I'd watch gary oldman asold daesu.

what korea needs to do is start writing clauses where remakes are made with an all asian cast.

Belleza, actually I always bitch about Hollywood remaking even European projects. This is mostly because Hollywood never comes out and gives credit where credit is due. During the hype for Lake House, I didn't hear anyone in interviews mention that it was a remake. When Jessica Alba's "The Eye" came out, at no point did I hear a shoutout to the orginal crew. It was the same fr the forgetable One Missed Call remake. That's my problem with Hollywood's remakes, they act as if it was an orginal production. And at this point they've gotten carried away. It's as if they don't want writers who have original ideas and thoughts. It's better and easier to just start from a tried concept. It's even spread to television. Look at this season's new shows, for example. Life on Mars, Kath & Kim, and the Eleventh Hour are all remakes from England and Australia. Then you have The Office, Couplings (the American version disappeared so fast you may not remember it, but the British version was great), and even non-scripted works like Dancing with the Stars. I mean really are we that lazy. At what point do we start to feel like the kid in the back of the class copying off everyone's paper.You know the one who's just coasting thru school but learning and producing nothing substantive. I'm just tired of it and I expect more from Hollywood; especially because like Java says, it does hold itself out as the mecca of the entertainment world.

There's nothing we can do to stop it so let's look at it positively ..the millions who will watch the Will Smith version will want to check out the original.

Let's also admit that Asia has ripped off a lot of hollywood films and western pop culture.

after this is remade, millions of americans will walk away from this movie not having a clue that this was originally a korean film. what a load of shit.

I really feel like we're starting to get to the point of entertainment globalization in America. YES it sucks--a lot--that Hollywood is remaking Oldboy, BUT I just can't see them continuing to do on such a regular basis, 5, 10 years in the future. Look at all us. Who knows how many people visit this blog to discuss Kdramas each day. A LOT. And there's even more over at Soompi and D-Addicts. The drama group has grown SO much in the last 5 years. It's not the size of Anime addicts, but it's getting up there.

In Seattle, my hometown, the number of foreign films to come here has grown tremendously. We host a foreign film festival every year and if you want tickets, you have to buy them in the first couple days now. Everything sells out. Even the more mainstream theatres in the city has at least one or two foreign films now. Americans are slowly coming around to the idea of "foreignness" in mainstream culture. It's going to take time, yes, but I think we will get there.

"Let’s also admit that Asia has ripped off a lot of hollywood films and western pop culture."

Yup. Insofar as people like K-pop, well hey . . .

"and even non-scripted works like Dancing with the Stars. "

And in fact, the majority of reality shows -- especially the hit ones -- may be imports. I don't have a problem with that though. We all should be ashamed for watching reality TV. :D

"Belleza, actually I always bitch about Hollywood remaking even European projects. This is mostly because Hollywood never comes out and gives credit where credit is due."

Yeah, I think that's fair, because it's been done for decades (and it's same language too) mostly without consent. I just kinda blanch when any ethnic American community throw hissy fits about remakes without considering that so many of the things they like were very inferior remakes from other countries as well. It's very rare for remakes to rival the original, be it from any country.

"it does hold itself out as the mecca of the entertainment world."

Yeah, but it also follows that if you assign an artistic or ethical responsibility for Hollywood to the product it distributes to the international world, then you are also reinforcing the belief that America/Hollywood really IS the mecca of the entertainment world. That too is cultural arrogance; as an American, whichever side you sit on globalization, we as a country still presume our national entitlement. We are all part of the problem, because we still believe we are the wordwide leader.

"I really feel like we’re starting to get to the point of entertainment globalization in America. "

In regards to foreign films, Netflix and other services have helped a lot. It used to be that you had to live in a Seattle or New York City or Los Angeles in order to get access to festival and foreign movie fare. Now you can just check Rottentomatoes or Metacritic and rent it online. People don't really go out to see movies anymore except for the big budget stuff anyway too.

"The drama group has grown SO much in the last 5 years. It’s not the size of Anime addicts, but it’s getting up there. "

Yup. You know things have changed when Borders have a humongous section exclusively for Korean dramas. :D It be must feel good for Korea that places as far as Iran and Nigeria love your shows.

Fangirls shall inherit the earth!

Touché, javabeans!

