Singapore Enters Korean Co-Pro Deal on Host 2

SINGAPORE: A production agreement between Singapore’s Boku Films, Korea’s Chungeorahm Films and the Media Development Authority (MDA) will see the production of the $10 million sequel Host 2.

Host 2, schedule for a 2011 release, will be jointly-produced by renowned Korean producer Choi Yong-Bae of Chungeorahm Films and award-winning Singapore filmmaker Kelvin Tong of Boku Films. Other investors of Host 2 are SK Telecom and the Korea Creative Contents Agency (KOCCA). Host 2 is the first Singapore-Korea co- production and comes after the sealing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in 2007 between MDA and KOCCA that calls for the support of co-productions on Asian projects.

The 2006 release of The Host attracted a staggering 13 million admissions in Korea and remains the highest-grossing Korean film of all time. The monster movie about a mutant creature going on a rampage in Seoul was sold to 134 countries and grossed $90 million worldwide.

Dr Christopher Chia, the CEO of MDA, said, “The Host is a well-known and proven box office success. Having Boku Films and Chungeorahm onboard the project is an excellent opportunity for Singapore and Korean producers to work together to lend a new Asian touch to the genre. Talents like Kelvin Tong will be able to bring their perspectives and contributions to bear on the project, to produce content that will resonate with a global audience.”

Na Moon-sung, the head of KOCCA’s cultural technology department, added, “We expect this project to acquire competitiveness comparable to overseas films in not only visual quality but also production efficiency, and anticipate this will upgrade the overall level of the Korean CGI industry.”

Tong commented: “The Host was a huge hit all over the world when it was released in 2006 and all eyes will be on its sequel. We have a lot to live up to but I am confident that the Korean and Singapore creatives working on this epic project will deliver a movie of monstrous proportions.”

Chungeorahm Film’s chief executive, Choi Yong-Bae, said: “I am confident that this collaboration between Chungeorahm Film, Boku Films and the MDA will develop Host 2 into the best Asian creature movie ever. This is a wonderful opportunity to strengthen the ties between the Korean and Singapore film industries.”