Lee Gyu-lee is a business writer at The Korea Times, focusing primarily on IT & telecommunications, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and KOTRA. Prior to this, she has covered a wide range of cultural news, from film, television and K-pop to lifestyle and fashion.
Director Yeon Sang-ho to create 'new universe' with gaming company Smilegate
By Lee Gyu-lee
Director Yeon Sang-ho / Courtesy of Netflix
By Lee Gyu-lee
Director Yeon Sang-ho has inked an intellectual property partnership agreement with local gaming company Smilegate.
The director, who was at the helm of the hit film “Train to Busan” and Netflix series “Hellbound,” will join hands with the game developer to create a new “fictional universe” by next year at the earliest.
The company will use it to develop not only a game but also other types of content such as movies, TV series and webcomics.
Smilegate's chief visionary officer Kwon Hyuk-bin, who is also the founder of the company, revealed last month in his New Year message to employees that the company was in talks with director Yeon to sign a partnership.
“(The partnership) will allow Smilegate ot go from a famous gaming company, and expand its content universe into various fields, including movies, dramas, webcomics and variety shows,” Kwon said.
Founded in 2002, Smilegate is a video game developer and publisher that services both mobile and PC online games, including the massively multiplayer online role-playing game “Lost Ark” and the first-person shooter “CrossfireX.”
Yeon made his directorial debut with the 1997 short animated film “Megalomania of D.” He earned global recognition after directing the 2016 zombie horror film “Train to Busan.”
He also garnered global attention with “Hellbound” which topped Netflix's global chart for 11 straight days following its premiere last November.
The director is set to direct Netflix's new sci-fi series “Jung-E.”