I may be wrong but I felt after watching many kdramas Hallyuwood was doing something that Hollywood has always done to Asia..
I don't know how to quite express it but Hanoi Bride made me a little uncomfortable. There was also this drama that I never completed but they had this lady teaching Yoga which was attributed to Russia. I am not Indian, Chinese, Japanese or Vietnamese but I didn't like that. Yoga originated in India , and as Asians we should respect each other's culture and not be so careless. Why Russia? Because it's western country? Maybe it was just an innocent mistake. It seemed more like carelessness to me. As an Asian I am so impressed with what Koreans have been able to achieve when it comes to films and dramas so I hope this is just a misunderstanding on my part.
Just a thought.

Let's Face it Folks... Hollywood has been in a downward spiral in the past decade in the lines of creativity. With the onslaught of remakes, based on comic books, adaptations .. etc.. Hollywood at one point even said they are not buying original material from writers that much anymore. Most original films (I said most not all) are independently funded and then picked up by a major studio for distribution. Where am I going with this? The onslaught of remakes.. not just foreign movies.. but movies hollywood has released decades ago. Its F******G irritating.

I am tired of seeing brillant films bastardrized by Hollywood. I was lucky enough to see OLD BOY on the big screen with subtitles and I am sorry, but Senor Spielbergio will not NOT NOT do it any justice. For people who use the Complaint that they shouldn't have to read subtitles to be entertained I give you a SMACK TO THE FOREHEAD. Thats just a lazy excuse. Hollywood has proven to mutilate the originals.. sometimes beyond recognition.

The Pro Remake people are using THE DEPARTED as its battle cry because it won an OSCAR.. SO F******* WHAT!!! It was a mediocre film .. compared to the original INFERNAL AFFAIRS. I am sorry, but it's true.

I have said it once and I will say it again.. HOLLYWOOD IS IN DIRE NEED OF A CREATIVE ENEMA!!!!

O.k. done with my Rant.

I agree! Americans are just to lazy to read subtitles... they know it is a great movie but they rather remake it I fell in love with Korean films and I believe original art should stay original...not watered down to accommodate

"but they had this lady teaching Yoga which was attributed to Russia. "

Wow, you learn something new everyday in K-drama! :D

I think another thing is, Korean film and Korean drama have different aspects for me. Whether you like K-dramas or not, serious Korean film really is a treasure to the world.

"If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Better yet, if it ain’t broke, DON’T BREAK IT."

i agree.. and for the fact that things end up lost in translation.. somewhere along the way.. and yes the fact hollywood does this is just gahhh. have they run out of scripts or something? but honestly, i dont like the remakes so far. gaaahhh my sassy girl was terrible for me.. and lake house lost some of the stuff i liked.
hmmm.. those horror ones well.. i can expect something like those jap movies they redid..

i know other countries have done the same and what not.. but they are taking like oldboy which had a huge impact and doing i dont know what.. we can all see remakes and similiar versions of shows floating around.. its just sad.. and hollywood its even more prominent..

"If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Better yet, if it ain’t broke, DON’T BREAK IT."

i agree.. and for the fact that things end up lost in translation.. somewhere along the way.. and yes the fact hollywood does this is just gahhh. have they run out of scripts or something? but honestly, i dont like the remakes so far. gaaahhh my sassy girl was terrible for me.. and lake house lost some of the stuff i liked.
hmmm.. those horror ones well.. i can expect something like those jap movies they redid..

i know other countries have done the same and what not.. but they are taking like oldboy which had a huge impact and doing i dont know what.. we can all see remakes and similiar versions of shows floating around.. its just sad.. and hollywood its even more prominent..

I'm with you, Javabean. I just can't understand why Hollywood - being the biggest entertainment empire in this planet - is playing safe to pick up successful products elsewhere for its own conversion. C'mon, there must be talents somewhere in the US whom Hollywood could support and nourish. Wouldn't this be a more sensible approach?

Just a girl - can't agree with you more that Asian originals didn't get much a recognition when the remake came out. If it's something adapted, say, from a French or other western country production, the original country is quite often recognised upfront in the promotional materials - but not so with the Asian originals. Even whey they did, they got it wrong - the great example is none other than 'The Departed'. When it got the best movie Oscar, the announcer at the Academy ceremony said that it's based on a "Japanese' movie!!! This is the kind of thing that I have issue with.

@ belleza - "Or when Korea remade Grey’s Anatomy and CSI, where was the outcry there? "

But belleza, there is a HUGE difference between being influenced by something and remaking something. I'm assuming you're talking about SBDH and H.I.T.? Neither show acquired the rights for GA and CSI respectively and thus, cannot be considered as remakes. I actually like Korean dramas with American influences (like utilizing American music for eg.), since it makes it more palatable to audiences (including Asians) who grew up under the influence of American culture and entertainment. So this is vastly different to when Hollywood remakes a Korean film which they most likely paid a measly sum of $1 million for the rights.

