EXCLUSIVE: South Korea’s CJ 4DPlex is expanding its sales focus from concert films and music documentaries to narrative features, kicking off at Filmart with upcoming action comedy Ok! Madam: Bon Voyage.
CJ 4DPlex, a division of the CJ Group, has previously handled a sales slate comprising concert-driven films featuring global acts such as Japan’s One Ok Rock, South Korea’s Enhyphen and US rockers Linkin Park.
After building a worldwide sales network, the banner is now aiming to assemble a slate of around 25 titles per year that will include fiction features.
The first is OK! Madam: Bon Voyage, a sequel to hit 2020 feature Oh! Madam, which reunites director Lee Cheol-ha with star Uhm Jung-hwa, who plays lead character Mi-young. Further cast returning from the original include Park Sung-woong, Lee Sang-yun and Bae Jung-nam.
Set six years after the Hawaii airplane hijacking incident of the first film, Mi-young’s life is weighed down by her rebellious teenage daughter Nari, her unemployed husband Seok-hwan (Park), and her struggling twisted-doughnut store. One day, Hyun-min (Bae), a flight attendant she met during the hijack, visits and invites her family to his wedding on a luxury cruise ship. Excited, she suggests a family trip but after a cold response Mi-young decides to board the cruise alone.
However, despite initially enjoying her long-awaited freedom at sea, armed assailants seize the ship on the eve of the wedding. To make matters worse, her husband and daughter are kidnapped and brought to the boat as Mi-young realises she is being targeted. Under siege, she teams up with charming magician Ji-hoon (Ryeo-Un) to fight back and save both her family and the passengers.
Seoul-based production company OAL is in post-production on the feature ahead of an anticipated Q3 release.
CJ 4DPlex is primarily known as distributor and leading producer of immersive film formats and cinema technologies, such as ScreenX, which extends the film image along the side walls of the theatre, and 4DX, which features motion seats and environmental effects.
June Lee, head of international sales at CJ 4DPlex, said: “We initially started with concert films because they worked particularly well with the formats we have — 4DX and ScreenX. Through those projects, we were able to build strong relationships with theatre partners around the world, which eventually became the foundation of our global exhibition network. As that network expanded, we also began developing relationships with distributors, and naturally our filmography started to diversify.
“Today, we are moving beyond purely concert-driven content. Our focus is now on acquiring films that not only make full use of our premium formats but can also benefit from our global sales network. During this process, [leading exhibitor CJ] CGV decided to resume its investment activities, and that led to CJ 4DPlex becoming involved OK! Madam: Bon Voyage.
“But we are not limiting ourselves to Korean films. If a project fits well with our formats, we are open to exploring it regardless of genre or origin. Our goal is not only to utilise premium formats but also to contribute to the theatrical ecosystem by creating a virtuous cycle of investment, distribution, and exhibition.
“What differentiates us from traditional sales companies is that our distribution model is format-driven. Because our titles are designed with premium formats in mind, we have greater flexibility across genres and are able to assemble a diverse lineup relatively quickly. We intend to continue expanding this approach in the years ahead.
“Ultimately, our goal goes beyond simply operating PLF (premium large formats). We want to bring more films that are truly optimised for PLF to audiences worldwide. Those films may come from Korea, or they may be international projects. What matters most is delivering a new kind of theatrical experience by combining our formats with our global network.
“This summer, together with CGV, we are excited to kick off that journey with OK! Madam: Bon Voyage.”
The CJ Group also includes CJ CGV, the fifth-largest theatre chain in the world, and CJ ENM, the leading financier and distributor of Bong Joon Ho’s Oscar-winner Parasite.
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