A Haunting Hitchhike
| A Haunting Hitchhike | |
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster | |
| Hangul | 히치하이크 |
| RR | Hichihaikeu |
| MR | Hich'ihaik'ŭ |
| Directed by | Jeong Hee-jae |
| Screenplay by | Jeong Hee-jae |
| Produced by | Mun Jeong-min[1] |
| Starring | Roh Jeong-eui Park Hee-soon Kim Go-eun |
| Cinematography | Chang U-yeong Jang Woo-yong[1] |
| Edited by | Lee Young-lim[1] |
| Music by | Lee Min-whee[1] |
Production company | BREATHE FILM |
| Distributed by | MOVement[2] |
Release date |
|
Running time | 108 minutes |
| Country | South Korea |
| Language | Korean |
A Haunting Hitchhike (Korean: 히치하이크; RR: Hichihaikeu) is a 2019 South Korean drama film directed and written by Jeong Hee-jae.[3] The film starring Roh Jeong-eui, Park Hee-soon, and Kim Go-eun is about a 16-year-old, Jeong-ae sets out to find the mother who abandoned her and to fulfill her desire to be part of a family in the home of a man suspected of being her friend's biological father.
The film premiered in Busan International Film Festival in 2017 and was selected for the main competition section of the 43rd Seoul Independent Film Festival.[4]
It was released in theaters on March 14, 2019.
Synopsis
Sixteen-year-old Jeong-ae lives with her terminally ill father in a redevelopment area of Seoul. Having abandoned treatment, he tells her that life becomes easier when one stops trying to survive, but Jeong-ae refuses to accept his outlook and struggles to endure their hardships.
A letter arrives from the mother who left her long ago, and Jeong-ae believes that finding this long-lost mother may be her last hope. She sets out on a journey to contact her. Along the way, she meets a man she suspects may be her friend, Hyo-jeong's biological father and stays briefly at his home. Drawn to the warmth and security he offers, she realizes how deeply she longs for a protective father figure, something absent in her own life.
Cast
Main
- Roh Jeong-eui as Yoon Jeong-ae
- Park Hee-soon as Kim Hyun-woong
- Kim Go-eun as Im Hyo-jeong
Supporting
- Kim Hak-sun as Yoon Young-ho[5]
- Joo Hae-eun as Jung-eun[2]
- Lee Seung-yeon as Young-ok[2]
- Ryu Seong-rok as Soo-wan[2]
- Lee Ja-ram as Seok-jeong[2]
Release
The film debuted in the Korean Cinema Today-Vision section at 22nd Busan International Film Festival in 2017.[6]
The film was invited at 14th Eurasia International Film Festival and received the Special Jury Prize, becoming the first Korean movie to receive an award from this film festival.[7]
Box office
The film was released in theaters on March 14, 2019.[8]
Awards and nominations
| Award ceremony | Year | Category | Nominee | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seoul International Women's Film Festival | 2015 | Audience Award | A Haunting Hitchhike | Won | [9] |
| Lotte Creative Contest | 2017 | Grand Prize | A Haunting Hitchhike | Won | [10] |
| Eurasia International Film Festival | 2018 | Special Jury Prize | A Haunting Hitchhike | Won | [11] |
References
- ^ a b c d "A Haunting Hitchhike". Seoul Independent Film Festival. Retrieved December 9, 2025.
- ^ a b c d e "히치하이크 (A Haunting Hitchhike)". Korean Film Council. Retrieved December 9, 2025.
- ^ Lee Na-kyung (June 14, 2019). "[히든픽처스] <히치하이크> 정희재 감독, "첫 장면과 마지막 장면이 닿아 있다는 느낌"" [[Hidden Pictures] Director Jeong Hee-jae of <A Haunting Hitchhike>, "It feels like the first scene and the last scene are touching"]. Cine21 (in Korean). Retrieved January 17, 2026.
- ^ Sang-wook Cheon (November 10, 2017). "[ET-ENT 영화] 서울독립영화제(07) '히치하이크' 누군가 내 삶의 길 위에서 나를 데려가 준다면" [[ET-ENT Film] Seoul Independent Film Festival (07) 'A Haunting Hitchhike': If someone were to take me along the road of my life]. Live Biz Today (in Korean). Retrieved January 17, 2026.
- ^ Bok-hyeon Lee (March 8, 2019). "'히치하이크' 김학선 "시나리오도 한 번에 잘 읽히고 정서가 너무 좋았다"" [Kim Hak-sun of "A Haunting Hitchhike": "The script was easy to read in one go and the emotional tone was very good"]. NSP News Agency (in Korean). Retrieved January 17, 2026.
- ^ Shin Won-seon (September 12, 2017). "부국제, 韓 영화 대거 상영…신인·중견 감독과의 조화" [Busan International Film Festival, a large number of Korean films screened… harmony between rookie and mid-career directors]. Metro Seoul (in Korean). Retrieved January 17, 2026.
- ^ Kim Ju-hong (July 23, 2018). "'히치하이크' 한국영화 최초 제14회 유라시아 국제영화제 수상" [['A Haunting Hitchhike' Becomes the First Korean Film to Win the 14th Eurasia International Film Festival]]. Asia Today (in Korean). Retrieved January 17, 2026.
- ^ Park Ji-hye (February 27, 2019). "'히치하이크', 3월 14일 개봉 확정" ['A Haunting Hitchhike' confirmed for release on March 14]. Incheon News (in Korean). Retrieved January 17, 2026.
- ^ Seong-hyeon Kim (June 5, 2015). "서울국제여성영화제, 8일간의 축제 마무리…수상작 '총정리'" [Seoul International Women’s Film Festival wraps up eight-day celebration… complete roundup of award-winning films]. MBN Star (in Korean). Retrieved January 17, 2026.
- ^ Bong-seok Son (December 19, 2017). "노정의 주연 '히치하이크' 롯데크리에이티브 공모전 대상" [Roh Jeong-eui–starring 'A Haunting Hitchhike' wins grand prize at the Lotte Creative Contest]. Sports Kyunghyang (in Korean). Retrieved January 17, 2026.
- ^ Pierce Conran (July 23, 2018). "Special Jury Prize for A HAUNTING HITCHHIKE at Eurasia IFF" [Special Jury Prize for A Haunting Hitchhike at Eurasia IFF]. KOFIC. Retrieved January 17, 2026.