Upcoming film 'Canola' to be remade in China
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Youn Yuh-jung, left, and Kim Go-eun speak at a press meeting for “Canola,” May 19. / Yonhap
By Yun Suh-young
A number of recently released or soon-to-be-released Korean films are receiving love calls from China.
A Chinese remake of "Time Renegades" which was released on April 13 has already begun filming, while the upcoming film "My New Sassy Girl" which will be released on May 5 will also be remade into a Chinese film. Another film to be added to the "China-remake" category is the upcoming film "Canola" featuring Youn Yuh-jung and Kim Go-eun to be released May 19.
The film is the story of an old woman and her granddaughter who reunite 12 years after the granddaughter's disappearance and focuses on how the two slowly adjust to living together. Grandmother Gyechoon (Youn Yuh-jung) is a haenyeo (female diver) native to Jeju Island who has only one blood relative left, her granddaughter Hae-ji (Kim Go-eun). The two start a rollercoaster living arrangement after reuniting. However, when Hae-ji leaves to participate in an art competition in Seoul, she mysteriously disappears.
"The remake copyright for this film has already been sold to China," said director Chang during a press conference for “Canola” held April 19 in Seoul.
Poster for “Canola”
"I think the reason why so much Korean content is being sold to China is because of the similarity in sentiments shared by Asians, especially between Chinese and Koreans."
The film is universally identifiable because "it's about mothers and grandmothers" according to Chang.
"My mother, who passed away, was very old compared to most mothers of people my age. So I felt like I was living with a grandmother instead of a mother. I was teased by my classmates at school because my mother was old. I felt really guilty as a son," said Chang. "I wanted to make a film dedicated to my mother before I became too old. I wanted to tell a story of our mothers and grandmothers in a sincere way."
Veteran actress Youn Yuh-jung, 68, who stars as the grandmother in the film, called the sentiments reflected in the movie universal.
"Everyone has a grandmother. The emotions portrayed in the movie are universally relatable," she said.
"Parents try to discipline their children, but grandparents are not as strict. They are more tolerant of their grandchildren and give them unconditional love which is why children who grow up with their grandparents tend to be spoiled. I think the theme would be widely recognized in any country."
Youn added that she wanted to dedicate her performance in the movie to her grandmother who passed away when she was a child.
"My grandmother passed away when I was 10 years old. I wasn't a good granddaughter. So I wanted this film to pay homage to her," said Youn.
"Commercial films these days are too provocative. This one might be too ordinary, but it's a heartwarming film to enjoy with your family."
Kim Go-eun, 26, who stars as Hae-ji, currently lives with her grandmother which was why she could relate to the screenplay as strongly as she did.
"I've been living with my grandmother since I was 20. At first I didn't want her to interfere with my life. I didn't want her attention and I expressed that in a twisted way," Kim said. "Knowing that this story was about a grandmother, my heart ached even before reading the screenplay when I was offered the role. When I read the script, I cried my eyes out and immediately called director Chang and told him I would do it. I felt a lot of empathy for Hae-ji."
Kim said that she also dedicated her performance in the film to her grandmother.
"I've done films that were probably uncomfortable for my grandma to watch. But this film will be a gift to her."
Youn and Kim made a good match, according to director Chang. "They worked in perfect harmony. I almost had nothing to do," he said.
The Korean title of the film "Gyechoon Halmang" means grandmother Gyechoon in the Jeju dialect. Gyechoon refers to March in the lunar calendar. The filming also began in March last year and ended this spring. Director Chang said he especially focused on color.
"I tried to emphasize the color of Jeju in this film ― the black of the basalt, the blue of the ocean and the orange of the canola flowers and tangerines. Orange is magnified in this film and I think it matches with the sentiment of the movie," said Chang.
Choi Min-ho, a member of boy band SHINee, makes his first big screen debut in this film while Kim Hee-won, whose work in films consists of mostly evil characters, plays the good guy this time.