Buzz titles: Korea

South Korean sellers are out in force here at AFM, and CJ Entertainment leads the pack with JK Youn’s Ode To My Father, a sweeping drama starring Hwang Jung-min (The Unjust) and Yunjin Kim (TV’s Lost). Due out in December, it follows the life of a man who was a child refugee in Busan during the Korean War, growing up to work German coal mines and in war-torn Vietnam, while trying to keep together his family.

CJ is also selling 20, Once Again, Leste Chen’s Chinese remake of hit Korean comedy romance Miss Granny. The remake stars Yang Zishan (So Young) with Lu Han from K-pop group Exo.

CJ also has Yim Pil-sung’s Toronto title Scarlet Innocence starring Jung Woo-sung in an erotic revenge thriller; Park Jin-pyo’s romantic comedy Love Forecast starring Moon Chae-won (War Of The Arrows) and Lee Seung-gi; and folk-music romance C’est Si Bon starring Kim Yun-seok (Haemoo) and Jung Woo (TV’s Reply 1994).

The company also has a new international cut (20 minutes shorter) of local all-time hit Roaring Currents screening at AFM.

Showbox is selling Detective K: Secret Of The Lost Island, the sequel to the 2011 hit. Directed again by Kim Sok-yun, the adventure comedy stars Kim Myung-min.

Showbox also has Yoo Ha’s action drama Gangnam Blues in post-production, and political drama Inside Men currently in production. Directed by Woo Min-ho (Man Of Vendetta), the film stars Lee Byung-hun (RED 2), Cho Seung-woo (Tazza: The High Rollers) and Baek Yun-shick (The Face Reader).

Finecut is selling Made In China, written and produced by Kim Ki-duk. Kim Dong-hoo’s feature directorial debut stars Park Ki-woong (Mad Bad Sad) as a Chinese farmer who smuggles his eels into Korea to prove they are not contaminated and ends up a hostage-taker.

Finecut has The Royal Tailor, directed by Lee Won-suk (How To Use Guys With Secret Tips) in post-production. The period fashion drama stars Han Seok-kyu (The Berlin File), Ko Soo (Love 911) and Park Shin-hye (TV’s The Inheritors).

Finecut’s slate also includes Venice and Toronto title Revivre, the 102nd film from Korean master Im Kwon-taek; and sophomore director Park Jung-bum’s Alive, which also screened in Toronto and is playing at AFI Fest.

M-Line Distribution is selling Fox local-language production My Intimate Enemies directed by Im Sang-soo. The comedy thriller stars Ryoo Seung-bum (The Berlin File) in the story of a group of friends who get mixed up with ruthless criminals after finding a bag of cash. The film is in production, due out next year.

Fox also has entrusted M-Line with Slow Video, a romantic drama starring Cha Tae-hyun and Nam Sang-mi.

M-Line also has Late Spring, a post-war story of a talented sculptor (Park Yong-woo) overcoming despair at a paralysing disorder with the help of his wife and a new intriguing model. M-Line is also handling The Truth Shall Not Sink With Sewol, the controversial documentary on the botched Sewol ferry rescue mission, which premiered in Busan.

Lotte is selling The Con Artists, starring Kim Woo-bin (Friend: The Great Legacy) and Lee Hyun-woo (Secretly, Greatly). Currently in production, the revenge heist film is directed by Kim Hong-sun (Traffickers).

Lotte also has My Dictator, directed by Lee Hae-jun (Castaway On The Moon). Starring Sol Kyung-gu (The Tower) and Park Hae-il (Eungyo), the film is about a two-bit actor who is picked to play North Korean dictator Kim Il-sung in the rehearsal of a North-South summit.

9ers Entertainment has The Deal in post-production. Starring Kim Sang-kyung (Montage), Kim Sung-kyun (Hwayi: A Monster Boy) and Park Sung-woong (For The Emperor), the crime thriller features a murder-for-murder trade between the family of a serial killer’s victim and a vengeful inmate.

9ers also has in post family drama How To Steal A Dog, directed by Kim Sung-ho (Into The Mirror) and starring Kim Hye-ja (Mother), Kang Hye-jung (Old Boy) and Lee Re (Hope).

United Pictures is selling My Brilliant Life, based on the best-selling Korean novel about a young couple with a son who suffers from an advanced ageing disease. The film stars Song Hye-kyo and Kang Dong-won.

More In Group has The Tenor (Lirico Spinto) starring Yoo Ji-tae, which premiered in Busan. It is based on the true story of opera singer Bae Jae-chul, who lost his voice to a cancer cure, then made a recovery and a comeback with the help of a Japanese music producer.