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Warner Bros. is remaking The Intern as a Korean film, with acclaimed actor Choi Min-sik stepping into Robert De Niro’s former role and Han So-hee taking on Anne Hathaway’s. Filming began in Seoul in September 2025 and is expected to wrap in December, with Korean director Kim Do-young at the helm.
A Korean remake with powerhouse talent
The original The Intern, released in 2015, struck a surprising chord in South Korea. The tale of an older man who joins a sleek startup as an intern found its audience, earning a solid $24 million at the local box office. Nearly a decade later, Warner Bros. is returning to that unlikely hit — but this time through a local lens.
Choi Min-sik, best known for his unforgettable turn in Oldboy and revered for the gravitas he brings to even the quietest moments, takes the lead. His presence alone suggests this remake won’t be a carbon copy but something more grounded, perhaps more introspective. Facing him in the role of the CEO is Han So-hee, a rising star who’s already shown she can oscillate between gentleness and ferocity, whether in The World of the Married or Netflix’s My Name.
As a fan, this casting instantly got my attention. It’s the kind of pairing that doesn’t just reproduce a known story but promises to explore new shades, maybe ones better suited to Korean social dynamics. To read Charlize Theron and Taron Egerton face off in 2026’s Apex trailer
A project born from a strategic vision
The remake is not just a nostalgic revival — it’s the first project to come out of Warner Bros. Discovery’s new first-look agreement with Jack Nguyen and his company JOAT Films. JOAT is working alongside Warner Bros. Korea and Anthology Studios, the latter known for The Attorney and The Age of Shadows, both politically charged films that struck a nerve in recent years.
This tells me that this isn’t just a romantic comedy with a new accent. With Kim Do-young directing — she previously made waves with Kim Ji-young: Born 1982 — it’s clear the story will shy away from superficial charm. Her film tackled the internalized struggles of being a woman in modern Korea, so it’s not hard to imagine this new Intern delving deeper into generational tensions, feminism, and self-worth.
Hollywood story, Korean soul
South Korea has a remarkable ability to take existing material and infuse it with something personal, precise, and emotionally rich. We’ve seen it with remakes and adaptations before: they’re rarely just remakes. The culture, the emotion — it all gets filtered through a new lens.
Why this remake feels promising:
- Choi Min-sik brings emotional depth and gravitas uncommon in studio comedies
- Han So-hee bridges the mainstream and indie scenes, ideal for a layered CEO
- Kim Do-young’s touch ensures a thoughtful treatment of character and gender
- The original already connected with Korean audiences, making this a continuation rather than a risk
- Local production means the humor and timing will feel authentically Korean
As someone who watched the original mostly for De Niro’s tenderness and Hathaway’s warmth, I’m particularly curious to see how those emotions translate here. Korean storytelling tends to lean into vulnerability in ways Hollywood often skips, and that could give this remake a real chance to stand out. To read Ranking Shyamalan’s Hits: Which Film Defines His Legacy?
A bigger strategy in motion
This remake is part of something larger: Warner Bros. is clearly expanding its local-language productions in Asia, and Korea is proving to be fertile ground. After a strong box-office streak in 2025, including Apple Original Films’ F1 (fronted by Brad Pitt, which has earned $39 million in Korea), the studio is looking to lean into that momentum.
Adding to the equation is Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle, the Japanese anime phenomenon that’s pulling in nearly as much. It’s a hint that audiences in the region are eager for local language content that speaks their cinematic language — and that reshaping stories they already love isn’t a step backward, but a way to deepen the relationship.
For now, no release date’s been confirmed for the Korean Intern, but production is expected to finish by the end of the year. Personally, I’m excited — not just as someone who loves the original, but as a viewer who trusts what Korean cinema can do with stories about human connection.
