Anything Korean has become a thing here in the Philippines.
They first captured our attention with their romantic comedy K-dramas from ‘Full House’ to their epic historical series like ‘Jewel in the Palace,’ Filipinos were addicted to Korean dramas back then even if they were shown late night.
But now, the ever evolving landscape of media has exposed us to more Korean contents and with the easier access to more contents, we can go from searching a series to the actor and to his or her previous projects so we can add to our watchlist.
This year, there’s a Filipino-made family drama with a Korean touch, Mujigae 무지개 (Korean for “rainbow”) that is set to hit theaters nationwide starting October 9 as an SM Cinema exclusive.
The film follows the story of a vibrant five-year-old orphan named Mujigae, portrayed by rising child star Ryrie Sophia, who finds an unlikely mother figure in her estranged aunt, Sunny, played by Kapamilya actress Alexa Ilacad. It is also headlined by Korean actor Kim Ji-soo, who is now part of GMA’s Sparkle roster.
Kapuso comedienne Rufa Mae Quinto has a special participation in this latest offering from UxS (Unitel x Straightshooters). Directed by Randolph Longjas and written by Mark Raywin Tome, the film also stars Richard Quan, Kate Alejandrino, Donna Cariage, Cai Cortez, Roli Inocencio, Anna Luna, Lui Manansala, Peewee O’Hara.
During the media conference, we asked Mujigae lead actress Alexa Ilacad if she was a fan of Korean dramas and how it inspired her to portray her character in the film.
“I think kung meron man na major fan (of K-dramas), it would be my mom and nadadamay ako sa kanya during the pandemic, she would non-stop watching K-drama movies or series. Actually my favorite one, and medyo naka-relate din with me in doing this film is ‘Hi Bye, Mama!’ It’s one of my favorite K-dramas, sobrang na-touch ako. Parang ‘yun ‘yung nakita ko na na-inspire ako because I have to show, in some way, the love of a mother but as a tita, tita version. So, naka-work ko naman si Kim Ji Soo, so I was like feeling ko parang nasa K-drama din ako,” Alexa answers.
Here’s the synopsis:
After losing her Filipino mother in South Korea, 5-year-old Mujigae—half-Korean, half-Filipino—finds herself in the care of her estranged Aunt Sunny in the Philippines. As they navigate this unexpected journey, they confront grief, unravel cultural complexities, and discover the transformative power of family and community.
Through their poignant exploration, Mujigae learns to embrace change through courage and resilience, finding her place in the world with a strong chance at life.
‘Mujigae’ is directed by Randolph Longjas who also directed the comedy film ‘Ang Turkey Man ay Pabo Rin’ and the heartwarming and award-winning family film ‘Star na Si Van Damme Stallone.’
Watch Mujigae in SM Cinemas nationwide starting October 9.
Watch the trailer below: