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2013 Korean Pandemic Thriller FLU Scores Taiwanese Theatrical Release
KIM Sung-su Hit Back in the Public Eye Amid Global Health Scare
Past influenza-themed films have returned to the public eye in a big way in the midst of the Covid-19 public health crisis and Korea’s most notable addition to the subgenre, KIM Sung-soo’s 2013 summer release Flu, has also found a new lease of life online, and will finally make its way to Taiwan, almost seven years after its initial release at home in Korea.
The story of a fireman (JANG Hyuk - Empire of Lust, 2015) and a doctor (Su Ae - Sunny, 2008) who battle against a fast-spreading virus that locks down and causes havoc in the Seoul satellite city of Bundang, Flu will be made available to Taiwanese viewers on April 30, when it will be afforded a small-scale release.
The CJ Entertainment-distributed title originally opened on August 14, 2013 and was a respectable hit that summer, attracting 3.12 million viewers (USD 17.99 million). The film comes from hit director KIM Sung-soo, who is also known for Beat (1997), Musa-The Warrior (2001) and Asura : The City of Madness (2016). Beyond JANG and Su Ae, the film also stars YOO Hae-jin (LUCK-KEY, 2016) and Don LEE (aka MA Dong-seok) of THE OUTLAWS (2017) fame among others.
As interest in pandemic thrillers has soared recently, such as in Hollywood titles Contagion and Outbreak, Flu has been gaining traction as a TV and VOD title across Southeast Asia. It has also experienced a resurgence in popularity in Korea, where it cracked the Top 20 on the IPTV chart in March and has been one of the top titles for the Watcha Play streaming service.
