Filmmaker Kwak Kyung-taek is directing the upcoming follow-up to his 2001 box-office hit “Friend,” its distributor Lotte Entertainment said.
Loosely based on Kwak’s personal experience growing up in Busan, the 2001 movie dealt with four teenagers and their friendship and betrayal. The upcoming sequel features one of the four high school kids from the original, Jun-seok, who used to be the leader of the four and the son of a powerful mob boss.
Actor Kim Woo-bin stars in “Friend 2,” a follow-up to director Kwak Kyung-taek’s 2001 hit “Friend.” (Lotte Entertainment)
Actor Yu Oh-seong, who played Jun-seok in the 2001 movie, is returning as the same character in the sequel. He is now living in 2010, and how he turned out remains a mystery.
The new film is said to move back and forth in time between 1963 and 2010, telling the story of Jun-seok’s father, Cheol-joo, a famous and charismatic gangster of the 1960s. Actor Ju Jin-mo has been cast to play the role.
Meanwhile, up-and-coming actor Kim Woo-bin is starring as Seong-hoon, a 20-something ex-con living in 2010. The character is said to be the son of Dong-su, one of the four teenagers who died in a tragedy in the original movie. Top star Jang Dong-gun played Dong-su in the 2001 film.
“The movie ‘Friend’ was a stepping stone in my career,” said director Kwak through the promoters. “I am where I am now because of that film. And it feels as if being in my hometown to be on the movie set to make its follow-up. I will do my best to make a great film.”
“Friend 2” to be released in the second half of this year.
By Claire Lee (
dyc@heraldcorp.com)