As for Oldboy, I heard about a year ago that it was Nicholas Cage who had expressed interest in playing the lead in the remake. I guess that never eventuated and was probably just a rumor since he has a Korean wife, but man...Will Smith? Yeah, he will sell tickets, no doubt, but there is no way I can even begin to imagine him taking on Choi Min Sik's character.

@ epyc - "the announcer at the Academy ceremony said that it’s based on a “Japanese’ movie!!! This is the kind of thing that I have issue with."

I'm with you. It's the blatant disregard and disrespect to the original works that I have issues of as well. The Australian media referred to the remake of the excellent Thai horror movie 'Shutter' as a remake of a Japanese horror LOL! Ahh well, what can you do when the majority of western civilization still considers all Asians to be the same?

@ belleza

> It bothers everybody when Hollywood remakes Asian product,
> but it doesn’t bother anybody when China, Korea, and Japan
> repeatedly makes each other product...

I think the big difference is the respect that’s given and the fact that most people in Asia will watch the originals as well.

For example, when the Taiwanese Hana Yori Dango came out a lot of Chinese people went on to read the original comics. And then when the Japanese version came out, the same people who watched the Taiwanese version also watched the Japanese one.

And I’m sure the people who watch the Korean version will also watch the Japanese and Taiwanese ones and also read the comics (if they haven't already).

Whereas if an Asian (or even European) show is remade by Hollywood, then it usually ends there. There is no respect given to the original work.

What's worse is this stereotype that people in Asia only know how to copy and can't be creative or innovative.

@Phalycidee:

Yesterday night, when I read "Lost in Translation", a smile appeared on my face. I thought that those words had the same subtlety of a needle that wants to go through the buttonhole of a shirt. The needle should have the ability to penetrate the fabric ... As a very witty thought should do so in the minds of those who read. I do not speak French, but when I reread the poetry of Baudelaire or Verlaine, I want to have the availability of the text in the original language, because my mind, my heart want to know the universe of words of the poet, because inside my mind live mental attitude of those who want to be less lazy and those who want to take a step forward, rather than a backward, when the translation itself in a "friendly" language. When I watch a movie, I have the same mental attitude, so long, I lost the bad habit of watching the dubbed movie, a very deep-rooted tradition in my country and more generally in Europe. You have never seen a dubbed movie? It is seductive as the taste of a ripe fruit, but, later, it is unpleasant unripe as the flavor of fruit that is not mature. If the remake is often a form of cannibalisation that destroys the original content of a work, dubbing and adaptation of the dialogues is the brain death of that work, because "sweeps" completely the sense of dialogues. Yet the film industry continues to dub, falsifying the identity of the work, because we viewers want this, why is our mental laziness to want this. Similarly, the film industry will continue to produce the remake, beyond their artistic quality, because someone will continue to stimulate the market with this kind of requests. Unfortunately.

P.s. Thank you for reminding me the movie "Lost in Translation", because I want to review it.

just wanna add, i heard they made sympathy for lady vengeance too. charlize theron..

@ jessica, i also think that for asian movies they are relatable to most asians because of the background and the storylines. also in HYD, Meteor Garden i think there are noticeable differences as well from the standpoint of japanese, taiwanese.. im sure korean would have have noticeable differences. and that stereo type is so true...

Love the rant...and touché at the end.

I'm not surprised at Hollywood asserting America's cultural hegemony. Afterall, Hollywood is the "big stick" of American soft power.

Couldn't agree more, Javabeans!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm so pissed at this shit.

Yeah! Take your dick outta my face! :-P

I agree. I have no special attachment to Asian/Korean films but I resent the attitude in Hollywood that they can, instead of coming up with/fostering original ideas, just look to Asia(or elsewhere) for all their 'new/edgy/whatever' movies. it's LAZY. There is a lot that american filmmakers and studios can learn from Asian films but to just translate+dumb down+repackage and then sell as something original (ie The Last Kiss (originally an italian film made 1 year earlier) or the Departed) is offensive. While I agree that Hollywood seems to be the end-all etc, I think (and I hope) it's on the decline and I see the Asian/SE Asian film markets to be on the rise... as it should be!

I totally agreed and I will definitely boycott the movie when it aires!

the things the pissed me off and majority is they didnt creditted the original works and it has been abused so many times already. Lake House, Missed Called, The Eye. Can't they be sue? It is an absurd abuse of the masterpiece.

