[Kulture Issue] Summer heats up at Korea's box office with hot movie releases

The summer movie season is in full swing.

With that, we are seeing competition heating up on the big screen among Korean films of various genres, moods, and approaches.

Which films are currently capturing the hearts of the audience?

Let’s have a chat with our movie expert Jae Soh, professor and filmmaker at Seoul Institute of the Arts.

Welcome back Professor Soh!

Q1. Let’s start with “My Daughter is a Zombie“ , which surpassed its break-even point in just a week after its release and has been ranking number 1 at the domestic box office, for 9 straight days. What is the film about and why are people loving it?

Q2. “My Daughter is a Zombie“ is based on a hit webtoon of the same name and the film has been receiving praise for its resemblance to the original work, including a cat that appears in the story. So, is it a good thing to make an adaptation that's as similar as the original work as possible?

Q3. Let’s move on to the webnovel-based movie ”Omniscient Reader“. Over 1 million have watched it by now, and it's also seen success overseas. This was one of the highly anticipated movies of the second half of the year. How is this work appealing to the audience?

Q4. Some fans of the original work expressed disappointment with the cinematic adaptation, while others praised it for offering new visual and cinematic elements. What is your assessment, Professor?

Q5. Now let’s talk about a movie that’s set to be released next week. “Pretty Crazy” . This one is a mystery comedy film with a totally new script. What is it about and what are your expectations?

Q6. Zombies, science fiction, demons we’re looking at a variety of themes in the theaters this summer. But do you see any similarities in these recent works?

Q7. The movie makers of these recent productions also seem to be conscious of the overseas market. Do you see any works that have the potential to successfully compete on the global stage?

Thank you Professor Soh for your insights!

Have a great weekend.

Thank you Walter, see you back next week.