When Hollywood Rips Off South Korea
So Variety is reporting that Steven Spielberg and Will Smith are in talks to remake South Korean film Oldboy, a.k.a. the greatest mind-fuck movie ever. We’ve already shown you how Korea’s fast becoming the new Japan for cars, girls and tech, so it should be no surprise that Hollywood’s pilfering ideas from the Land of the Morning Calm.
The rumored Oldboy project won’t be the first (or last) time that a Korean flick has gotten the ol’ Hollywood whitewash. Luckily for you, we at Complex are certified Korean cinema experts. Here’s a look at American remakes of Korean movies from the past, present and future.
Korean Movie: Yeopgijeogin Geunyeo (2001) (a.k.a. “My Sassy Girl”),
dir. Kwak Jae-young
Plot: A hapless college student falls in love with a pretty psycho-bitch with a traumatic past.
Remake: My Sassy Girl (2008), dir. Yann Samuell
Starring: Jesse Bradford and Elisha Cuthbert
Verdict: The O.G. broke South Korean box office records; the American adaptation was a straight-to-DVD brick, apparently because U.S. audiences couldn’t buy the concept of a loser emasculating himself to win a girl’s heart. Maybe they should’ve kept the female lead as Korean?
Korean Movie: Siworae (2000) (a.k.a. “Il Mare”), dir. Lee Hyun-seung
Plot: Two would-be lovers communicate through a magical mailbox.
Remake: The Lake House (2006), dir. Alejandro Agresti
Starring: Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock
Verdict: Koreans are experts at melodrama and the carbon-copy U.S. remake is no more cheesy or manipulative than the O.G. Still, replacing sexy “Sassy Girl” starlet Jeon Ji-hyun with Sandra Bullock definitely kills the mood.
Korean Movie: Janghwa, Hongryeon (2003) (a.k.a. “A Tale of Two Sisters”),
dir. Kim Ji-woon
Plot: Two sisters rebel against their wicked stepmother in this ghost story.
Remake: The Uninvited (out 1/30/2009), dir. Charles and Thomas Guard
Starring: Emily Browning, Arielle Kebbel and Elizabeth Banks
Verdict: The trailer for the remake features none of the O.G.’s atmospheric horror and creepiness, instead looking like a straightforward scarefest. Boo.
Korean Movie: J.S.A: Joint Security Area (2000), dir. Park Chan-wook
Plot: When a South Korean patrol guard kills two North Korean soldiers in the DMZ, an international official is sent in to investigate.
Remake: Joint Security America (no release date), dir. David Franzoni
Starring: May we suggest: Gael Garcia Bernal, Tom Hanks and Natalie Portman
Verdict: The remake, which plans to substitute the U.S.-Mexico border for the DMZ zone, actually sounds like a pretty cool idea. But the fact that the script has been on ice for so long is not a good sign. The O.G., which is Oldboy director Park’s first major film, is definitely worth Netflixing.
Al November 11, 2008 at 4:45 pm
Thank you!
Fuck these motherfucking american ripping off Asia movies and getting Grammy for it…
anyone remember “Departed”…
Phil Gates November 11, 2008 at 8:15 pm
Get over yourselves. Tons of asian films have ripped off western sources… ever see the Hong Kong version of Saturday Night Fever?
Besides, more than a little justified by asia’s MASSIVE DVD piracy.
Jack September 3, 2009 at 1:19 pm
This is to the poster Phil Gates. You talk about “piracy”, well that’s a problem everywhere, esepecially here in America. It’s not only Asian that has pirated DVDs. Why don’t you get over yourself! Or better yet, go play with yourself!
You’re just another Ethnocentric American who is intimidated by good movies from other countries. You expect Hollywood to be the king and you just can’t handle the FACT that other countries are inventitve and have good actors, stories, and movies.
Go back and watch your dumbed-down macho American Pie flicks. While you’re at it, get off your high horse. Prick!
Duc November 11, 2008 at 11:37 pm
Not to mention Chinese Films to! “The Departed” aka Infernal Affairs! They should just show the original Asian films in US theaters instead of remaking them, Americans should learn that there are good movies outside of Hollywood!
pete November 12, 2008 at 12:26 am
they’re all linked by one guy and his name is Roy Lee. He’s a Korean-American producer who’s been buying for the rights and pushing for all these American remakes. He’s got a company. Find it and write them.
Edward November 12, 2008 at 6:50 pm
You forgot one. Mirrors w/Kiefer Sutherland.
http://mirrors-trailer.blogspot.com/2008/02/mirrors-original-korean-movie-into.html
Shame on you… ;)
James Goode November 13, 2008 at 2:56 am
Asia’s massive dvd piracy?????
Let’s all chill out and stop blaming other races for all of our problems.
Consider a remake an homage. because that’s what it really is.
And if Asia is pirating DVDs, then what are piratebay.org? mininova.org? isohunt.com?
Everyone in the world is pirating DVDs at insanely high rates!!! Do you know anybody in the USA that downloaded a song illegal?
All you dumbasses need to shut up
phat_al February 26, 2009 at 8:04 am
Thank God my favorite Korean films are not being remade.
Memories of a Murder — A Bittersweet Affair
Jonah Gruber March 15, 2009 at 4:11 am
Um, I understand that many of you may be angry that Spielberg et al might be “ripping off” Oldboy. However, since the dawning of international film, even in the silent era, nations have been remaking one another’s films. As a cinephile I am all too aware and anxious about this sort of thing, but it is important that you don’t have a hardline resistance to “remaking.”
In the case of Oldboy, though many changes will occur, it is an overall positive effect for Korean cinema and Park Chan-Wook as it will turn more people onto Korean cinema, which is one of the greatest contemporary cinemas in the world right now and much needing of more attention. Also be aware that Park Chan-Wook benefited from this directly, so this is not quite “ripping off.”
Will it be a shitty movie? Was Solaris a shitty movie (yes). But that doesn’t mean that Hollywood is incapable of making good remakes, considering that every good movie made in Hollywood since the dawn of history has been remade all over the world. It’s not ripping off, it’s cultural (and monetary) exchange.
Now, if you want to talk about ACTUAL ripping off, let’s talk about K-PAX. This film is basically a plagiarized, total ripoff of Man Facing Southeast, a little known Argentinan gem (Subiela was not given money for it). THIS is ripping off by Hollywood. But people have been blatantly stealing stories from Hollywood for decades.
You should be rejoicing that the enemy is now your friend.
well... April 12, 2009 at 2:54 am
Err..
I’m korean and just so you guys know, all these movies were made after official contracts.
it’s not like US just ripped off.
Think of it as a remake…
zennia July 15, 2009 at 4:58 pm
I am korean as well. But i agree with the author of this blog.
Hollywood is plundering Asian cinema in general through the means of bribing with money
(i mean why not most of the European/African/Middle Eastern and other internationally praised films)
Even the award-winning Asian cinema are getting remade by these uncreative Hollywood no names.
Hollywood is even taking Japanese animation into their unquenchable gullet for making entertainment a fast corporation business. They are considering on assaulting/mutilating/raping/tainting one of my all time favorite anime series Neon Genesis Evangelion into a live action remake with mostly an all white cast and changing the beautiful essence and originality of this series in general. And then there’s Battle Royale. If these remakes were supposedly “helping” superb Asian cinema get more recognition i do not see why they would not just put them up in the american media like on demand/ theatres/ etc. instead of just ranking it with international film festivals with all the European/Middle Eastern/African/South American films and so on.
hey July 17, 2009 at 10:42 pm
hah! stupid ameyrikan.