'The Intern' and 'Tazza: The Song of Beelzebub,' two films targeting this year's Chuseok holiday, will hit theaters a week apart.
Though different in genre and subject matter, the two films share common ground. The former is a remake of a successful Hollywood film, while the latter is an installment in one of South Korea's iconic film franchises. In other words, both are works that cannot avoid comparisons with their predecessors.
Riding on the power of established titles and faced with definitive benchmarks for comparison, can these two films—marked by both clear expectations and concerns—capture the hearts of moviegoers in theaters this Chuseok?
◆ 'The Intern': A Remake Reduced to a Mere Revival… Choi Minsik Shines Alone
'The Intern' (2015), starring Robert De Niro and Anne Hathaway, is a well-crafted entertainment film. Watching it gives a sense of a high wall in Hollywood because it belongs to a genre that Korean cinema struggles with most: films based on subject matter that resonates with contemporary audiences across generations, traversing between reality and fantasy while delivering both laughter and emotion. Nancy Meyers, who directed the film, is an unrivaled master of this genre even in Hollywood.
Director Kim Doyoung, who garnered attention with 'Kim Ji-young: Born 1982' and 'Once We Were Us,' took the helm, with Choi Minsik and Han So-hee ambitiously taking on the Korean adaptation of 'The Intern.' However, the Korean version of 'The Intern' is less a remake infused with fresh perspectives and individuality, and more of a revival that merely reproduces and reenacts the framework and characteristics of the original.
From the basic setup of a senior intern joining a fashion company led by a successful young female CEO, the narrative through the midpoint unfolds with little difference from the original. The adjustment period of senior intern Keeho (Choi Minsik) and the crises in both work and family life faced by female CEO SUNOO (Han So-hee) intersect as mutual understanding and empathy develop between them. It is a familiar story played out at a slower pace, merely swapping out the setting and actors.
Subtle adaptations and changes in setup aimed at incorporating Korean sentiments are also noticeable. These include comedic elements utilizing cultural and linguistic gaps between the senior intern and MZ-generation interns, as well as a mid-film commotion that brings SUNOO and Keeho closer, portrayed as a farce stemming from changing communication platforms and frivolous interactions. However, the limitation is evident: such adaptations result in fleeting laughs rather than impressive variations.
The only element that stands out in this film is Choi Minsik. He is the actor who immediately comes to mind when one thinks of "Korea's Robert De Niro." While both are masters of intense, raw method acting, they are also seasoned craftsmen skilled in effortless comedic acting. Choi Minsik's warm smile and sly, natural performance—breaking through gray hair and deeply lined features—convey the poise and dignity of a true elder.
Regarding the female CEO character, while the original realistically unpacked her insecurities as a mother and wife, the Korean version focuses solely on the rift between an "alpha girl" wife and an incompetent husband. While Han So-hee is undeniably an actor who captivates audiences' eyes, she has yet to project the depth needed for viewers to fully empathize with the emotions she pours out. Although Choi Minsik supports Han with reactions tailored to the scene's emotional pitch, the gap in their experience and mastery remains apparent.
From the outset, 'The Intern' was a project with a high barrier to remake. Although the director and cast expressed confidence in an adaptation grounded in reality, the original's emotional core was inherently foreign to Korean sensibilities to begin with. The mutual understanding between a respected older generation and an appreciative younger generation is an emotion difficult to immerse in without substantial nuance and multidimensional depth. This is especially true when the setting is a workplace, an environment that demands realism and authenticity.
The reason for drawing such sharp comparisons between the Hollywood film and its Korean remake is that the original was watched by as many as 3.6 million viewers in South Korea. Furthermore, only a decade has passed since its release. A remake must either surpass the original or offer a distinct novelty to justify its existence. Yet, in nearly every aspect, this version of 'The Intern' proves to be an inferior downgrade.
◆ 'Tazza 4': Loose and Skipping Ahead, Lacking the Thrill of Suspense
The 'Tazza' franchise has been a hallmark of Korean film series for a full 20 years. To be sure, the 'Tazza' audiences remember best may be solely director Choi Dong-hoon's 2006 film. Yet, setting aside box office numbers and artistic achievements, the sheer stamina of a series spanning four installments over two decades deserves recognition.
The fourth installment, 'Tazza: The Song of Beelzebub,' is unique in the series as a standalone film with no narrative or character ties to previous entries. Set in the contemporary era, the story depicts the ruin that unfolds when the friendship between two young businessmen fractures.
The rupture in their relationship stems from jealousy and an inferiority complex. The issue is that it is difficult for viewers to get on board with the envy and desire that Park Young-tae (Roh Jae-won) feels toward Jang Young-tae (Byun Yohan). If one asks whether someone could commit such acts against a longtime friend simply because he is "a lucky person," this film's screenplay falls short of being convincing.
Playing the title roles, Byun Yohan and Roh Jae-won seized the biggest opportunity of their careers to deliver earnest performances, but they fail to give the impression of commanding the entire film. One of the defining characteristics of the 'Tazza' franchise has been that supporting characters shone just as brightly as the leads. While the fourth film plays cards such as Jo Woo Jin, Yoon Kyungho, and Moon Ji-hoon, their characters lack the distinct personality and charm that linger long after the credits roll. Renowned actors from Vietnam and Japan are also introduced, but given their unfamiliarity to domestic audiences, their presence falls short of delivering the director's intended impact.
Overall, 'Tazza 4' suffers from a loose narrative and treats its characters disposably. The wheel of luck and fate dividing the two characters rolls along blandly through an episodic catalog of events. The exit of Jang Young-tae's older sister, Tae-hee, delivers an unexpected shock, yet the film never resolves the causality behind it before the end. Ayaka Miyoshi was seemingly cast in the role of the "flower of the gambling table"—much like Kim Hye-soo, Shin Sae-kyeong, and Lim Ji-yeon in previous installments—but her role remains purely functional without a proper stage set for her charm to shine.
In 'Tazza,' gambling is more than just eye candy filled with flashy sleight of hand. In this series, the gambling den is a dog-eat-dog arena teeming with desires translated into money. Even viewers who knew nothing about the rules of seotda swallowed hard in suspense while watching the first 'Tazza' because it generated intense tension, with characters' fates repeatedly rising and falling on the constantly shifting hwatu table. That dramatic density was the result of a screenplay that honored the original story and characters, cinematic direction, and solid, impassioned performances by distinctive actors.
'Tazza 4' lacks that gripping thrill. This becomes glaringly evident in the staging of the gambling tables, the very core of the film. Most of the opponents facing the protagonist are unfamiliar to the audience, failing to draw them in or generate suspense over variables and sudden twists. While Texas hold'em rules are introduced via subtitles early on, explanations are omitted in the second half. Even for those well-versed in poker, reaching the scene's intended dramatic payoff seems difficult. It is a fundamental flaw in design.
(SBS Entertainment News | Reporter Kim Ji-hye)
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