Mug Travel

{{Infobox film

| name = Mug Travel

| image = Mug Travel film poster.jpg

| caption = Theatrical poster

| director = Lim Ah-ron

| producer = Christopher Gypte
Angi Dyste

| writer = Mark Lawson

| screenplay =

| story =

| based_on = Bernard

| starring = Marie Fagundo
Sly Johnson
Stephan Hudges

| narrator =

| music = John Powell
Theme by:Bruce Broughton

| cinematography = Nicky Hinkley

| editing = Lee Phillips
Jonathan Birkett
David Barry
Simon Cruse

| studio = RG Animation Studios

| distributor = CJ-CGV
Phase 4 Films (United States and Canada)

| released = {{Film date|df=y|2007|03|22}}

| runtime = 76 minutes

| country = South Korea

| language = Korean

| budget =

| gross = $608,835

}}

Mug Travel ({{Korean/auto|hangul=^빼꼼의 머그잔 여행|rr=yes}}), known as My Friend Bernard in English, is a 2007 South Korean computer-animated film, directed by Lim Ah-ron and based on his animated TV series, Bernard.

Plot

A little girl named Bebe (known as Sam in the English version), all alone on Christmas Eve, is given a magical pendant from Santa Claus and embarks on a fantastical adventure. Travelling in a mug with the power of teleportation, Bebe explores a variety of exotic locations from the desert to the North Pole, accompanied by a host of characters including Backkom the polar bear (Bernard in the English version) and Kongkong the penguin (Lloyd in the English version), Bebe and her friends go on a series of adventures through an Arctic tundra and a desert oasis. During this trip they encounter a variety of challenges, including a sea monster, a skiing adventure, and an ominous cave.

Production

Produced by RG Animation Studios and directed by Lim Ah-ron, Mug Travel is a feature film adaptation of Lim's computer-animated TV series Backkom.{{Cite web |title=Aaron Lim a recognized animator|url=https://variety.com/2007/film/markets-festivals/aaron-lim-a-recognized-animator-1117971111/ |date=2007-08-30 |access-date=2022-07-20 |website=Variety |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024022909/http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117971111?refCatId=13 |archive-date=24 October 2012 |url-status=live}}Bynum, Aaron H. "[http://www.animationinsider.net/article.php?articleID=1320 Korea's 'Mug Travel' Wins at Bimini Animation Festival]". Animation Insider, 4 April 2007. Retrieved on 21 November 2008. The film and TV series were made at the same time on a combined budget of $5.9 million, after Lim noticed a gap in the market for shows aimed at preschool children.Paquet, darcy. "[https://www.variety.com/article/VR1117971111.html?categoryid=13&cs=1 Aaron Lim a recognized animator]". Variety, 30 August 2007. Retrieved on 21 November 2008.

Release

Mug Travel was released in South Korea on 22 March 2007,"[http://www.koreanfilm.org/films2007.html#boxoffice Box-Office Admission Results]" (2007). Koreanfilm.org. Retrieved on 20 November 2008. and was ranked eighth at the Korean box office on its opening weekend with 48,244 admissions."[http://www.hancinema.net/korean_boxoffice.php?weekend=2007.03.23+%7E+2007.03.25&title=HanCinema+News&email=&uri=hancinema%2FAUJj&loc=en_US Korean Box Office]" (Week-end 2007.03.23 ~ 2007.03.25). HanCinema. Retrieved on 20 November 2008. Over the course of its theatrical run, the film accumulated a total of 135,261 admissions nationwide, and grossed $608,835."[https://www.boxofficemojo.com/intl/korea/yearly/?yr=2007&sort=gross&order=DESC&pagenum=2&p=.htm South Korea Yearly Box Office]" (2007). Box Office Mojo. Retrieved on 20 November 2008.

Mug Travel was screened at the Fifth Bimini Animation Festival, held in Latvia in March 2007, where it was the winner of "The Best Film for Children" award. It was subsequently selected to participate in the non-competition category at the Brussels International Festival of Fantastic Film, which ran from 5–17 April 2007 in Belgium.D'Sa, Nigel. "[http://www.koreanfilm.or.kr/KOFIC/Channel/?Gesimul_SNO=614&Gesipan_SCD=1&searchPage=1&task=kofic.user.eng.b_filmnews.command.NewsView1Cmd Fantastic Invites 2 Korean Films]". Korean Film Council, 20 March 2007. Retrieved on 21 November 2008.