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Park Chan-wook’s new film sold to largest number of countries of all Korean films

May 19, 2016
In this Associated Press photo, Director Park Chan-Wook (C) poses for photographers with actors Ha Jung-woo, Kim Tae-ri, Kim Min-hee, and Cho Jing-woong, from left, at the 69th Cannes Film Festival, in Cannes, France, on May 14, 2016.

In this Associated Press photo, Director Park Chan-Wook (C) poses for photographers with actors Ha Jung-woo, Kim Tae-ri, Kim Min-hee, and Cho Jing-woong, from left, at the 69th Cannes Film Festival, in Cannes, France, on May 14, 2016.

CANNES, France, (Yonhap) — Director Park Chan-wook’s erotic thriller “The Handmaiden” has broken new ground as it has been sold to the largest number of foreign countries for a Korean film, its distributor CJ E&M said Thursday.

Premiered at the 69th Cannes Film Festival, the film has been sold to distributors based in 175 countries, according to the local media and entertainment company.

It surpassed the previous record of 167 set by Bong Joon-ho’s English-debuting film “Snowpiercer” in 2013.

The film had been pre-sold to 120 countries before it came to Cannes.

The company says the achievement is meaningful considering the new movie’s limitation as a Korean-language film with an all Korean cast.

The latest film from the “Oldboy” director, set in colonial Korea and Japan in the 1930s, stars Kim Min-hee, Cho Jin-woong, Ha Jung-woo and Kim Tae-ri. It tells the story of a young maid hired by a con man to help seduce a wealthy heiress, only to fall in love with her.