook's father
Kim Jung-Young - Jae-Wook's mother
Kwon Tae-Jin - Jae-Wook's uncle
Ahn Ji-Ho - Sang-Chul
Kim Hak-Sun - Section Chief Park
Seo Ju-Hee - orphanage director
Kim Hee-Sang - ambulance worker 1
Jung Eun-Kyung - Joon-Ho's mother
Oh Hee-Joon - search police officer
Yoon Se-Woong - current affairs program host
Hwang Jeong-Nam - detective 1
Byun Jin-Soo - detective 4
Kang Duk-Jung - interrogation detective
Park Ji-Hu - girl resembling Soo-Rin
Kim Bi-Bi - female doctor
Jung Young-Ki - tunnel worker
Yoon Geumseona - ticket counter employee
Kim Ha-Neul - news anchorwoman
Kim Kyung-Sik - dean of students
Lee Ja-Ryoung - village resident 1
Park Chae-Ik - taxi driver

Trailers

Awards

2017 (54th) Daejong Film Awards - October 25, 2017
- Best New Director (Uhm Tae-Hwa)
- Best Music

Comments

kame Jan 29 2022 2:30 pm @Joy nahhh..if it was really like that, then you must consider this one important question..there were so many people on the top of the cliff, yet no one saw the "fake" sungmin running away or fell off the cliff?

Joy Oct 23 2020 4:38 am @tsuyoi_hikari i'm thinking the same way, what i see is it's not such a fantasy genre but psychological maybe? Idk it's mind blowing

From the half of movie i was thinking that "oh ok he's not Sungmin" it's creepy and till the cliff scene nope i was wrong maybe he is the real sungmin coz he stop the time again and save soorin, buuuut yes it's confused me again why he's not bring them far away from the beach?

But after all i like this movie, and i'm too late to know about this movie, Dong Won Oppa such a great actor saranghae ?

Patty Tusay Sep 23 2019 2:26 am I thought it was great and more sci fi than anything else. Their relationship and orphan bond transcended time. The acting was very good, story / script well written and the musical score was haunting. I like Korean Dramas very much and this one is one of the best. I just wish they translated what they wrote to each other. Bravo!

Ana SN Jul 06 2019 12:05 am the sweetest movie I've ever seen, i love this movie so good and really touch my heart

Ana SN Jul 03 2019 1:09 pm The sweetest movie I've ever seen, i love this movie so good and really touch my heart???

Ai Dec 15 2018 10:01 am @tsuyoi_hikari Sometimes.. we just need a fantasy in our life dear :)

Migthy Thor Aug 23 2018 9:23 am So speechless . . . . . couldn't find words to express my admiration to this GREAT film! Of the many stories / films on time travel element, for me this is so far the BEST !!! indeed the name Kang Dong-Won means (equals) GREAT movie/drama and excellent performance.

CONGRATULATIONS to the writer, director, staff, crew, personnel and entire cast of Vanishing Time" A Boy Who Returned

tsuyoi_hikari Jul 21 2018 5:00 am 9/10 - I seriously love this movie. It was really awesome since you can come to 2 conclusions by the time it ended. First, it exactly happen like it was told in the movie that the time stops because of the goblin's egg and second, it is literally all in Surin's mind.

Take note on how the story is told. Surin is someone who is obsessed with supernatural occurrences and went back to the cave to take her hairpin. Then when she comes out, the 3 boys gone and she is the only one left. Then she met the man who claimed to be Sungmin and believe it because of the code book that he gave her. But, the code book can never be a solid evidence to prove the vanishing time as it was throw into the sea. So, Surin can make this all up as there is no book to prove that. And bear in mind that the grown up Sungmin could know all the little details as the young Sungmin when he abducted him and get the information from the young Sungmin directly. There's literally a movie that show how when someone talks so much about their personal life, the one who listen to it could mistaken that it is his/her life instead just from the story. And at the end, when Surin woke up at the beach, there's explanation of that since people do survive from jumping off a beach cliff. If Sungmin really stops time and save Surin and the police, they will wake up on the cliff or their house miraculously and not wet. Yet, they woke up on the beach wet as they were pushed to the shore after the fall by the sea.

