The Korean remake of the globally successful film “The Intern” has finalized its cast, featuring top actors Choi Min-sik and Han So-hee, and officially began filming Monday, production companies Warner Bros. Korea and Anthology Studios said.

The film is a localized adaptation of the 2015 Hollywood hit “The Intern,” which starred Robert De Niro and Anne Hathaway.

The Korean version, tentatively titled “Intern,” tells the story of Seon-woo (Han So-hee), the passionate CEO of a fashion company, who hires retiree Gi-ho (Choi Min-sik) as an intern; his wealth of life experience leads to an unexpected and meaningful workplace relationship.

The production companies said the remake will be directed by director Kim Do-young and will also include actors Kim Kum-soon, Kim Jun-han, Ryu Hye-young and Kim Yo-han.

Choi, arguably one of Korea's most famous actors, will portray a retiree who takes the internship to start a new chapter in his life — a role expected to showcase the actor’s irreplaceable presence and deep-seated acting skills.

Han takes on the role of the charismatic CEO of a fashion company undergoing rapid growth. Though she has great passion for her work, she begins to suffer from burnout as unexpected crises erupt in various places. Gi-ho's experience and wisdom fill those gaps, allowing the two to build a friendship that transcends generations.

The film will be helmed by director Kim, who earned critical acclaim for her sensitive direction in the 2019 film “Kim Ji Young: Born 1982.”

Kim won Best New Director awards at the Baeksang Arts Awards and Chunsa Film Art Awards in 2020, and is highly regarded for her ability to combine a warm perspective with sharp insights, raising anticipation for this new project, the production companies said.

“Attention is focused on the empathetic, cross-generational narrative that the director will portray in this work,” they added.

The film is scheduled for release next year.

By Baek Byung-yeul (The Korea Times) (CLICK)