The Dude in Me
A gangster and a student swap bodies in a 2019 Korean comedy.
The Dude In Me (Korean: 내안의 그놈; RR: Naeanui geunom) is a 2019 South Korean fantasy comedy film directed by Kang Hyo-jin. The film stars Jung Jin-young, Park Sung-woong, and Ra Mi-ran, and was released on January 9, 2019.
- release_date
- January 9, 2019
- country
- South Korea
- genre
- Fantasy comedy
- director
- Kang Hyo-jin
- main_cast
- Jung Jin-young, Park Sung-woong, Ra Mi-ran
- box_office
- Surpassed 1.6 million viewers in 12 days
Lore & Background
The film follows Jang Pan-soo, a well-known elite gangster married to his boss's daughter, who switches bodies with a bullied high school student, Kim Dong-hyun, after a fall. Pan-soo wakes up in Dong-hyun's body and must navigate school life, fighting back against bullies and discovering that a classmate, Oh Hyun-jung, is his daughter from a past relationship with his ex-girlfriend Oh Mi-sun. Meanwhile, his loyal subordinate Man Chul guards his unconscious original body and helps gather intel on gang activities.
Reader's Guide
The Dude In Me is significant as a commercially successful South Korean fantasy comedy that blends body-swap tropes with family drama and gangster elements. It achieved strong box office performance, ranking second in its opening weekend and surpassing 1 million ticket sales by its eighth day. The film's narrative explores themes of identity, redemption, and fatherhood, as the gangster protagonist uses his second chance to protect his daughter and reconcile with his past. Its international release in Japan, Taiwan, Indonesia, and Vietnam extended its reach beyond South Korea.
Did You Know?
- The film surpassed 1 million ticket sales on the eighth day after release.
- It passed the break-even point of 1.5 million viewers within 12 days.
- A press conference for the film was held on December 26, 2018.
- The film was released internationally in Japan, Taiwan, Indonesia, and Vietnam.
More in Films about body swapping 1-24
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