Why Hollywood should stop adapting Korean media

After years of playing “will they, won’t they,” New Line Cinema has announced that the Western adaptation of 2017 zombie blockbuster Train to Busan is well underway — this time taking place in New York City’s very own subway system. While the only details available right now are a title and release date, netizens have already expressed their disappointment and made clear their intention to boycott its release. These violent reactions can easily confuse those unfamiliar with the world of Hallyu: after all, aren’t remakes and reimaginings standard fare in the entertainment industry?

But the subject of this discussion isn’t just any movie littered with gory and claustrophobic horror sequences. Train to Busan remains a cultural hallmark in its native South Korea nearly half a decade after its release because of how it eerily mirrors a series of real-life tragedies. In 2014, an overloaded ship drowned at sea, leaving 300 dead; a year later, a MERS outbreak would infiltrate the country and claim 30 more. Both incidents were a product of administrative incompetence, as the national government scrambled to preserve their image instead of prioritizing transparency.

Read more at: https://www.rappler.com/entertainment/movies/why-hollywood-should-stop-adapting-korean-media/