Korean Directors’ Overseas Triumph: Park Chan Wook and Bong Joon Ho’s Unstoppable Legacy

The reason why Park Chan Wook and Bong Joon Ho continue to be mentioned even though they haven’t released any new films

There is a name that is being mentioned the most in the Korean film industry, even though they haven’t released any new films. That name is Director Park Chan Wook and Director Bong Joon Ho. The activities of these two directors, who have played a solid role in the Korean film industry, are the topic of discussion. Director Park Chan Wook demonstrates the power of a masterpiece by successfully re-releasing Oldboy in the United States 20 years after its original release. Additionally, the upcoming works of directors who have worked under these two directors or are making their directorial debuts are attracting attention.

● More popular than 20 years ago? Re-release success in North America

Director Park Chan Wook’s representative work, Oldboy (2003), was re-released in 250 theaters in North America on the 16th (local time). It earned $14,433,140 until the 27th, nearly double the revenue ($707,481) made when it was first released in 2005.

The U.S. entertainment media Deadline stated, “It is very rare for a re-release to surpass $1 million,” The Atlantic, a weekly news magazine, praised the film, saying, “Even after 20 years, its ability to surprise audiences has not changed at all.”

On the 21st, a special screening of Oldboy was held at KT&G Sangsangmadang Cinema in Mapo-gu, Seoul, with director Park Chan Wook and lead actors Choi Min Sik and Yoo Ji Tae in attendance to celebrate the film’s 20th anniversary.

Director Park Chan Wook said, “It’s hard to believe that 20 years have passed.” Choi Min Sik said, “It feels like I dreamed of how the past 20 years went by.” Yoo Ji Tae commented, “When I filmed ‘Oldboy,’ I was 29. It’s fascinating to show the film and meet the audience 20 years later.”

From May 21st to November 21st, KT&G Sangsangmadang Cinema is screening Oldboy on the 21st of every month.

● Notable “Park-Bong Kids”

One of the reasons why the names of directors Park Chan Wook and Bong Joon Ho continue to be mentioned is because their disciples are also presenting their works.

Director Um Tae Hwa, who directed Concrete Utopia, which has been watched by over 3.37 million viewers so far, worked as an assistant director on Park Chan Wook’s Three… Extremes (2004) and Lady Vengeance (2005) before serving as an associate director on Night Fishing (2011).

Director Yoo Jae Sun, whose film Sleep will be released on September 6th, worked as an assistant director on Bong Joon Ho’s Okja (2017) and collaborated with Bong Joon Ho on the film for over two years, from pre-production to interpretation.

Director Kim Sung Sik, whose film DR. CHEON AND LOST TALISMAN has been confirmed for release during the Chuseok holiday, served as an assistant director on Bong Joon Ho’s Parasite (2019) and Park Chan Wook’s Decision to Leave (2022). Director Yoo Jae Sun and Director Kim Sung Sik are debuting with this film.

The activities of these successors following in the footsteps of their “masters” are even more dazzling, attracting attention.

Director Um Tae Hwa’s Concrete Utopia has been selected as Korea’s entry for the Best International Feature Film category at the 96th Academy Awards, which will be held in March next year. Last year, Park Chan Wook’s Decision to Leave was the entry. Director Um, who has taken over from Director Park, will now represent Korean cinema. On the 4th, Director Park attended a GV (audience dialogue) for Concrete Utopia and said, “It can be said that the film is pure and simple because there are no tricks or gimmicks.”

Director Yoo Jae Sun’s Sleep was invited to the Critics’ Week at the 76th Cannes Film Festival in May. Bong Joon Ho recommended the script to the lead actors, Lee Sun Kyun and Jeong Yu Mi, and actively supported the film. Bong Joon Ho also attended a GV on the 26th and praised the film, saying, “When a rookie director debuts, there are usually many hurdles and difficulties, but in such a situation, I felt that a ‘small but solid, jewel-like film’ was made.”

● Park Chan Wook and Bong Joon Ho’s following works with Hollywood actors

There is also interest in the following works of directors Park Chan Wook and Bong Joon Ho, as both directors will work with Hollywood actors.

Park Chan Wook is currently involved in the post-production of the HBO original series The Sympathizer and is also participating in the production and screenplay writing of the Netflix original film Jeon, Ran (directed by Kim Sang Man). The Sympathizer is an adaptation of Vietnamese-American writer Viet Thanh Nguyen’s novel of the same name, which won the Pulitzer Prize in 2016.

The novel depicts the story of a protagonist born to a French Catholic priest and a Vietnamese mother, living as a double agent. Director Park Chan Wook oversees The Sympathizer’s screenplay and overall production and will direct the first three episodes out of seven.

Robert Downey Jr., famous for Iron Man, and Korean-Canadian actress Sandra Oh will appear in the film. It has been revealed that Robert Downey Jr. will play five different characters in this film. Jeon, Ran, featuring Kang Dong Won, Park Jung Min, and Cha Seung Won, has attracted attention as the first collaboration between director Park Chan Wook and Netflix.

Bong Joon Ho’s next work, Mickey 17, will be released on March 29th next year.

Based on the science fiction novel Mickey 7 by Edward Ashton, published in February last year, Mickey 17 tells the story of cloned humans pioneering an unknown planet.

Filming started in the UK in August last year and ended in December. The film features Robert Pattinson, Toni Collette, Mark Ruffalo, Naomi Ackie, and Steven Yeun, among others.