A Love Letter from the Deep: Bong Joon-ho Dives into Animation

Still of ‘Ally’ (provided by CJ E&M)

Seven years in the making and shrouded in quiet secrecy, Ally — director Bong Joon-ho's first animated feature — finally surfaced on April 3, 2026. What began in 2019 as a discreet passion project has grown into what may become a pivotal moment in Korean cinema's expansion beyond live-action: a family adventure set in the deep sea, centered on a baby piglet squid venturing up toward the world above. The production budget is approximately 70 billion KRW (approx. USD $48 million), making it the most expensive Korean-produced film in history.

The film's artistic foundation draws from French marine conservationist Claire Nouvian's acclaimed deep-sea photography book Abysses. The screenplay was co-written by Bong Joon-ho and director Yoo Jae-sun.

What distinguishes Ally is its production structure. CJ ENM and Pencer Invest co-invest and handle distribution alongside French major studio Pathé, with Barunson C&C overseeing overall production. The creative team spans twelve countries.

Key collaborators include Kim Jae-hyung, animation supervisor on Toy Story 4; David Lipman, producer of Shrek; and Marcin Jakubowski, production designer of Klaus. Visual effects are handled by British studio DNEG, whose credits include Inception and Dune.

Distribution responsibilities are divided between the partners: Pathé covers France, Benelux, Sub-Saharan West Africa, and international sales, while CJ ENM and Pencer manage Korea, Vietnam, Turkey, Indonesia, and other major Asian markets.

The implications of this architecture are significant. Where Korean cinema's past international co-productions were largely structured around securing capital or access to overseas locations, Ally inverts the model: a Korean director's creative vision serves as the gravitational center, drawing global talent and capital into orbit. Pathé's first collaboration with Bong Joon-ho signals that European major studios have begun to recognize Korean filmmakers as genuine creative partners, not merely as suppliers of content.

British film magazine Empire has analyzed Ally as a continuation of what it describes as Bong's "creature narrative" thread — the lineage running from The Host through Okja to Mickey 17 — now extending its social and environmental messaging into a family-oriented format.

Ally is scheduled for release in 2027. The question the film poses for the Korean film industry is not simply whether it will succeed at the box office, but whether it can establish K-animation as a genre with its own identity — one that stands independent of the director's individual prestige. Korean cinema has demonstrated world-class competitiveness in live-action, but the production infrastructure and talent pool for animation remain comparatively underdeveloped. Even a commercial success for Ally risks remaining "Bong Joon-ho's achievement" rather than a catalyst for broader industrial transformation. Whether this film can open a sustainable path for Korean animation on the global stage remains the central question to watch.

Sources

• Screen Daily, "Bong Joon Ho animation 'Ally' sets 2027 release with CJ ENM, Pathe," 2026.04.03

• Natalie, "ポン・ジュノ初長編アニメの主人公は"子豚イカ"？キャラクターカット初公開," 2026.04.03

• Premiere, "Bong Joon-ho dévoile Ally, son premier film d'animation inspiré par un livre français," 2026.04.03

• VN Express, "Bong Joon Ho lần đầu làm phim hoạt hình," 2026.04.03