1 / 8
RUNTIME
Did you know
Tight 79-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.
MoodPlayr · trivia#01
The Day He Arrives
2011 1h 19m KO
👍
6.9
SOLID
★6.9TMDB · 85
Drama
Synopsis
Spoiler shield
A film director who no longer makes films arrives in Seoul to meet a close friend. When the friend doesn't show up, he wanders the city aimlessly for three days, grabbing drinks and meeting women, with each day playing out like a version of the last.
“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”
Cast
Yu Jun-sang
Sungjoon
Kim Sang-joong
Youngho
Song Seon-mi
Boram
Kim Bo-kyung
Kyungjin / Yejeon
Kim Eui-sung
Joongwon
Park Su-min
Actress
Baek Jong-hak
Director
Ki Joo-bong
Producer
Credits
Behind the camera
- Director
- Hong Sang-soo
- Writers
- Hong Sang-soo
- Languages
- Korean
- Countries
- South Korea
Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.
Did you know?
Fun facts 🍿
2 / 8
ERA
Did you know
Released 15 years ago.
MoodPlayr · trivia#02
3 / 8
RUNTIME
Did you know
Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
MoodPlayr · trivia#03
4 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Directed by Hong Sang-soo, shot by Kim Hyung-koo. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
MoodPlayr · trivia#04
5 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Original score by Jeong Yong-jin. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
MoodPlayr · trivia#05
6 / 8
AWARDS
Did you know
Editor Hahm Sung-won shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
MoodPlayr · trivia#06
7 / 8
CAST
Did you know
Yu Jun-sang and Kim Sang-joong and Song Seon-mi carry the top of the cast.
MoodPlayr · trivia#07
8 / 8
WILD
Did you know
IMDB entry: tt1922561 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
MoodPlayr · trivia#08
Cinephile deep dive
The take
Hong Sang-soo directs. Kim Hyung-koo behind the camera. Jeong Yong-jin scores. Hahm Sung-won cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in South Korea. Dialogue in Korean.
Trivia
Things worth knowing
- 1Tight 79-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.
- 2Released 15 years ago.
- 3Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
- 4Directed by Hong Sang-soo, shot by Kim Hyung-koo. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
- 5Original score by Jeong Yong-jin. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
- 6Editor Hahm Sung-won shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
- 7Yu Jun-sang and Kim Sang-joong and Song Seon-mi carry the top of the cast.
- 8IMDB entry: tt1922561 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
- 9Only 85 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.
The technical file
- Cinematography
- Kim Hyung-koo
- Original score
- Jeong Yong-jin
- Editing
- Hahm Sung-won
- Runtime
- 79 min · 1h 19m
- Status
- Released
- Box office
- $11,819
- Original language
- KO
Also by
Hong Sang-soo
Trailers & featurettes
Watch the pieces
Production companies
Who made it
Jeonwonsa Film
KR
Key crew
- EditorHahm Sung-won
- Still PhotographerKim Jin-yeong
- Assistant DirectorJeong Seokhee
- ProducerHong Sang-soo
- ProducerKim Cho-hee
- SoundKim Mir
- Lighting DirectorLee Eui-haeng
- Recording SupervisionSong Ye-jin
- EditorSon Yeon-ji
- Camera OperatorKim Tae-soo
Themes & keywords
What it's about, really
- professor
- film director
- seoul, south korea
Release history · US
When it landed
- Premiere2012-04-19· Wisconsin Film Festival
- Premiere2012-04-23· San Francisco International Film Festival
- Theatrical2012-04-20
Also known as
International titles
- The Day He ArrivesSE
- The Day He ArrivesAR
- The Day He Arrives (Matins calmes à Séoul)FR
- Book chon bang hyangKR
- Bukchon BanghyangKR
- 他來的那天HK
- 北村方向CN
- O Dia em que Ele ChegarBR
- День, когда он пришёлRU
