Movies ‘Gunche’ (Directed by Yeon Sang-ho) and ‘Dora’ (Directed by Jung Ju-ri) have been invited to the 79th Cannes Film Festival. Jun Ji-hyun and the main cast of ‘Gunche’, along with Kim Do-yeon from ‘Dora’, will be attending the festival in person. Both projects were invested in by Episode Company.
Invited to the ‘Midnight Screening’ section, ‘Gunche’ is highly anticipated as the return of Yeon Sang-ho, a pioneer of the Korean zombie genre. The film follows isolated survivors in a locked-down building fighting against infected beings that evolve in unpredictable ways. Moving beyond a simple zombie movie, it meticulously explores universal messages of human selfishness and solidarity within a confined space. With a star-studded cast including Jun Ji-hyun, Koo Kyo-hwan, Ji Chang-wook, Shin Hyun-bin, and Kim Shin-rok, the film has already garnered attention from overseas buyers. It is expected to be a tentpole project that brings the heat of the festival to theaters with its domestic release on May 21, immediately after the Cannes screening.
‘Dora’, which will have its world premiere through ‘Directors’ Fortnight’, is a work that expands the artistic horizons of Korean cinema. Directed by Jung Ju-ri, who received acclaim at Cannes for ‘Do-hee’ and ‘Next Sohee’, the film boldly and sensually captures a woman’s primitive desires and the confusion she experiences. As an international co-production involving Korea, France, Luxembourg, and Japan, the acting battle between Japan Academy Award winner Sakura Ando and rising star Kim Do-yeon is a major highlight. Its cross-border production and genre originality are expected to showcase new possibilities for K-arthouse films in the global market.
Episode Company is emerging as a new powerhouse in the film content market by confirming investments in two official invitees of the 79th Cannes Film Festival. This move is interpreted as a strategic portfolio that encompasses both high-budget tentpole films and creative international co-productions to expand the diversity of the Korean film ecosystem and maximize global competitiveness. While the two projects differ in scale and nature, they both share the commonality of translating the unique genre grammar of K-content into a global aesthetic.
Episode Company’s approach is based on a ‘diversification strategy’ that breaks the traditional mold of film investment. By investing in large-scale genre films with guaranteed commercial appeal to secure stable revenue, while simultaneously investing in projects recognized for their international prestige and artistic quality to enhance brand value, they are breathing new life into the stagnant Korean film industry. Using the Cannes Film Festival as a springboard, Episode Company plans to continue aggressive content investments and accelerate the construction of a ‘Global IP Universe’ spanning movies, dramas, animation, and AI-based content for all generations.
Director Yeon Sang-ho and the lead actors of ‘Gunche’, including Jun Ji-hyun, Koo Kyo-hwan, Ji Chang-wook, Shin Hyun-bin, and Kim Shin-rok, will attend the official Midnight Screening and red carpet event at the Lumiere Grand Theatre on May 15 at 12:30 AM (May 16, 0:30 AM) local time. ‘Dora’ will have its world premiere on May 17 at 6 PM local time.
