[HanCinema's News] Remakes of foreign properties make appearance at South Korean box office

On October 16th, "A Normal Family" saw its release at the South Korean box office. As of this writing, the family drama has earned 620,673 admissions. But the origins of this project are not entirely Korean- the ethically themed story dates from a Dutch novel The Dinner, which later became a widely laued Italian film in 2015. Despite the foreign origins, "A Normal Family" has achieved a respectable following due to the apparent relevance of its social commentary.

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Other South Korean films this month have also taken inspiration from overseas projects. "Hear Me: Our Summer" is based on the Taiwanese romance film Hear Me from 2009. "Hear Me: Our Summer" has so far earned 70,998 admissions in its first two days of availability since releasing on November 6th, and has climbed to the top of the South Korean box office. The upcoming erotic thriller "Hidden Face" based on the Colombian film of the same title will also be released on November 20th.

Remakes are nothing new at the South Korean box office, but all of these projects hint at a desire for experimentation among South Korean film producers. By remixing these genre films not commonly made in South Korea in a contemporary South Korean setting, the presentation is fresh but without the usual genre growing pains. "Handsome Guys" over the summer was another such example, remaking the American horror comedy in a way appealing even to international audiences.

Written by William Schwartz