Kang Full Web Cartoon ‘The Witch’ To Get Chinese, Korean Adaptations

Korean web cartoonist Kang Full’s “The Witch” will get twin live-action adaptations in Korea and China.

The Korean version will be co-produced by Our Joyful Young Days Film Co., and Kim’s company Iron Package Films, with finance and distribution from NEW (Next Entertainment World). Direction is by Kim Dae-woo, who previously directed erotic period dramas “Obsessed,” “The Servant” and “Forbidden Quest.”

The Chinese version will be a co-production between China’s Huace Film & TV and NEW, in which Huace owns a 15% stake. Leste Chen, the Taiwanese director of previous Chinese-Korean collaboration and smash hit “20, Once Again,” will direct.

The announcements were made in Seoul by NEW on Monday. Details of budget, cast and theatrical release schedule were not revealed.

“It is the first time that the two major companies purchase the same original cartoon’s copyright and develop it into two separate films for Korea and China,” said NEW in a statement.

Kang is one of the first generation web cartoonists in Korea. Several of his previous cartoons including “The Neighbors” and “26 Years” were previously adapted for the screen.

“In order to make films that are suitable for China, we are focusing on localization more than anything else,” said NEW CEO Kim Woo-taek. The two also plan to set up a joint venture company later this year.

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