Korean sales agent, Finecut sealed several deals for titles in its current lineup during last month’s Hong Kong International Film & TV Market (FILMART). Among the titles that found favor with foreign distributors were LEE Su-jin’s thriller Idol, the LEE Si-young-fronted action-thriller No Mercy and the hit comedy The Dude in Me.
The sophomore film of HAN Gong-ju (2014) director LEE Su-jin, Idol debuted in the Panorama lineup of this year Berlin International Film Festival and stars SUL Kyung-gu (Cold Eyes, 2013) and HAN Suk-kyu (The Berlin File, 2013) as fathers who go head to head when their sons are involved in a terrible accident, while CHUN Woo-hee (THE WAILING, 2016) plays the woman who may hold the key to the mystery. The film, which was distributed by CGV Arthouse in Korea, was picked up by New Select for Japan and Apex Success Global for the Taiwanese market.
From director LIM Kyoung-tack, No Mercy features LEE Si-young (How to Use Guys with Secret Tips, 2013) as a woman who goes after the people who abused her sister. The film was picked up by AV-Jet (Taiwan), Borsalino (Latin America), Busch Media (German-speaking Europe) and Culture Entertainment (Japan).
Meanwhile the surprise January hit The Dude in Me, about a mob boss and a high school student, played by PARK Sung-woong of The Great Battle (2018) and K-pop band B1A4 member Jin-young (Miss Granny, 2014), who wind up in each other’s bodies, was sold to 815 Pictures (USA), Cai Chang (Taiwan), Hark & Company (Japan), Sonamu Cine House (Indonesia) and Viva Communications (the Philippines). The film comes from director KANG Hyo-jin (Wonderful Nightmare, 2015).
Contributor: Pierce Conran