Korean Studio Announces the Chinese Version of the Monster Sequel
Author: Kim Song-ho (Loomis)
Source: Chungeorahm Film official press release, various

The Korean production company Chungeorahm Film announced on June 25, 2008 (Korean date) that it will produce a ‘Chinese version’ of the sequel to THE HOST (Gwoemul). This is a separate project from the already-announced THE HOST 2. The new film is a localized version, so it will feature Chinese performers and be produced in the Chinese language.

Director Hao Ning (left) and Chungeorahm CEO Choi Yong-bae at the Stoneman
Films office in Beijing, China. © 2008 Chungeorahm Film

According to the press release, the Chinese version is a joint production of Chungeorahm and Stoneman Films, Ltd., a Chinese company. Hao Ning, an up-and-coming director of China and also CEO of Stoneman Films, will direct.

Ning is the well-known director of MONGOLIAN PING PONG (Lu cao di, 2005) and CRAZY STONE (Fengkuang de shitou, 2006). He was born in 1977 in the Yellow River valley Shanxi province. After studying scenic design at Shanxi Taiyuan Film School he was accepted to the Art Department of Beijing University. During his studies, Ning worked on several Chinese TV productions and directed dozens of award-winning Chinese music videos which have appeared on MTV Asia. INCENSE (Xianghuo, 2003), his graduation film for the Beijing Film Academy, won the Grand Prize at Tokyo Filmex and Best Film of 2004 at HK Arts Centre. CRAZY STONE was also an especially big hit in its native country when it was released and won the best screenplay category in the 2006 Golden Horse Awards. His latest work is SILVER MEDALIST (2008). Currently, Ning is developing the screenplay for the new HOST film.

Production is expected to commence in early 2009 and the finished film will be released later that year. The budget is approximately $12 million US. The original THE HOST was released in China in March 2007.

Meanwhile, there has been no updates whatsoever about THE HOST 2, which was expected to begin production this summer. No director or performers have been officially announced so far.

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For more information on (the Korean) THE HOST 2, please see the previous coverage here on SciFi Japan:

• Sequel Planned for THE HOST
• THE HOST 2 Update
• THE HOST 2 News