D-War, Once Criticized 19 Years Ago, Enjoys Global Resurgence and Prepares Sequel

Comedian and film director Shim Hyung-rae shared his thoughts on the global box-office resurgence of his film "D-War" and announced plans for a sequel.

On the 18th, Director Shim took to his YouTube channel, "Younggu TV," expressing his gratitude, saying, "I have been receiving many congratulatory messages since the resurgence of 'D-War'. Thank you."

Released in 2007, "D-War" is an SF fantasy film depicting the story that unfolds when an Imugi, a legendary Korean creature, appears in the middle of Los Angeles.

The film drew significant attention as Director Shim took charge of both directing and screenwriting, drawing 7.85 million moviegoers upon its release.

While praised for advancing South Korean CG technology, it also faced harsh criticism for its lacking narrative coherence and disappointing direction.

Falling short of a complete triumph at the time, "D-War" has recently been re-evaluated in the global market.

Having met international viewers through Netflix, "D-War" climbed to No. 2 on Netflix movie charts in major European countries, including France, Germany, and Italy.

It also pulled off an unexpected feat by ranking 6th on the global movie charts.

An analysis by the overseas media outlet Screen Rant regarding the unexpected resurgence of "D-War" also drew attention.

The analysis suggested that the simple narrative, which was criticized as a flaw upon its release, actually appealed to audiences looking for light entertainment.

Additionally, it analyzed that with the release of HBO's "House of the Dragon" Season 3, there was a demand for films featuring live-action dragons, and "D-War" was exposed to European viewers through Netflix's recommendation algorithm.

During the interview that day, Director Shim also opened up about his honest feelings regarding the controversies that arose during its 2007 release.

Recalling the past, he mentioned the use of "Arirang" as the background music in the film's ending, saying, "I received a lot of criticism. There were even remarks asking if it was patriotic marketing."

Mentioning that BTS recently used "Arirang" in their new song, he added, "Looking back now, foreign audiences liked 'Arirang'. I feel relieved."

He also revealed plans for a "D-War" sequel.

Director Shim explained, "'D-War 2' is in the final stages of scriptwriting and securing investment. This time, a game is also scheduled to be released alongside it. While the first film partnered with a South Korean distributor, the second one will team up with a global distributor.

We are currently in discussions with four companies."

Reported by Kim Ji-hye | Video by Jung Yong-hee | Graphics by Yang Hye-min | Produced by SBS Digital News
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.