The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic greatly affected the entertainment world and stopped the productions for most projects in the industry. However, there are some big players in the film scene that are sticking to their original plans and preparing to release their new creations this summer.
In the past months, some series and film productions postponed schedules. Noticeably, the numbers of cinemagoers also decreased drastically, making it the lowest record in history as people are following the strict social distancing rule.
Meanwhile, amid the global health crisis, producer and distributor Next Entertainment World released a teaser video last week for its upcoming zombie-thriller Peninsula, in which it confirms its release. The film is a sequel to director Yeon Sang-ho's 2016 hit zombie film Train to Busan.
Peninsula is now one of the much-awaited Korean films to be released this year after the massive success of the precedent movie. The local zombie movies recently have been a big hit since people are comparing the storyline to the current situation of the world. This sequel is going to take place in the same universe as the first movie, continuing the story from four years after the zombie apocalypse. Survivors are still fighting the zombies, who have now upgraded since they have become faster and more powerful than before.
According to reports, the thriller movie will be released in Korea and several other countries this summer.
Another said film to broadcast this summer is the musical film Hero. The story represents the leading up to the death of Korean independence fighter Ahn Jung-geun. This is the remake of the popular musical theater piece of the same title, which will be helmed by director Yoon Je-kyoon. Hero dramatizes the final year of Ahn's life during the time where he shoots Korea's first resident governor as it is under Japanese colonial rule. The said assassination took place in the Harbin Station in northern China on Oct. 26, 1909, and on March 26 the following year, Ahn was decapitated in a Japanese prison China.
The film's distributor CJ Entertainment announced that the film is being released this year in commemoration of the 110th anniversary of the activist's death.
Even though the release schedule has not been confirmed, some other blockbuster films with similar production budgets, around 20 billion won approximately $16.2 million, are looking toward pushing for their summer debuts.
Another film is also expected to open in July or August. It is the Sci-fi space movie Victory, starring Song Joong-ki and Kim Tae-ri. The producers of the film are currently monitoring the pandemic before confirming a release date.
The action-crime film Mogadishu, helmed by star director Ryoo Seung-wan, is also approaching the post-production stage. The film has an all-star cast, namely Kim Yoon-seok and Jo In-sung. Good thing, the shooting in Morocco wrapped up before the coronavirus outbreak started.
Lastly, the major film company Showbox is also pondering when to release their comedy-disaster flick Sinkhole, starring actors Cha Seung-won, Lee Kwang-soo, and Kim Sung-kyun.
Hopefully, the COVID-19 pandemic will end soon so that these much-anticipated movies can push through with their schedule of release.
