Im Soo-jung’s upcoming film revealed to be Argentinean remake

Upcoming romantic comedy “Everything about My Wife,”featuring stars Im Soo-jung and Lee Sun-kyun, was belatedly found to be a remake of an Argentinean movie released in 2008.

Its maker has never mentioned the flick being an adaptation of “Un novio para mi mujer” (A Boyfriend for My Wife) by director Juan Taratuto. Some websites have even credited director Min Kyu-dong as the screenwriter.

Zip Cinema, the producer of the film, confirmed the fact Wednesday only when asked by The Korea Herald.

Actress Im Soo-jung stars in the upcoming film “Everything about My Wife.” (Soo Film)

“We thought it wasn’t really necessary for the promotion of the film,” an insider of the production company said. “It’s not like the original film is a box-office smashing Hollywood movie.”

This was the first time it was confirmed not to be an original work though the production house started sending press releases about the movie last year -- even before the shooting began.

The two movies share the same basic plot, where an unhappily married man hires a womanizer to romance his beautiful yet ill-tempered wife -- hoping she will ask for a divorce once she falls in love with the man.

“It depends on their contract,” said an official from the Korea Film Council. “If the contract specified that the Korean movie has to credit the original movie, then it would be unethical not to mention it from the very beginning. If it didn’t, then there’s nothing wrong with it.”

Actress Im, whose best works include director Hur Jin-ho’s 2008 poignant romance “Happiness” and Lee Yoon-ki’s 2011 drama “Come Rain, Come Shine,” is starring as the unpredictable wife. She is paired up with popular actor Lee Sun-kyun, whose latest thriller “Helpless” (local title “Hwacha”) has been a hit at the box office since its release last month.

The film is directed by Min Kyu-dong, who is best known for his 2009 drama “Five Senses of Eros” and family tearjerker “The Last Blossom“ released last year. He wrote the Korean script of the remake, according to Zip Cinema.

The womanizer hired by husband Lee is played by actor Ryoo Seung-ryong, who last year starred in period epic “Arrow: The Ultimate Weapon” and war drama “The Front Line.”

“Everything about My Wife” is slated to open in theaters on May 17.

By Claire Lee (dyc@heraldcorp.com)

임수정 신작, 남미 영화 리메이크로 뒤늦게 밝혀져

배우 임수정, 이선균, 류승룡 주연의 영화 (민규동 감독) 이 지난 2008년 개봉한 아르헨티나 영화의 리메이크인 것으로 뒤늦게 밝혀졌다.

제작사인 “영화사 집”은 작년 말 촬영이 시작된 이 작품이 리메이크이라는 사실을 밝히지 않은 채 영화를 홍보해왔다.

영화사 집은 4일 본지와의 통화에서 원작이 아르헨티나의 (아내의 애인)임을 확인하고 의도적으로 사실을 감춘 것은 아니라고 해명했다.

제작사 관계자는 “원작이 흥행에 성공한 할리우드 영화도 아니지 않느냐”며, “리메이크작이라는 사실을 굳이 알리는 것이 영화 홍보에 도움이 될 것이라고 생각하지 않았다”고 말했다.

은 못 말리는 아내 (임수정)와 헤어지고 싶은 소심한 남편 (이선균)의 이혼 시도를 그린 영화로, 결별을 위해 다른 남자에게 아내를 유혹해 달라고 부탁한다는 설정이 과 동일하다.

이에 대해 영진위 관계자는 “계약서에 특정 문제에 관한 조항이 있을 것”이라며, “만약 원작에 대해 언급해야 한다는 조항이 있다면 밝히는 게 맞다”고 말했다.

이 영화는 현재 후반 작업 중이며, 오는 5월 17일 개봉 예정이다.

이다영 (Claire Lee) 기자 dyc@heraldcorp.com