Six Major Korean Films Scheduled for September Release

Six major Korean films are scheduled to open in local theaters throughout September as the industry seeks to capitalize on the Chuseok holiday and compete with the success of Hollywood hits "The Odyssey" and "Spider-Man: Brand New Day." The lineup begins with director Lee Ji-won's family drama "Portrait of a Family," starring Ryu Seung-ryong, Ha Ji-won, and Kim Si-a, which releases this Wednesday. On September 16, a Korean remake of the 2016 film "The Intern" will debut starring Choi Min-sik and Han So-hee. Director Kim Do-young stated that this version incorporates Korean office culture and generational clashes. Three films will open on September 23, one day before the four day Chuseok holiday. These include "Tazza: Song of Beelzebub," a standalone sequel in the crime franchise starring Byun Yo-han, and "The Assassin(s)," a historic drama about a 1974 assassination attempt on former President Park Chung-hee starring Yoo Hae-jin, Park Hae-il, and Lee Min-ho. Also releasing on September 23 is "Possible Love," directed by Lee Chang-dong and starring Jeon Do-yeon, Sul Kyung-gu, Cho Yeo-jeong, and Zo In-sung. This film has been selected by the Korean Film Council to represent South Korea at the Oscars and has been invited to the Venice and Toronto International Film Festivals. According to Korean Film Council data, the top viewed film in South Korea this year is the historic drama "The King's Warden" with 16.9 million admissions, followed by "The Odyssey" with 8.86 million and "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" with 8.55 million.