So in the end, both story makes sense and its up to our own interpretation on what we chose to believe. I would like to believe that the 'grown Sungmin' is just a stranger who is obsessed with Surin and not the real Sungmin. Remember the time when they both at the house and Sungmin said he felt like someone is watching them? Its could be the 'grown Sungmin' watching them from behind -- which explain the big carvings of Surin at the house. The 'grown Sungmin' has always watch her from the back and he also knew that the carving that young Sungmin made for Surin got lost between the floor so he took it as further evidence to prove that he is the real Sungmin to Surin. And it also explain that the first time Surin & the young Sungmin entered the abandoned house, Surin saw the beautiful dragon carving which explain that the 'grown Sungmin' has always talented in carvings. Now that I think it again, it creeped me out lol.

Maninder Kaur Apr 14 2018 12:59 pm I simply love this movie... i have mo words to describe how much amazing i felt. Once in a while you watch awesome movie and your words to express get shorten. I want to see Kang dong won more and more.. please Do a drama Kang dong won shi❤

Mari Mar 05 2018 12:52 pm I love everything about this film.....it is beautifully done. Must watch!

Distressed Jan 26 2018 8:27 pm This movie was deeply disturbing and depressing. Would not recommend. If they fully made it a fantasy movie then that would be different. But they left it for the audience to “decide.”

blue Jan 21 2018 3:09 am ganda♥

Mhtab Jan 14 2018 2:32 am This movie really touched my heart The ending was sadly wonderfull It made me speechless during and after . Seriousely was one onf the bes movies ive ever watched. The feeling of the list time and the boy who was lost in time and all the sacrifice and suicides. The feeling between characters the feeling of guiltiness and love . It was all amazing .

Popop9 Jan 09 2018 6:01 pm Good movie but why is the poster like that? Not really related / no relation with the movie ^_^'

me Oct 01 2017 7:57 am beautifuly made yet touches my heart in a way . was wondering , why can the time start flowing again when he jumps into the water , is there rules to follow like only the person that breaks the egg must make a sacrifice in order to start time or it is just that the moon effect thing?

Tp Sep 16 2017 9:12 pm It's such a beautiful movie with Gang Dong-Won. He's the BEST!

waya Sep 06 2017 12:30 pm assuming youre healthy (unlike jae wook) and you stop time in modern country like south korea with entertainment, food, tech, etc i dont mind breaking a goblin egg to binged all my netflix, anime, series, and do some stupid stuffs.

last korean movie i watched is violent prosecutor and i didnt know the guy (dong won) also in this movie too. so.. how to comment about this movie? i think itll go down to be remembered as a classic, with blends of genres like fantasy, drama, thriller, mystery, sci fi(?), bit of comedy, this movie steadily elaborate its plot from a simple premise building its way up to the moment where "the same decision" has to be made, again. for almost 2 hrs, it keeps me on the edge of my seat and i enjoy it. ==============

spoiler that ending though, its a perfect one if you positioned yourself as the creator of it, but as an audience, it reminds me of architecture 101, leaving certain lingering feeling (wut? lol), with part of me want more closure, i mean they should meet again when soo rin is in her mid 20s somewhere but the open ending is just as not overdone as how the story is built.

this movie should win awards, including how the main actor & actress excel in it, also the cgi looks cool

lumin Jun 25 2017 2:46 am I do wonder at times how some murders aren't solved? We all have heard the story but never the story from those who were victims or whoever involved. I do feel like this is this kind of story. A character's perspective and story from how it all happened without detectives and everyone knowing what really happened which leads for them to remain clueless and the story unsolved. This movie is so original that I want more of it but that would spoil the fun. Ugh this movie is beyond words to describe and I love it!

lumim Jun 25 2017 2:37 am A timeless movie that captivates the heart of the audience. Wow. I have no expectations but the first few minutes was interesting that I couldn't let go of it. A story of bad fate encounters with a touch of romance and mystery. You would even wonder how did it all happen if you are not the main character. You wouldn't be left hanging because the ending was sadly perfect. Yes, it is sad but my heart went in a flutter for sure.

Eric Jun 10 2017 10:41 am Its a wonderful and original movie. It mesmerising and captivating. A must watch movie.

