Actor known for dark, intense roles takes on his first workplace comedy as Kim Do-young's Chuseok tentpole readies a September 16 release

Poster of ‘Intern’ (Provided by Warner Bros. Korea)

Choi Min-sik — the actor behind some of Korean cinema's most searing performances in films like "Oldboy" and "I Saw the Devil" — is stepping into unfamiliar territory this fall: a workplace comedy. "The Intern," a Korean-language remake of the 2015 Hollywood hit that starred Robert De Niro and Anne Hathaway, opens September 16, timed to anchor the Chuseok holiday box office. Directed by Kim Do-young ("Kim Ji-young, Born 1982"), the film pairs Choi with Han So-hee, with a newly released poster contrasting the two leads' commutes to work stirring early buzz ahead of release.

The original "The Intern," written, directed, and produced by Nancy Meyers, grossed roughly $195 million worldwide against a $35 million budget, a solid commercial run for an adult-skewing comedy. The Korean version keeps the core premise intact: Han plays Seon-woo, a young CEO who has grown her fashion startup, Wootooto, into an industry dark horse in just three years, while Choi plays Gi-ho, a 37-year corporate veteran who joins her company as a "senior intern." The generational and hierarchical gap between the two anchors the story.

For Choi, the role marks a rare departure. Best known for brooding, morally complex characters in films such as "Oldboy," "Lady Vengeance," "I Saw the Devil," and "The Admiral: Roaring Currents" — Korea's highest-grossing film to date — he has spoken warmly of working opposite Han, describing her on set as "clear-headed, upbeat, and cool." Han, for her part, has built a diverse résumé spanning the melodrama "The World of the Married," the period series "Gyeongseong Creature," and the action-driven "My Name," and returns to screen work with "The Intern" after stepping back from new projects following last year's film "Project Y." The supporting cast includes Kim Jun-han, known for "Anna" and "Hospital Playlist," and Ryu Hye-young of "Reply 1988."

The remake fits a broader pattern of proven Hollywood IP being localized for Korean audiences through star casting rather than direct translation. The workplace generation gap at the heart of the story is a familiar theme across markets, suggesting the film's appeal may extend beyond domestic viewers to international audiences navigating similar shifts in office culture. It arrives as Korean film and drama both continue to draw on — and increasingly export — remake rights in both directions.

Chuseok releases are traditionally one of the clearest bellwethers for the Korean box office each year, and how "The Intern" performs will likely factor into how studios approach future Hollywood-to-Korea adaptations. Also worth watching: Han So-hee's slate beyond this release, including her confirmed role in Netflix's live-action "Solo Leveling" series, and a potential romance drama, "Heartbeat," opposite Nam Joo-hyuk that remains under discussion rather than confirmed.

Sources

• Sports Dong-a, "Back to the Office This Fall: Choi Min-sik and Han So-hee's 'The Intern' Previews Fresh Office Chemistry"

• Tenasia, "Han So-hee, Who Hit 31.6% Ratings with 'The World of the Married,' Becomes a Fashion Company CEO in 'The Intern'", 2026.08.13

• Philstar.com, "Han So Hee, Choi Min Sik Clash in 'The Intern' Korean Remake", 2026.08.05