Thrillers and Action-Comedies Sell for CJ ahead of Berlin

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NEWS & REPORTS

Thrillers and Action-Comedies Sell for CJ ahead of Berlin

Feb 13, 2017

Writer by Pierce Conran
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One of the Biggest Korean Studios Unveils EFM Slate

A quartet of thrillers are leading the sales slate for Korean major CJ Entertainment at the European Film Market in Berlin. Recent chart toppers Master, Confidential Assignment and Fabricated City in Korea and Saigon Bodyguards in Vietnam each stacked up healthy sales even before business got underway at the market.

CHO Ui-seok’s crime thriller Master, starring LEE Byung-hun (Inside Men, 2015), GANG Dong-won (The Priests, 2015) and KIM Woo-bin (Twenty, 2015) scored deals with Twin (Japan), Viva Communications (the Philippines), VR Films & Studios (India), Lemon Tree (China), Bloomsbury (Mongolia), Minerva (Italy), M Pictures (Thailand), Movie Cloud (Taiwan), Medyavizyon (Turkey), Clover Films (Malaysia and Singapore), Deltamac (HK and Macau), JGB Pictures (Australia and New Zealand) and Emphasis (in-flight rights). The film was the top draw in Korea over the end of year period in 2016, with ticket sales topping USD 50 million.

Moving on to the biggest Korean hit over the Lunar New Year holiday period earlier this year (with sales currently over USD 48 million), KIM Sung-hoon’s North Korea-themed spy action-comedy Confidential Assignment was also a strong seller, once again racking up deals with Movie Cloud, Deltamac JBG Pictures, Bloomsbury, VR Films & Studios, Viva Communications and Emphasis, as well as Gulf Film for the Middle East.

Current chart topper Fabricated City, PARK Kwang-hyun’s long-awaited Welcome To Dongmakgol (2005) follow-up, about a gamer who is framed for murder and goes on the run with help from his friends, also presold to Deltamac, VR Films & Studios, Viva Communications, Bloomsbury, JBG Pictures and Minerva, as well as Long Shong for Taiwan.

CJ’s latest locally produced success story for Vietnam, the action comedy Saigon Bodyguards, was another strong seller for the distributor. Directed by Japan’s OCHIAI Ken, the film topped to box office in Vietnam in December and has now sold to Gaga Communications for Japan, as well as VR Films & Studio and JBG Pictures.

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