THE HOST 2 Gets Foreign Investment

Singapore Company Funds Upcoming Korean Monster Sequel Author: Kim Song-ho Source: Chungeorahm Film official press release Chungeorahm Film, the company behind the Korean monster hit THE HOST (Gwoemul, 2006), has announced that Singaporean film company Boku Films will invest 5 million USD for the upcoming sequel, THE HOST 2 (Gwoemul 2).

The signing ceremony for THE HOST 2 at the Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival. (From left): Han Sang-jun, festival director; Choi Yong-bae, CEO of Chungeorahm Film; Kelvin Tong, CEO of Boku Films and Kenneth Tan, director of the Singapore Film Commission and COO of MDA. © 2009 Chungeorahm Film

A signing ceremony for the investment was held on July 21 (Korean date) in Puchon, where the 13th Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival is currently transpiring (the festival takes place from July 16 to 26). Chungeorahm Film CEO and THE HOST 2 producer Choi Yong-bae, Boku Film CEO Kelvin Tong and director of the Singapore Film Commission Kenneth Tan attended the signing ceremony. Tan is also in charge of MDA (Media Development Authority), by which Boku Films could invest 50% of the film`s whole production cost. The amount of 5 million USD (approximately 6 billion Korean won) is the largest foreign investment for a Korean film in the history of Korean cinema. Boku Films is one of the most prolific film companies in Singapore and is known to genre fans with such films as THE MAID (2005) and RULE #1 (Dai yat gaai, 2008), all of which were directed by CEO Kelvin Tong. Most notably, THE MAID broke box office records for a horror film in Singapore when it was first released in 2005. MDA is a state-run organization in Singapore which was established in 2003. Its function is developing and managing content for the media industry in that country. According to the press release, THE HOST 2 is currently in the development stage with multiple scripts (including a prequel written by comic book creator Kang Full) featuring a variety of concepts. The press release also stated that the South Korean mobile telecommunications provider SK Telecom previously invested to cover expenses for planning and development of THE HOST 2. As of this writing, there is no cast or director announced for the sequel. Chungeorahm Film first announced plans for THE HOST 2 back in June, 2007 with the intention of releasing the film in 2009-10. Prior to this latest announcement, the last update regarding the movie came from Chungeorahm in January of 2008. There has been no news regarding plans for a separate sequel for THE HOST to be produced in China, but Universal Pictures has revealed that filmmaker Gore Verbinski (THE RING, PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN) will produce the American remake of the first film. Universal`s remake was originally announced in late 2006.

For more information on THE HOST, THE HOST 2, and the American THE HOST remake, please see the previous coverage here on SciFi Japan: