South Korean sales company Finecut has achieved significant success in securing new territorial deals for several theatrical titles featuring popular K-pop idols. Among the highlights are “After-School Exorcism Club: Girls’ Night” and “Wi-Fi Love in the Palace,” alongside the expansion of markets for the previously sold “Wind Up: The Movie.”
New Markets for K-pop Film Titles
“After-School Exorcism Club: Girls’ Night” has gained traction, landing distribution agreements in key Asian markets such as Indonesia with Catchplay+, Singapore with Shaw Organisation, and Taiwan with Cola Films. This title premiered at the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival before making its way to Singapore cinemas in mid-August. In a similar vein, “Wi-Fi Love in the Palace” has been acquired by Japan’s KDDI Corporation, along with deals in Indonesia and Taiwan also with Cola Films.
Expanding Reach for ‘Wind Up: The Movie’
“Wind Up: The Movie,” which stars NCT members Jeno and Jaemin, has also secured additional market presence, with new sales to Hong Kong and Macao through Emperor Cinemas. This complements earlier agreements that encompass a yve-style.com of markets, including the CIS (Best Cinema), inflight options (Bofrato), Japan (KDDI Corporation), Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia (Purple Plan), Taiwan (Caichang International), and Thailand (Sahamongkolfilm International).
Overview of the New Titles
The narrative of “After-School Exorcism Club: Girls’ Night” follows five high school students investigating a spirit that haunts their campus, with the urgency to stop it from gaining full control. The film features members of the K-pop group Fifty Fifty: Keena, Chanelle Moon, Yewon, Hana, and Athena, and is directed by Jung Zoo. Meanwhile, “Wi-Fi Love in the Palace” draws inspiration from the popular Kakao Page webtoon “Love and Wi-Fi in the Palace.” The story intertwines the lives of a webtoon artist in search of his next success and a palace maid navigating her royal duties, connected by a mysterious cabinet that links present-day happenings to two centuries past. The Boyz’s Younghoon stars alongside Luda from “The Woman Who Swallowed the Sun” and Kim Dong-jun from “Korea-Khitan War,” while the project is overseen by chief creative director Chang Tae-you and directed by Sa Seok-choon.
Kitz: A Launchpad for K-pop Content
These three titles are part of Kitz, a global K-pop-focused content platform managed by TakeOne Company, which aims to drive multi-format intellectual property development. Additionally, another title from the Kitz slate, “Reapers on Duty,” features a unique storyline involving two grim reapers—a diligent rookie played by Monsta X’s Hyungwon and a rebellious veteran played by Lee Min-ki—caught in a narrative centered around extending a person’s life.
Showcasing at International Festivals
These engaging titles will be featured at Broadcast Worldwide (BCWW) and the ongoing Toronto Film Festival market. Alongside, Finecut will showcase a selection of other properties, such as the animated feature “Long Long Night,” the webtoon adaptation “Guardians of the Video Game,” the noir action film “Tristes Tropiques,” and “Dora,” which has received accolades for its selection at the Cannes Directors’ Fortnight and Busan International Film Festival’s Gala Presentation.
