As interest of foreign companies in Korean films has increased, news about remakes continue one after another. Recently, Sony Pictures, a major studio in Hollywood, decided to remake New World. Below is the current status of remakes of Korean films.

 

On April 12th, it was announced that the contract for the remake of New World directed by PARK Hoon-jung and starring CHOI Min-shik, LEE Jung-jae and HWANG Jung-min by Sony Pictures, a major studio in Hollywood, was finalized. Hollywood’s mainstream studios including Dream Works, Warner Bros. and Paramount Pictures have expressed interest in remaking New World. Such requests started when they joined the European film market at the Berlin International Film Festival in February. Hollywood became even more active when New World was released in the States in early March.

The new script for New World will be written by Will FETTERS, who wrote Crazy for the Storm, The Lucky One and Remember Me. FETTERS also wrote A Star is Born, Clint EASTWOOD’s new film. The remake will be produced by Vertigo Entertainment, which produced The Departed, the remake version of a Hong Kong film Internal Affairs. Other films Vertigo Entertainment is working on are PARK Chan-wook’s Old Boy and NA Hong-jin’s The Chaser. A representative of NEW, the investment and distribution company of New World said, “There were opinions in Korea that New World is similar to Internal Affairs, but the fact that the production company that made the remake of Internal Affairs is going to remake New World tells that the two films are different.”

 

   

Sanford PANITCH, the president of 20th Century Fox International Production (FIP) mentioned the plan to remake The Yellow Sea at the press day for Running Man in February. According to him, Hollywood is going to remake The Yellow Sea, an action drama starring KIM Yun-seok and HA Jung-woo. He said, “They are looking for a script writer to convert the extreme Korean story to a Hollywood style story.” When The Yellow Sea was made in Korea, FIP partly invested in its production.

Running Man has also received attention for a remake although it hasn’t been decided yet. Running Man is the first Korean film that Hollywood fully invested in. PANITCH once expressed the possibility of remaking Running Man by saying, “Running Man thoroughly targets the Korean market. Making a success in Korea is the first goal but if it proves possible to succeed at other markets, we will adjust the direction.”

In November last year, there was news about a remake of Confession of Murder, an action thriller starring JUNG Jae-young. Kenneth KOKIN, producer of The Usual Suspects, a representative Hollywood thriller, attended the Film Independent Forum held at the Directors Guild of America (DGA) in Los Angeles in October, where he said to LEE Yong-hui, the producer of Confession of Murder, “It is an interesting story worth remaking.”

A Japanese studio also wants to remake Confession of Murder. A representative of Robot Production, well known as the production company of Love Letter and Bayside Shakedown, watched the film at the preview in October and said, “I like the material, settings and the concept of the film.” before he made an inquiry about remaking it. It is another case that proves that Korean films with well written scenarios and high production values can sell to foreign markets.

Ben AFFLECK, an actor and director, said something signigicant about remakes of Korean films. At an interview he had in Korea for the release of Argo, he said, “Korean films are known for their professionalism and many of them have remarkable drama.” He also said, “There must be certain reasons why there are many remakes of Korean films in Hollywood. They are all well made stories.”

 

   

What Korean films have been made again in Hollywood so far? The emotional melodrama Il Mare directed by LEE Hyeon-seung was made as The Lake House in 2007. Keanu REEVES and LEE Jung-jae shared the same role and Sandra BULLOCK replaced JUN Ji-hyun. In 2008, the remake of Into the Mirror starring YOO Ji-tae was released as Mirrors, in which Kiefer SUTHERLAND took the lead role. In the same year, the Hollywood version of My Sassy Girl starring JUN Ji-hyun and CHA Tae-hyun was released with the same title.

 

The Korean sensational horror film A Tale of Two Sisters directed by KIM Jee-woon was made in Hollywood entitled The Uninvited with Emily BROWNING, Arielle KEBBEL and Elizabeth BANKS. Copyrights for My Wife is a Gangster, Hi, Dharma!, Marrying the Mafia, Jail Breakers, My Teacher, Mr. Kim, Addicted and The Phone were sold to Hollywood. LEE, John H’s A Moment To Remember is currently being shot with Katherine HEIGL in the leading role. The remake of A Bittersweet Life directed by KIM Jee-woon will be directed by Allen HUGHES, the director of From Hell, The Book of Eli and Broken City.
 

   
International attention due to competitiveness of contents

It is notable that Hollywood decided to remake a number of PARK Chan-wook’s films including Joint Security Area, Sympathy for Lady Vengeance and Old Boy. The copyright of Sympathy for Lady Vengeance was sold to Hollywood in 2005. Charlize THERON will play the main role and co-produce the film. The script will be adapted by William MONAHAN, who wrote the scenario of The Departed. He said, “PARK Chan-wook is very gifted. I have to adopt a top-notch film and I will make it happen.”

 

Hollywood's version of Old Boy, planned to be released on October 11th, was directed by Spike LEE, who directed Do The Right Thing, Malcom X and The 25th Hour. The remake version stars Josh BROLIN, Samuel L. JACKSON and Elizabeth OLSEN. As the release date approaches, people are curious how the film with a typical Korean atmosphere will be converted to Hollywood style. A remake of Joint Security Area will be a film about the illegal immigration issue around the border between the States and Mexico.

 

After the contract for the remake of The Host with Universal Pictures was finalized in 2006, director BONG Joon-ho said, “It is okay if they change the story as they please, but I hope they make sure to let socially weak people lead the story.” This means what is important about a remake film is to find a new story without damaging the key of the original.

 

Hollywood seeks the world for new films. As the competitiveness of Korean films has risen, requests for remakes have increased as well. It is expected that more well made Korean films will be known to foreigners and gain more popularity overseas.