Horror, animation and the latest from Berlinale award-winner Hong Sangsoo are among the titles being presented by South Korean sellers at EFM.
Festival
The Day She Returns
Dir. Hong Sangsoo
Berlinale regular Hong returns with the story of a woman who has shot an indie film and gives three interviews about the project. Later, in her acting class, she is asked to re-enact the conversations but is unable to recall them. The cast is led by Song Sunmi, Cho Yunhee and Park Miso. It is Hong’s 34th feature and 13th to be invited to Berlin, where it world premieres in Panorama. Eight of the director’s films have vied for the Golden Bear, including prizewinners The Woman Who Ran (2020), Introduction (2021) and The Novelist’s Film (2022). The Day She Returns is produced by Jeonwonsa Film.
Contact: Finecut
En Route To
Dir. Yoo Jaein
Set at an all-girls boarding school, this drama follows a student who falls pregnant after having an affair with her married teacher, and seeks out illegal abortion pills when he disappears. The cast is led by newcomer Sim Su-bin alongside Lee Ji-won of the Hitman franchise and Jang Sun (Concerning My Daughter). En Route To premiered in Busan, where Lee won best actress, and plays here in Generation 14plus. It marks the feature directorial debut of Yoo, who also wrote the screenplay, and is her Korean Academy of Film Arts graduation project.
Contact: Hive Filmworks
My Name
Dir. Chung Ji-young
A mother and son face past and present trauma in the latest drama from acclaimed Korean director Chung (National Security, Unbowed). Yeom Hye-ran, seen most recently in Park Chan-wook’s No Other Choice, plays a mother dealing with memories of the Jeju Uprising of April 3, 1948. Shin Woo-bin stars as her high-school son, teased for his feminine name. Produced by Let’s Films, Aura Pictures and co-producer M83, it world premieres here in Forum. A local release is planned for Q2 this year.
Contact: M-Line Distribution
Market
The Assassin(s)
Dir. Hur Jin-ho
Set in 1974, this thriller revolves around the attempted assassination of Korean president Park Chung-hee. It follows a detective who witnesses the attack, a newspaper editor whose coverage is suppressed and a rookie reporter — each attempts to uncover the truth behind the event. Yoo Hae-jin (Exhuma), Park Hae-il (Decision To Leave) and Lee Min-Ho (Pachinko) lead the starry cast. Veteran director Hur’s most recent film was A Normal Family, which premiered at Toronto in 2023. Set for release later this year, The Assassin(s) is produced by Hive Media Corp, the studio behind hits 12.12: The Day and Harbin.
Contact: KT Studio Genie intlsales@kt.com
Canvas Of Blood
Dir. Jang Hoon
This 15th-century period drama follows royal brothers Prince Suyang and Prince Anpyeong, who clash over the throne. The lead roles are taken by Park Bo-gum of Netflix series When Life Gives You Tangerines and Kim Nam-gil of Netflix series Trigger and feature Nocturnal. Director Jang is known for A Taxi Driver, Korea’s biggest box-office hit of 2017 and the country’s Oscar submission. Produced by Doodoong Pictures, Canvas Of Blood is in post-production.
Contact: Plus M Entertainment
The Eyes
Dir. Yeom Ji-ho
This psychological thriller follows a woman, devastated by the mysterious death of her twin sister, whose sight begins to fade as she feels a sinister presence around her. The film is a remake of Julia’s Eyes, Guillem Morales’s Spanish film from 2010 that was produced by Guillermo del Toro. The Korean version stars Shin Min-a (hit TV series Our Blues) and Kim Nam-hee (Sweet Home). Set for release in Q2, The Eyes is presented and distributed by BY4M Studio, known for box-office successes The Firefighters and Noise.
Contact: K-Movie Entertainment
The King’s Warden
Dir. Chang Hang-jun
Set in 1457 during the Joseon Dynasty, this tells the story of a village chief who welcomes the deposed teenage King Danjong into his remote mountain valley, unaware of the political turmoil and danger to follow. It stars Yoo Hae-jin (Exhuma), Park Ji-hoon and Yoo Ji-tae. The drama has proved a major local hit, leading the box office when it opened on February 4 and earning nearly $5m on its opening weekend. Director Chang is known for sports drama Rebound, which won an audience award at Udine’s Far East Film Festival in 2023.
Contact: Showbox
Long Long Night
Dir. Youm Kyu-bock
This 3D animated drama follows the last rhino of his kind, who forms an unlikely bond with a penguin born from an abandoned egg as they journey together towards the ocean. Long Long Night is based on an award-winning 2020 Korean novel by Ru Ri, which has also been adapted into a stage musical. The film marks the feature debut of director Youm and production is underway by Googgoog and Studio Eon.
Contact: Finecut
Salmokji: Whispering Water
Dir. Lee Sang-min
After a mysterious figure is captured in an online street-view image of a remote reservoir, a crew is sent to take a clearer picture. But as they investigate, a sinister presence begins to surface. Marking the feature debut of director Lee, the cast is led by Kim Hye-yoon (Lovely Runner) and Lee Jong-won (Brewing Love). It is produced by The Lamp, whose credits include box-office hit A Taxi Driver and Lee Jong-pil’s Escape. A local release is set for April 8.
Contact: Showbox
Samakdo
Dir. Chae Ki-jun
When a team of investigative reporters probe a cult known as ‘Samdo’ and the historical facts behind it, they become entangled in a series of bizarre phenomena. The occult horror stars Cho Yun Seo, Kwak Si-yang (You Will Die In 6 Hours) and Yang Ju-ho. Director Chae previously directed 2020 action drama Six Ball. A local release is planned for March 11 through The Contents On.
Contact: Redice Entertainment
The Second Child
Dir. Yu Eun-jeong
A girl awakens after three years in a coma, and begins to see her dead sister asking for help. It leads their mother to search for the truth as a centuries-old family curse is revealed. This horror mystery marks the second feature of director Yu after 2018’s Ghost Walk and premiered in Competition at Busan. The cast is led by Lim Soo-jung (Cobweb), Park Soi (The Atypical Family) and Yuna (Dark Nuns). It is produced by Film Run and a release is planned this year.
Contact: Contents Panda
The Sword: Rebirth Of The Red Wolf
Dir. Kim Han-min
This historical action epic is set after the fall of Goguryeo, one of the three ancient kingdoms of Korea. It follows a man who loses his memory, becomes a slave and enters a brutal gladiator tournament centred around a legendary sword. Director Kim is known for blockbuster epics The Admiral: Roaring Currents and Hansan: Rising Dragon. The cast is led by Park Bo-gum (When Life Gives You Tangerines), Joo Won (Firefighters), Lee Sun-bin (Noise) and Kim Hyoung-seo (Gangnam B-Side). Filming is set to begin in March, targeting a summer 2027 release.
Contact: Redice Entertainment
The Ultimate Duo
Dir. Park Chul-hwan
A down-on-his-luck rural detective teams up with his social-media savvy rookie partner to solve a murder case, leading them to Seoul. The cast is led by Bae Seong-woo and Jung Ga-ram, both stars of acclaimed 2020 crime drama Beasts Clawing At Straws; and Esom, whose credits include Escape and Kill Boksoon. The feature-directing debut of Park, known for TV series Blood Free and Grid, is produced by Generation Blue Films. It is in post ahead of a release in Q2.
Contact: Contents Panda
No comments yet