No jackpot yet for Hollywood in Korean film remakes

The Korean and Hollywood versions of "My Sassy Girl"

SEOUL, April 12 (Yonhap) -- Film adaptations of beloved books are famous for making fans cringe and sigh. But whether due to translation difficulties or unfaithfulness to the original, Hollywood remakes of foreign films are often lesser-known failures.

As tightening budgets sap American studios of their taste for the unique, directors are reaching overseas in search of tried-and-true material -- and South Korea has become a prime market. So far, the copyrights of 26 Korean films have been sold to Hollywood, including major box office hits "Old Boy" and "The Host."

But many of their American remakes have flopped, leaving audiences and critics wondering if they might not have been better off simply reading subtitles.

Such was the case for "My Sassy Girl." The 2001 hit became an instant classic in Korea and on a smaller scale internationally, while the U.S. adaptation barely registered a blip. Film critics gave it an embarrassing five out of 10 stars, according to the U.S. Internet Movie Database, saying it fell "far below the original."

"The case again proves that few remade movies manage to exceed the original," Korean movie critic Kang Dong-joon remarked on his blog. "The Hollywood version misses out on all the humor."

Roy Lee of Vertigo Entertainment, dubbed the "remake king" for pulling off a number of successes including an adaptation of Japanese horror flick "The Ring," said many filmmakers see huge potential in Korea as a market of ideas.

"Korean filmmakers appear willing to take risks that Hollywood studios cannot imagine," Lee said. "Hollywood could never have created 'Old Boy' or 'The Chaser.'"

Still, few of these cross-cultural experiments have panned out. Only four have actually made it to the silver screen (others went straight to video), earning tepid responses even from Korean fans.

"The Lake House," the Hollywood adaptation of Korea's "Il Mare" has drawn the largest audience among the reworks so far, profiting US$114 million worldwide and $52 million in the United States alone.

Casting mega-stars Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock, the unconventional romance pulled in a good number of female viewers. But critics were less pleased, rating it six out of 10.

"With each country having its unique sentiment and culture, it is difficult to please audiences from two different cultures with a same story," said Choi Jae-won, producer of "The Good, the Bad, the Weird," Korea's No. 1 local box office hit last year.

Vertigo Entertainment's Lee agreed.

Hollywood's "The Uninvited" and Korea's "A Tale of Two Sisters"

"Horror is the easiest reworking genre as fear can be triggered with similar tools all around the world," he said. "The different cultural nuances, however, makes drama and romance much more difficult to remake."

"The Uninvited," the Hollywood remake of "A Tale of Two Sisters," opened in Korea Friday amid high hopes. The original film, directed by award-winning Kim Ji-woon, drew 3.2 million viewers at home in 2003, the largest number ever for a local horror movie.

More a psychological thriller than ghost story, the original film won praise from critics who lauded its knotty, convincing plot and delicate cinematography.

"I think U.S. producers were drawn to the film for its attempt to delve deeper into psychological issues rather than focus on the contrast between the good and evil," movie producer Choi said. "Asian horror films have a unique style that appeals to Western audiences."

While the overall plot remains similar -- eerie happenings surrounding two sisters who return home from a mental hospital after the death of their mother -- the Hollywood version has been "westernized and simplified" to appeal to U.S. audiences, producers of "The Uninvited" said.

Gone are the subtle depictions of shifting emotions, replaced by stunning visual and sound effects that give viewers goose-bumps.

"With a lot of key elements from the original movie abbreviated, the Hollywood version might work better with viewers who aren't keen on head-scratching, complicated plots," movie critic Kang said.

"The key to a remake's success is the balance between what to keep and what to change," he added. "This movie proves Hollywood remakes have a chance of success both at home and abroad."

Despite the somewhat disappointing results thus far, major U.S. studios are continuing to scout Korean films to rework.

Blockbuster whiz Steven Spielberg and top actor Will Smith are set to work together on the Hollywood adaptation of "Old Boy," while Gregor Verbinski, creator of the "Pirates of the Caribbean" series, will be producing the U.S. version of "The Host."

Recently, Barry Sonnenfeld, the creator of "Men in Black" joined in the remaking tide by announcing his plans to direct an adaptation of "Scandal Makers," a Korean comedy that sold over 8.2 million tickets here.

"The movie is funny, intelligent, and full of heart and values. It is also a movie with universal themes. I am honored to have the opportunity," Sonnenfeld was quoted as saying by Korean distributor Toilet Pictures.

According to M Line, which handles the movie's overseas sales and distribution, remake offers are coming from a number of major studios, including Universal, Sony, Disney and Paramount.

"Korean filmmakers should continue making films the way they believe in," Lee said. "Although it remains a difficult task to turn the uniqueness into something local for Hollywood, it is that uniqueness that draws it to Korean cinema works."

source: Yonhap News