Remade 11 Years After Release: The 'True Adult' Depicted in the Korean Version of 'The Intern'

[Anchor]

The movie "The Intern," which generated global buzz with the story of a 30-something CEO and a 70-year-old intern, has been remade in South Korea for the first time. The Korean version is said to carry a special significance.

Reporter Lee Joo-hyoung has the story.

[Reporter]

If Robert De Niro, renowned for starring in 1970s masterpieces like "The Godfather," enjoys popularity even among the younger generation today, it is likely because of this film.

[Hello, Jules. I'm Ben, your new intern. (This situation must feel a bit funny to you.) It's hard not to.]

"The Intern."

The story of a 70-year-old intern assisting a female CEO in her 30s drew 3.6 million moviegoers in South Korea alone, recording the highest box office hit outside of the United States.

The very first remake of this film, which presented both the older and younger generations with the image of an adult rather than a nagging older figure, has emerged in South Korea.

It has been 11 years since its release.

Actor Choi Min-sik in his mid-60s took on the role originally played by Robert De Niro, while actor Han So-hee, the same age as Anne Hathaway was when the original film was released, took on the role originally played by Anne.

[Who is this formidable person? (He's the new intern who started today.) My direct report? (Me?)]

Warner Bros., which holds the intellectual property rights, withdrew from Korean film production during COVID-19, seemingly putting the Korean version of "The Intern" in jeopardy, but Warner officials noted that it was practically actor Choi Min-sik who revived the project.

Actor Choi, who was an irreplaceable casting choice from the beginning, expressed his intention to continue starring in it even after several years had passed.

[Choi Min-sik / Actor: If Choi Min-sik does it and Han So-hee does it, differentiation will naturally be achieved. Because it captures our own story.]

[Han So-hee / Actor: Throughout the filming, the senior actor caught even the most detailed and minute things that we were letting slip by.]

The Korean version keeps the framework of the original almost intact while incorporating Korean elements to show that life requires both youthful challenge and aged experience.

[Kim Do-young / Director: It's a story about how you communicate with, understand, and ultimately build trust with people who label themselves differently from you, such as MZ or older generations.]

The conclusion that Choi Min-sik reached as a person before being an actor is this:

[Choi Min-sik / Actor: What does it mean to live as a good adult? I think it just comes down to living my life well. It's not about trying to look good to young people, but feeling that I am aging really well.]

(Video reporting: Choi Ho-jun, Video editing: Lee Seung-jin, Design: Seo Seung-hyun, Video courtesy of Warner Bros.)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.