Choi Yoonhee has been named as the new CEO of Barunson E&a, the Korean sales and production firm that is making a splash at the European Film Market in Berlin this week.
Choi, who joined the firm in 2021 from Cj Enm, takes over from Gene Hong (Brian) Park and Kwak Sin Ae. She joined as MD, overseeing domestic and international operations, and in April 2023 was upped to COO.
Barunson E&a has been in operation since 1996, though was not involved in international sales all that duration. Notable past titles include Bong Joon-ho’s “Mother” and Oscar-winner “Parasite,” on which Cj and Choi headed international distribution. Barunson E&a has also been behind Kim Jee-woon’s “The Good, the Bad, the Weird” and his more recent “Cobweb.”
The company’s upcoming slate also includes the next two features from director Bong Joon-ho, as well as projects from directors Kim Sung-hoon and...
Choi, who joined the firm in 2021 from Cj Enm, takes over from Gene Hong (Brian) Park and Kwak Sin Ae. She joined as MD, overseeing domestic and international operations, and in April 2023 was upped to COO.
Barunson E&a has been in operation since 1996, though was not involved in international sales all that duration. Notable past titles include Bong Joon-ho’s “Mother” and Oscar-winner “Parasite,” on which Cj and Choi headed international distribution. Barunson E&a has also been behind Kim Jee-woon’s “The Good, the Bad, the Weird” and his more recent “Cobweb.”
The company’s upcoming slate also includes the next two features from director Bong Joon-ho, as well as projects from directors Kim Sung-hoon and...
- 2/13/2024
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
A scene from the Korean action drama-adventure Ransomed. Courtesy of Well Go USA.
South Korea has exported a slew of first-rate action flicks in the past few years, and Ransomed counts as another. Most have been based on cops vs. bad guys within the country. This one, supposedly based on real events, takes us to Lebanon in the 1980s. It also plies the waters of plot complexities and suspense more, without sacrificing the action component.
As factional wars rage within Lebanon, one group kidnaps a Korean diplomat, holding him for over a year before finally demanding a $5 million ransom. A foreign-service colleague, Min-joon (Ha Jung-woo), volunteers for the risky task of delivering the cash and returning with the hostage, even though he’s been a desk jockey without any military that would prepare him for the likely difficulties in achieving the rescue. Corrupt police are swarming the airport, waiting to...
South Korea has exported a slew of first-rate action flicks in the past few years, and Ransomed counts as another. Most have been based on cops vs. bad guys within the country. This one, supposedly based on real events, takes us to Lebanon in the 1980s. It also plies the waters of plot complexities and suspense more, without sacrificing the action component.
As factional wars rage within Lebanon, one group kidnaps a Korean diplomat, holding him for over a year before finally demanding a $5 million ransom. A foreign-service colleague, Min-joon (Ha Jung-woo), volunteers for the risky task of delivering the cash and returning with the hostage, even though he’s been a desk jockey without any military that would prepare him for the likely difficulties in achieving the rescue. Corrupt police are swarming the airport, waiting to...
- 1/30/2024
- by Mark Glass
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
As we have mentioned many times before, the most successful product of Asian cinema towards the US market (apart from anime) are the action/martial arts movies, and as such, it is by no surprise that the biggest industries of the continent and particularly S.Korea have invested heavily towards the particular category, with China following close by, in a genre that, most of the time, budget is the most crucial element. In that fashion, ultra violent and stylistic is the path S. Korea productions follow (this year), while China seems to be going more towards the sci-fi now that the Ip Man franchise has become somewhat preterit. Japan choose live-action adaptation or its rather famous franchises, while the duo of Tak Sakaguchi and Yudai Yamaguchi continue their effort to produce as realistic martial arts scenes as possible. China follows the stylistic martial arts approach, while India has come up...
- 12/30/2023
- by AMP Group
- AsianMoviePulse
One of last year’s collaborations between Bloody Disgusting and Dark Star Pictures was Japanese crime thriller Missing, now nominated for the 51st annual Saturn Awards!
Deadline explains, “The Saturns, which honor the best in genre entertainment across film and television, are organized by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror.”
Missing has been nominated in the “Best International Film” category, alongside Madeleine Collins, The Origin of Evil, Ransomed, Speak No Evil and Sisu.
