Korean period thriller ‘The Night Owl’ to be remade in China

South Korean period thriller “The Night Owl” by director Ahn Tae-jin will be remade in China, the movie’s Korean distributor NEW said Tuesday.

According to NEW, a copyright deal for a Chinese remake of “The Night Owl” was clinched at a “record-high” price. A Chinese entertainment firm preparing for the local production of the film is behind the deal. NEW didn’t release the name of the Chinese company.

Given that previous remakes of Korean films in China have been huge hits -- 2018 Rom-com “On Your Wedding Day” was remade into “My Love” (2021) and recorded 150 billion won ($110.7 million) in sales -- the Chinese remake of “The Night Owl” may well become a box office hit in China.

NEW said it will secure an additional profit and maximize the value of the movie’s intellectual property if the movie becomes a box office hit in China.

Released in November 2022, “The Night Owl” swept the local box office for weeks with more than 30 million people watching the film despite its opening during low season. The movie made the international film festival circuit including the Sitges International Film Festival, also known as the International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia, in Spain.

The movie, set in the Joseon era (1392-1910), revolves around a day-blind acupuncturist Kyeong-soo (Ruy Jun-yeol) who happens to witness the death of the crown prince. Yoo Hae-jin plays the king who wants to discover the truth about his son’s death and joins hands with Kyeong-soo.