Ana Jun 06 2017 12:17 pm Can someone please tell me the name of the song at the end of the movie?

Aya Jun 04 2017 10:14 am This is definitely a must watch. Anyone who's still doubting whether they should watch or not, just go ahead and watch this already. When I first heard about this movie, I was very intrigued by the story and I really hoped that it would be one of those little gems and it really is. The cast did an amazing job and the story was presented in such a way that it is impossible not to immerse yourself. 10/10

Amina Jun 02 2017 4:35 pm I just finished watching this masterpiece, and i would like to say that it's really rare to find such an interesting movie, that has an original plot, with so much more than events, they make you interact and think a lot, also i'd like to say that this kind of movies is just the kind that i choose to get a little away from all those trendy ones, that are played by famous and popular actors. I feel very original, and i don't have to pick sides during the progress of the movies, it's like I'm looking at the actors (people) for the first time, it really got me, and had my feelings. THAT was what i was looking for, for a very long time, and i hope i will come across movies like this one in the future.

Danniah Jun 01 2017 11:50 am Such a rare movie without antagonist. It is all because of their unlucky fate.

I thought the movie will have more mystery vibe but I was wrong. This movie is heart-warming, showing exactly how true friendship transcending the time. I can feel the loneliness of Sung-min when he trapped in time twice. He barely stays strong bcs of Soo-rin.

Soo-rin's appa is my favorite character. He stays with Soo-rin through all difficult time, tho he was mad to Soo-rin at one point but I can sense that he is care to Soorin.

Seol Jun 01 2017 5:12 am Just finished watching this movie. Btw, it stressed me out coz' it was amazing. I expected it coz' every time I watch K-Movies...it was beyond what I expect it would be.

me_nina Mar 12 2017 8:55 pm SPOILER..so sad...i'm crying..T,T

Susan Mar 11 2017 8:17 am Kang Dong Won !!! Like it !!! And it's interesting story... fantasy but interesting !!!

missqueenl Mar 08 2017 11:51 am I really want to watch this because I wonder why it wasn't welcomed in Korea. It seems interesting!

hyo Jan 16 2017 2:29 pm RECOMMENDED!!!! Gang Dong-Won OMG!!!!

asr Jan 15 2017 10:01 am soundtrack info please :)

ws s Nov 27 2016 10:24 pm damn, ppl only attention about romance(and even it's pedo if it's rly romance.). c'mon, it's more like 'cult' movie! watch it. then u can get what it feels like.

onianiaa Oct 17 2016 1:55 am @meme uh no.., god NO...

kar Oct 11 2016 6:18 am Interesting! Kang Dongwon is a brilliant actor so I'm looking forward to this :D

coffee Sep 27 2016 7:50 am The music especially in the third clip is absolutely beautiful... I hope it will be used as a soundtrack in the movie.

safaa Sep 23 2016 1:48 pm @meme I don't think there will be any romance in this movie. I mean it is a fantasy movie not a romantic one.

meme Aug 15 2016 5:00 am this movie is a little bit weird is he going to romance the child actress even though his character supposed to be a child in grown up man body i can't imagine that

Shipo Feb 01 2016 10:47 am Wow, I am so excited to this movie. Another fantasy movie from my favorite korean actor - Kang Dong Won. I can't wait this movie, The Priests, The Violent Prosecutor, and Master.

Yooja Jan 27 2016 3:02 pm Aigoo,I can't wait to see this!looks cool and somewhat like Big (Tom Hanks)!:)

Tilda Oct 20 2015 12:51 pm OMG I need this movie can't wait for the release

saya Oct 14 2015 1:02 pm Ow yaaass...!!! I'm really curious about the story line. Ugh..! I'll definitely watch this..! Seems like there are so many films and dramas coming in 2016.. -_- Why does it take so loooong...?? I can't wait... -_-

cincin ponpon Oct 14 2015 8:57 am Omo, yes finally a fantasy genre comeback from Kang Dong Won oppa, I'm too excited for this~

Vanishing Time: A Boy Who Returned

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Plot Synopsis by AsianWiki Staff ©

Notes

Cast

Trailers

Awards

Comments

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