You can see the full list of Saturn Awards nominations over on Deadline.
Winners will be announced February 4, 2024.
In Missing from Bloody Disgusting and Dark Star Pictures…
“Depressed and in debt following the death of his wife, Santoshi (Jiro Sato) tells his young daughter he has found a way out. Pointing to a reward note, he vows to find the infamous serial killer ‘No Name’ (Hiroya Shimizu) and cash in, claiming to have seen the...
Deadline explains, “The Saturns, which honor the best in genre entertainment across film and television, are organized by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror.”
Missing has been nominated in the “Best International Film” category, alongside Madeleine Collins, The Origin of Evil, Ransomed, Speak No Evil and Sisu.
You can see the full list of Saturn Awards nominations over on Deadline.
Winners will be announced February 4, 2024.
In Missing from Bloody Disgusting and Dark Star Pictures…
“Depressed and in debt following the death of his wife, Santoshi (Jiro Sato) tells his young daughter he has found a way out. Pointing to a reward note, he vows to find the infamous serial killer ‘No Name’ (Hiroya Shimizu) and cash in, claiming to have seen the...
- 12/7/2023
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
Kim Seong-hun and Ha Jung-woo, the director-actor combo who gave us Tunnel, reunite for the second time on the winning buddy action-comedy Ransomed, the latest in a series of high-profile films based on recent real-life stories featuring Korean characters gallivanting in third world countries. This very specific subgenre, which also includes Ryoo Seung-wan's Escape from Mogadishu, The Point Men and the Netflix series Narco-Saints, also with Ha, popped out of nowhere when all these projects were announced in late 2019. Later joining the cadre was the Choi Min-shik led Disney+ series Big Bet. Ha plays Korean diplomat Lee Min-jun in the 1980s, who volunteers to engage in a daring plot to retrieve a fellow Korean diplomat, kidnapped in Lebanon 18 months earlier but yet to...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 10/5/2023
- Screen Anarchy
Ransomed is a South Korean action-adventure movie directed by Kim Seong-hun from a screenplay by Kim Jung-yeon and Yeo Jung-mi. Ransomed is loosely based on a true story and it follows a South Korean diplomat who is tasked with carrying the ransom money and leading the dangerous rescue mission to get his abducted colleague and friend back. But when things go awry he had to team up with a local taxi driver. The film stars Ha Jung-woo, Ju Ji-hoon, Anas El Baz, and Burn Gorman. So, if you loved Ransomed here are some similar movies you should check out next.
Argo (Rent on Prime Video) Credit – Warner Bros.
Synopsis: Oscar® winner Ben Affleck directs and stars in this real-life political intelligence dramedy based on a true story. Produced by George Clooney and Grant Heslov’s Smokehouse Pictures (Ides of March), this hostage rescue picture follows CIA “exfiltration” operative and master...
Argo (Rent on Prime Video) Credit – Warner Bros.
Synopsis: Oscar® winner Ben Affleck directs and stars in this real-life political intelligence dramedy based on a true story. Produced by George Clooney and Grant Heslov’s Smokehouse Pictures (Ides of March), this hostage rescue picture follows CIA “exfiltration” operative and master...
- 8/21/2023
- by Kulwant Singh
- Cinema Blind
For many, Kim Seong-hun made one of the best non-serial killer South Korean thriller in “A Hard Day”. While he followed that up with the rather well-made but comparatively underwhelming “Tunnel”, he has since settled for creating a zombie-infested Joseon for Netflix's ultra-popular series “Kingdom”. For his much-awaited return to the big screen, he follows “Escape from Mogadishu” and “The Point Men” in adapting a real-life situation involving Korean diplomats finding themselves in a pickle overseas, for an action adventure feature presentation.
“Ransomed” is released by WellGo USA
Lebanon, 1986. A newly-deployed South Korean diplomat gets kidnapped and despite the government's best efforts, they are unable to find his whereabouts or even who his captives are. Without any ransom demands, the case hits a dead-end for more than a year, when suddenly one evening, Min-joon, a diplomat for the Iranian region in the Ministry of External Affairs, gets a phone...
