Thomas Kim, former acquisitions director at major Korean importer I Vision, has teamed up with Isaac Kwon, chief executive officer of IT venture Inmoa Communications, to set up this entertainment division.
Kim, whose previous pick-ups include the Mandate remake Grudge 2 and Bruce Willis-starrer 16 Blocks, first met Kwon, who has also invested in talent management, at Hanyang University's graduate school for Entertainment Department.
The two execs will be in Berlin shopping for three to four films to release within the year, although Kim says, 'We don't necessarily expect to find all of them at this one market.'
'Foreign films aren't doing so well in Korea, so we need to look for high-concept films that are commercially viable in the territory. We'll be looking in the romantic comedy and horror genres,' he says.
Inmoa is also developing a big-budget global project with another Korean importer, Showtime Entertainment, who recently distributed Curse Of The Golden Flower in Korea.
The film is based on the 17th century journals of Hamel, a Dutch sailor who was shipwrecked and subsequently detained for several years in Korea 's then hermit kingdom of Joseon.
The royal court ordered him to train the military during a turbulent period of foreign attacks, and in the meantime he fell in love and made a family in Korea.
'We're working on the script right now - it's filled with action, adventure and romance. You can think The Last Samurai and Memoirs Of A Geisha,' says Kim. 'We'll also be looking for a co-producer to bring in top US talent.'
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