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Fantasy SF WONDERLAND in Talks for Partial Netflix Launch
Star-Studded Blockbuster May Launch Online Outside of Korea and China
Following the recent rumors that the SF blockbuster SPACE SWEEPERS has been in talks for a Netflix launch, news sites light up again when reports surfaced that WONDERLAND (literal title) another big-budget Korean sci-fi, was also mulling a move to the global streaming platform.
Unlike recent Korean theatrical-to-online pivots such as Time to Hunt and CALL, the rumored plan for WONDERLAND is to launch in the second half of 2021 on Netflix everywhere except Korea, where the film will screen theatrically, and China, where Netflix isn’t active. This would mirror the path for the recent zombie hit #ALIVE, which had a successful theatrical release in Korea before later platforming worldwide on Netflix. Shortly after initial reports surfaced, Netflix Korea confirmed that talks had been taking place but urged nothing had been settled.
WONDERLAND is the first feature film from acclaimed director KIM Tae-yong in ten years, following his US-Korea co-production Late Autumn (2011). The film sees him reunite with his Late Autumn (2011) star TANG Wei and also features PARK Bo-gum (Coin Locker Girl, 2015), JUNG Yu-mi (KIM JI-YOUNG, BORN 1982, 2019), GONG Yoo (TRAIN TO BUSAN, 2016), CHOI Woo-shik (PARASITE, 2019) and BAE Suzy (ASHFALL, 2019). The bulk of filming wrapped up in late September, while TANG’s portions are still to be shot in January. Meanwhile the project is currently in post-production.
KIM’s film focuses on a place called ‘Wonderland’ which has developed a technology that can reunite people with their loved ones through a special simulation. CHOI and JUNG play mediators in the facility, while GONG is a widow who wants to meet his wife (TANG) again and BAE plays a young woman who wants to communicate with her comatose boyfriend (PARK).