“Ransomed” is released by WellGo USA
Lebanon, 1986. A newly-deployed South Korean diplomat gets kidnapped and despite the government's best efforts, they are unable to find his whereabouts or even who his captives are. Without any ransom demands, the case hits a dead-end for more than a year, when suddenly one evening, Min-joon, a diplomat for the Iranian region in the Ministry of External Affairs, gets a phone...
- 8/19/2023
- by Rhythm Zaveri
- AsianMoviePulse
Lee Byung-hun-starring disaster movie “Concrete Utopia” topped the South Korean box office over the latest weekend, replacing female led crime caper “Smugglers.”
Directed by Um Tae-hwa, “Concrete Utopia” is set in a Seoul that has been largely destroyed by a massive earthquake. One building stands tall among the wreckage and becomes a refuge for those already inside, but the inhabitants must fend of the unwanted attentions of outsiders.
It opened on Wednesday, earning $8.40 million between Friday and Sunday and fully $11.3 million over its full opening five days, according to data from Kobis, the tracking service operated by the Korean Film Council (Kofic). The data showed it has an impressive 53% market share.
“Smugglers” continued to perform strongly. While it slipped from first to second place in its third week, over the weekend it added $3.19 million. That lifted its 19-day cumulative total to $31.5 million. Local media report that it has passed...
Directed by Um Tae-hwa, “Concrete Utopia” is set in a Seoul that has been largely destroyed by a massive earthquake. One building stands tall among the wreckage and becomes a refuge for those already inside, but the inhabitants must fend of the unwanted attentions of outsiders.
It opened on Wednesday, earning $8.40 million between Friday and Sunday and fully $11.3 million over its full opening five days, according to data from Kobis, the tracking service operated by the Korean Film Council (Kofic). The data showed it has an impressive 53% market share.
“Smugglers” continued to perform strongly. While it slipped from first to second place in its third week, over the weekend it added $3.19 million. That lifted its 19-day cumulative total to $31.5 million. Local media report that it has passed...
- 8/14/2023
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Period feature stars Jacky Heung and Andy On.
Well Go USA Entertainment has acquired North America distribution rights to 100 Yards, a period martial arts drama directed by Xu Haofeng and Xu Junfeng.
The deal was negotiated directly with producer Rainbow Fong on behalf of the filmmakers. Well Go plans to release the feature in 2024, following a festival run that began with its world premiere at Shanghai International Film Festival in June.
Hong Kong-based My Way Film Company is handling sales for Asean countries, with Fortissimo Films managing all other international sales excluding North America and Southeast Asia.
Xu Haofeng is director of The Sword Identity,...
Well Go USA Entertainment has acquired North America distribution rights to 100 Yards, a period martial arts drama directed by Xu Haofeng and Xu Junfeng.
The deal was negotiated directly with producer Rainbow Fong on behalf of the filmmakers. Well Go plans to release the feature in 2024, following a festival run that began with its world premiere at Shanghai International Film Festival in June.
Hong Kong-based My Way Film Company is handling sales for Asean countries, with Fortissimo Films managing all other international sales excluding North America and Southeast Asia.
Xu Haofeng is director of The Sword Identity,...
- 8/9/2023
- by Michael Rosser
- ScreenDaily
Ryu Seung-wan’s female-led crime caper “Smugglers” topped the South Korean box office for a second weekend, ahead of new release title “Ransomed.”
“Smugglers” enjoyed a strong hold in its second weekend of release and commanded 42% market share. It delivered $7.09 million, a drop of only 20% on its opening weekend, giving a 12-day cumulative of $26.2 million, according to data from Kobis, the tracking service operated by the Korean Film Council (Kofic).
“Ransomed,” a 1980s-set drama thriller set in Lebanon, follows the travails of a low-ranking Korean diplomat who performs heroics in an attempt to rescue a kidnapped official. The film opened in second place with $3.34 million over the weekend and $5.19 million over its full five-day opening run.
“Elemental,” the Pixar cartoon that has charmed Korea, continued in a strong third place. It earned $2.26 million over the weekend, for a cumulative of $47.5 million. That total means that it has overtaken Japanese animated...
