South Korean films secure new distribution deals across several territories
Developing story first seen 4 hours ago
Finecut has announced new international sales for two South Korean films at Tokyo’s TIFFCOM market, expanding their distribution ahead of further industry screenings. The deals add buyers in several territories for Justin H. Min’s drama *Journey There* and Hong Sangsoo’s Locarno award winner *Nowhere to Lay My Eyes*.
*Journey There* sold to Japan, Israel, Mongolia and Taiwan, while Kairos Distribution acquired inflight rights. Kim Jin-yu’s film follows a widow who finds unexpected connections as she prepares for a journey; it opened in South Korea on 28 October. *Nowhere to Lay My Eyes* added deals for Argentina, France, Japan and Portugal, after earlier sales including the UK; Hong’s 35th feature won three prizes at Locarno and follows a woman visiting her mother on Jeju Island after a decade apart.
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In short
- Finecut added four territory buyers for each film.
- *Journey There* also sold inflight rights.
- Hong’s film won three prizes at Locarno.
How this story developed
- 2 hours ago Finecut’s announcement at the close of TIFFCOM confirmed those territory deals, noting Kairos Distribution’s inflight rights for Journey There and that Nowhere to Lay My Eyes had won three prizes at Locarno.
- 2 hours ago Finecut announced TIFFCOM sales for Justin H. Min’s Journey There, which sold to Japan, Israel, Mongolia and Taiwan, and Hong Sangsoo’s Locarno award winner Nowhere to Lay My Eyes, which added Argentina, France, Japan and Portugal.
- Variety ‘Beef’ Actor Justin H. Min’s ‘Journey There,’ Hong Sangsoo’s Locarno Winner ‘Nowhere to Lay My Eyes’ Rack Up International Sales for Finecut
- Deadline Justin H. Min Starrer ‘Journey There’ & Hong Sangsoo’s ‘Nowhere To Lay My Eyes’ Sell To Multiple Territories
- The Hollywood Reporter South Korean films secure new distribution deals across several territories
Full account
South Korean sales company Finecut has secured a fresh set of international distribution agreements for two films: Kim Jin-yu’s drama Journey There and Hong Sangsoo’s Locarno award-winning feature Nowhere to Lay My Eyes. The deals were reported during the autumn film-market circuit, though accounts differ on which event was the setting: one places the announcement at TIFFCOM in Tokyo, while another says the agreements were negotiated at Busan’s Asian Contents & Film Market.
Journey There, Kim’s second feature, has been acquired for Japan by KDDI Corporation, Taiwan by Andrews Film, Mongolia by Izagur Media and Israel by Lev Cinema. Kairos Distribution has taken the film’s inflight rights. It follows a middle-aged woman who, after her husband dies, prepares for a journey and forms unexpected connections in her new apartment. The film is the first Korean production starring Justin H. Min, known for Beef, The Umbrella Academy and After Yang. Kim’s debut, Bori, received two awards at the Schlingel International Film Festival; his production company, Pado, made the new film. It opened in South Korea on 28 October and has been included in the programmes of several international festivals.
Hong’s 35th feature has added sales in France, Japan, Portugal and Argentina, to Carlotta Films, Mimosa Films, The Stone and the Plot, and Kligger respectively. These follow earlier agreements covering Austria, China, North America, Spain, Taiwan and the UK, with Filmgarten, Hugoeast, The Cinema Guild, Atalante, Cola Films and the Institute of Contemporary Arts. The film won awards for direction and performance, as well as the Ecumenical Jury Prize, at the 79th Locarno Film Festival. It centres on a woman travelling with her brother to visit their mother on Jeju Island after a decade apart. Hong reunites with regular collaborators Kim Minhee and Kwon Haehyo, and works for the first time with Choi Myeonggil. Jeonwonsa Film Co. produced the film.
Finecut is also presenting titles at the American Film Market, including the animated feature Long Long Night, which is due to screen for buyers in an English-dubbed version, July Jung’s Cannes Directors’ Fortnight selection Dora, and the period fantasy romance Wi-Fi Love in the Palace, starring Kim Young-hoon of The Boyz. The reports vary in how they describe the films’ festival histories and market timetable: some mention Journey There’s Moscow and New York Asian Film Festival appearances and invitations to the Paris and London Korean Film Festivals, while another lists Dora’s Busan selection and Long Long Night’s appearances in Toronto, Busan and Sitges.
Where outlets differ
From the full account, which is AI-written from the sources:
The reports identify different settings for Finecut’s deal announcements: TIFFCOM alongside the Tokyo International Film Festival in one account, and Busan’s Asian Contents & Film Market in another. A third refers generally to recently concluded market activity.
Festival status for Journey There differs in detail. Reports say it has played at Moscow and the New York Asian Film Festival; one says it has been invited to the Paris and London Korean Film Festivals, while another groups all four as festival appearances or invitations without distinguishing them.
Source 1 says the deals were announced on TIFFCOM’s final day; Source 3 attributes negotiation of the additional deals to the Busan market. Source 2 gives no specific venue for the negotiations.
Explained simply
South Korea has a substantial film industry whose movies are sold to cinemas, broadcasters and streaming services around the world. International sales agents arrange rights for films to be shown in particular countries and settings, including on aircraft.
The films in this story are by two South Korean directors. Kim Jin-yu’s Journey There follows a widow forming new connections as she prepares to travel; Hong Sangsoo’s Nowhere to Lay My Eyes centres on a woman reuniting with her mother on Jeju Island after a decade apart. Locarno is an international film festival in Switzerland, where prizes can raise a film’s profile with audiences and distributors.
These overseas rights deals matter because they can bring films to viewers beyond their home market and help distributors reach audiences in different regions. The terms vary: a deal may cover one country or a specific way of showing a film, such as inflight entertainment.
Coverage · 3 sources
- The Hollywood ReporterSouth Korean films secure new distribution deals across several territories
- Variety‘Beef’ Actor Justin H. Min’s ‘Journey There,’ Hong Sangsoo’s Locarno Winner ‘Nowhere to Lay My Eyes’ Rack Up International Sales for Finecut
- DeadlineJustin H. Min Starrer ‘Journey There’ & Hong Sangsoo’s ‘Nowhere To Lay My Eyes’ Sell To Multiple Territories
Read the full article at the source →
Originally published by The Hollywood Reporter as “Tokyo: Finecut Inks Deals for Justin H. Min’s ‘Journey There,’ Hong Sangsoo’s ‘Nowhere to Lay My Eyes’”.