[Showbox Day]② Announcement of 27 Super IP Contents, Song Kang-ho, Ha Jung-woo, and Lee Je-hoon Coming

Announcement of 27 New Content Lineups
Ambitions to Discover and Expand Super IP
August Release of 'Bisangsoneon'
"Planning 40 TV Dramas and OTT Series"

Reporter Lee Isul

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Isul] Investment and distribution company Showbox announced its lineup of 27 new content titles to be released this year. The lineup includes a variety of content, from original works to recreations based on popular original IPs (intellectual properties) such as novels, webtoons, and films.

On the morning of the 15th, Showbox held a media day at Seoul Dragon City in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, expressing confidence in its upcoming super IPs. "Pamyoo," a strange story involving a feng shui master, a mortician, and a shaman who are commissioned to relocate a cursed grave, is the new work by director Jang Jae-hyun, who directed "The Priests" and "Svaha." It will be produced as a film, webtoon, and series.

"Hyeonhok," a series set in 1935 Gyeongseong depicting mysterious events surrounding a woman, is based on the webtoon of the same name and directed by Han Jae-rim, known for "Emergency Declaration" and "The Face Reader." "Birth of a Nation," a stylish gangster noir set in the turbulent post-liberation period, will be a series directed by Kim Tae-kyun, who directed "Dark Figure of Crime." "Geukya," a fierce survival story about an unidentified entity appearing in Antarctica, is a series based on the webtoon of the same name, directed by Won Shin-yeon, known for "The Suspect" and "The Battle of Bongodong." "Hero's Variable," a popular K-hero webtoon, will also be reborn as a Showbox series. These works, based on endlessly expandable stories, will meet audiences in various forms of content in the future.

The lineup of original films scheduled for release on the big screen is also solid. "Hijacked," directed by Kim Sung-hoon, who has attracted K-content fans through "A Hard Day," "Tunnel," and "Kingdom," stars Ha Jung-woo and Ju Ji-hoon. "Apgujeong Report," starring Ma Dong-seok and Jung Kyung-ho and directed by Lim Jin-soon, as well as "Citizen Deok-hee," featuring Ra Mi-ran, Gong Myung, Yeom Hye-ran, Park Byung-eun, Jang Yoon-ju, Lee Moo-saeng, and Ahn Eun-jin, directed by newcomer Park Young-joo, are also highly anticipated. "Vacation," the new work of director Yuk Sang-hyo starring Shin Min-a and Kim Hae-sook, "Three Days," directed by Hyun Moon-seop starring Park Shin-yang and Lee Min-ki, and "Moral Hazard," directed by Choi Yoon-jin, will also be released to audiences.

The series lineup based on popular novels and webtoons is impressive as well. "Murderer Nangam," a series based on the webtoon by Kkomabi, is directed by Lee Chang-hee, who proved his capabilities through the drama "Strangers from Hell." "Witch," a series based on Kang Full's webtoon, is directed by Kim Tae-kyun, who also directed "Dark Figure of Crime." "Purgatory Mechanic," based on the novel by Kyung Min-sun, is directed by Lee Chung-hyun, who made a dazzling debut with the film "Call," and will be reborn as a Showbox series. "One Day, I Told You That Your Heart Would Stop," based on the novel by Chloe Yoon and with screenwriter Cheon Sung-il, who wrote "All of Us Are Dead," participating as creative director, is also in production.

"Jaehee," a short story from the bestseller "Love in the Big City" by Park Sang-young, which gained global attention as a Booker Prize nominee, will be adapted into a film directed by Lee Eon-hee, who directed "Detective: Returns." The film "Rapture," based on Jo Jang-ho's novel "Rapture 1992," which won the grand prize in the Naver Books mystery contest, will be directed by Son Young-sung, who directed "The Client."

CEO Kim Dosu / Photo by Showbox

Additionally, Showbox has secured the drama rights for Jeong You-jeong's bestseller "Complete Happiness," and also holds the IPs for the popular webtoon "Announcement from the Bamboo Forest," the web novel "Artifact Reading Appraiser," and the essay "Elegant and Bold Women's Soccer."

Showbox will also present remakes based on overseas originals. The Chinese hit melodrama "Faraway Days" will be remade, and "Woman," based on the popular Japanese NTV drama of the same name, will be directed by Kim Jong-chang, who directed "My Lovely Daughter," and produced as an original series. The Spanish film "Still the Money: 314 Secret Vault" will be presented as a film directed by Yang Kyung-mo.

Showbox will also produce new format content. This includes the cinematic real documentary "Another Record: Lee Je-hoon Edition," directed by Yoon Dan-bi of "Night of the Sisters," the sensory whiskey exploration variety show "Angel's Share," directed by Kim Jong-gwan of "Josee," and the comic mid-form series "Kill Me," directed by Jin Kyung.

Showbox CEO Kim Do-su named "Emergency Declaration," directed by Han Jae-rim and set to be released in August, as the most anticipated work. The film was screened in the non-competitive section at the 74th Cannes Film Festival last year and depicts an aviation disaster involving a plane that declares an unconditional landing due to an unprecedented terrorist attack. The cast includes Song Kang-ho, Lee Byung-hun, Jeon Do-yeon, Kim Nam-gil, Im Si-wan, Kim So-jin, and Park Hae-joon.

CEO Kim said, "There have been changes in the industry over the past five years. Global online video services (OTT) have entered the domestic market, and the theater market has faced difficulties due to the pandemic. Showbox has experienced the same. While these were challenges, they also presented a good opportunity to actively embrace change."

He added, "We have transformed from a company stubbornly focused only on films into a multi-studio content company that plans, develops, and invests in various formats of content. We have 40 TV dramas and OTT series in planning. Three dramas will begin filming this year, and 3 to 5 more will be released next year, so audiences can expect to see our works steadily."