“Smugglers” enjoyed a strong hold in its second weekend of release and commanded 42% market share. It delivered $7.09 million, a drop of only 20% on its opening weekend, giving a 12-day cumulative of $26.2 million, according to data from Kobis, the tracking service operated by the Korean Film Council (Kofic).
“Ransomed,” a 1980s-set drama thriller set in Lebanon, follows the travails of a low-ranking Korean diplomat who performs heroics in an attempt to rescue a kidnapped official. The film opened in second place with $3.34 million over the weekend and $5.19 million over its full five-day opening run.
“Elemental,” the Pixar cartoon that has charmed Korea, continued in a strong third place. It earned $2.26 million over the weekend, for a cumulative of $47.5 million. That total means that it has overtaken Japanese animated...
- 8/7/2023
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Korea’s box office reached 70% of pre-pandemic levels of revenue in the first half of 2023, according to data released by the Korean Film Council (Kofic).
Korean action film The Roundup: No Way Out was the highest-grossing film of the period – pulling in $82M from 10.68 million admissions – followed by two Japanese animated features, Suzume and The First Slam Dunk, and U.S. titles Avatar: The Way Of Water and Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3.
Total box office for the period reached $475M (KRW607.8Bn), equivalent to 72.5% of average box office during the January-June period in 2017-2019, before Covid-19 shuttered cinemas and played havoc with release schedules.
As in many other territories, the recovery was partly due to ticket price increases, as admissions totalled 58.39 million, which is only 57.8% of the pre-pandemic average in the same period during 2017-2019.
While the top-grossing film in the first half was Korean, local films achieved only 54% of their pre-pandemic average,...
Korean action film The Roundup: No Way Out was the highest-grossing film of the period – pulling in $82M from 10.68 million admissions – followed by two Japanese animated features, Suzume and The First Slam Dunk, and U.S. titles Avatar: The Way Of Water and Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3.
Total box office for the period reached $475M (KRW607.8Bn), equivalent to 72.5% of average box office during the January-June period in 2017-2019, before Covid-19 shuttered cinemas and played havoc with release schedules.
As in many other territories, the recovery was partly due to ticket price increases, as admissions totalled 58.39 million, which is only 57.8% of the pre-pandemic average in the same period during 2017-2019.
While the top-grossing film in the first half was Korean, local films achieved only 54% of their pre-pandemic average,...
- 7/27/2023
- by Liz Shackleton
- Deadline Film + TV
"You don't have to worry about who you can trust, if you just don't trust anyone." Well, I guess that's true? Sure, okay. Well Go USA has revealed an official trailer for a Korean action thriller titled Ransomed, which is apparently the final release title in addition to its name Unofficial Operation. This movie is set to open in theaters in the US at the exact same time as in Korea, starting in early August this summer - in just a few weeks. A young diplomat is assigned the task of carrying the ransom money to rescue an abducted diplomat in Lebanon, and a local taxi driver accidentally gets involved in the mission. When the plan goes awry, he is forced to team up with the driver—the only Korean expat he can find—and go deep into the heart of Lebanon in a final desperate attempt to bring their fellow countryman home.
- 7/19/2023
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Well Go USA will distribute both titles in select markets.
Well Go USA has revealed the North America theatrical release dates for South Korean thrillers Ransomed and The Moon.
Action drama Ransomed will roll out from August 4 and sci-fi survival drama The Moon is set for August 18. Both will receive theatrical releases in select markets.
Ransomed is directed by Kim Seong-hun of Netflix original series Kingdom and stars Ha Jung-woo of Narco-Saints and Ju Ji-hoon of Kingdom. Inspired by a true events that took place in 1986, it follows a young diplomat (Ha) who is assigned the task of carrying the...
Well Go USA has revealed the North America theatrical release dates for South Korean thrillers Ransomed and The Moon.
Action drama Ransomed will roll out from August 4 and sci-fi survival drama The Moon is set for August 18. Both will receive theatrical releases in select markets.
Ransomed is directed by Kim Seong-hun of Netflix original series Kingdom and stars Ha Jung-woo of Narco-Saints and Ju Ji-hoon of Kingdom. Inspired by a true events that took place in 1986, it follows a young diplomat (Ha) who is assigned the task of carrying the...
- 7/18/2023
- by Michael Rosser
- ScreenDaily
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