They don't want to show it with subtitles. Plus will smith is well known and more people will watch it. I wish america would show foreign movies with subtitles but most americans wont watch...

It's not really a matter of economic gain but rather, since the film was successful, part of the US cultural strategy. Without wanting to sound anti-American here, it's a known fact that the US are spreading their cultural wings everywhere probably in a "brainwash" strategy:
That is to say, the best way to manipulate people is
1) To make them think they're free of mind and sound
2) Make them forget their thinking is dictated.
3) To make sure you reach your goal, switch their brain off.

Best way to do so, is to let out some dissident voices while keeping them under control, it makes you think you're free while there's a bunch of people in the shadows making sure your voice will never get the impact it would do under normal circumstances.
Sometimes there's some slip frm the Government though: Look at what it is to be a communist in the US. Is a Communism or Capitalism better? Capitalists: Well with 300 billion dollars, half of what the US gave to their banks they could have resolved hunger in the world, which is worsening, for 50 YEARS. And studying the US economic situation, I only see wealthy people getting wealthier and poor getting poorer. Communism: Well all became dictatorship that's a fact. However I have trouble seeing what could have really been done if it have been applied correctly. Look at Cuba, its population's literacy rate is 99,8%.

In 2002, they were producing only 5% of the movies in the world while representing 50% of the exportations in the movie business. It's a tiny little bit disproportioned even for a rich country. If it was a matter of money then, we all should be flooded with Japanese, Chinese and German movies as well which is far from being the case.

Exactly!!! Why remake a movie that was amazingly exceptional to begin with? Do they honestly think they can create a better rendition? I don't care that it is Spielberg, somebody needs to get over themselves. If they like the films and dramas so much why don't they redistribute them, because remaking just destroys everything that was charming to begin with. They are IDIOTS!!

Much like when Bollywood remade Oldboy, Hollywood will probably try to change it to be less edgy/offensive, and it will suck.

Speaking of remakes, now THIS is unacceptable! Unacceptable Big Willy!!!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/eonline/20081111/en_top_eo/68205

A remake of the KARATE KID?!? How dare you man!! Daniel-san does not approve!! Do you think anybody's son can just stand on a wooden block and assume the whooping crane? How would YOU feel if we remade the Fresh Prince with NICK CANNON? Sucks when it happens to you, huh? HUH!

If Pat Morita, rest his soul, were still alive, he'd kick your ass Will Smith in a forest while making no sound. That's right -- the Tao is offended by your cultural effrontery!!

Couldn't have said it any better.

THANK YOU.

Although it is a little retarded, I would like to share my thoughts on globalization.
Maybe in a couple of years there will be so normal to work in a company , say ,in Germany and meet there colleagues Hiro, John and Carlo without even asking their ethnical origins.After work they could go to watch a movie - say indian or korean and will not want to see it remade in (respectively) Japan, England and Italy.
Untill those times, let us slowly adapt to each other"s culture, remaking
( translating?) films and clothes and food....If the copyrights are paid, I do not see anything wrong in remaking.
As for which is better- original or remake- it only depends on the talent and devotion of the director and his actors.

Funny how people rant about Hollywood ruining Asian movies... yet Asian remakes of Hollywood movies are somewhat accepted.

That's Great &Fantastic.I'm Shocked till now .After Watching This Extra Movie , For A Week , I Dredmed it Every Night .

stop remaking movies dude!! ALL HOLLYWOOD DID WAS JUST RUINING THE ORIGINAL ONES! they made sassy girl look soo bloody cheesy and ridiculous and looks so much like a B-rated movie with no in-depth storyline!!

even jun ji hyun could better portray her character than elisha cuthbert! whew

il mare as the lakehouse? one of the worst romantic movies i've ever seen in my entire life...............

oldboy, a remake??? dont even try to remake it. i doubt any hollywood directors would even manage to come close to the quality of the original one....

I think the only American remake so far that i actually liked was... the Glass House.. the plot is a bit flawed... but the acting was nice.. since I like Sandra Bullock a lot. Keanu Reeves is also not bad..

Among the two, i actually preferred the Glass House first (since it was the first version I saw).

CY

oh wait.. I meant the Lake House.

I have watched this movie on 2006, Great movie, better than siren .

i have to agree, the remakes of hollywood suck and can never compare to the original although i guess they were trying hard enough but still not good enough though.. i wish they stop doing remakes and watch the movie as it is, for sure they'll appreciate the movie (that is, if their mind can grasp the depth lolz)

korean movies are really best

Well, i guess that remake of oldboy fell by the wayside :)