The upcoming South Korean film “Victory” has found success in securing distribution agreements across multiple international territories even before its domestic debut. The movie tells the story of two high school girls who form a cheerleading club on a remote Korean island in 1999.
Directed by Park Beom-su, “Victory” stars Lee Hye-ri as one of the main characters forming the cheerleading club. Lee has transitioned successfully from her previous career in K-pop music to acting roles. For her performance in “Victory,” she won the Screen International Rising Star Asia Award at the New York Asian Film Festival, where the movie premiered.
Seoul-based sales company Finecut announced that “Victory” has been picked up by distributors in at least six territories worldwide. This includes 815 Pictures distributing the movie in North America, and various partners in Asian markets such as Sky Films Entertainment in Taiwan and Lumix Media in Vietnam. Other territories securing releases are Indonesia, Thailand, and Cambodia. Additionally, Emphasis Video Entertainment obtained inflight entertainment rights for the film.
The cast also features Park Se-wan, known for her role in “Life Is Beautiful,” and actresses Cho A-ram from “Doctor Cha” and Lee Jung-ha of the Disney+ series “Moving.” “Victory” is produced by Annapurna Films and presented by MINDMARK, a cultural content company involved in financing several notable Korean movies.
International releases of “Victory” will begin shortly after its August 14 Korean debut. Audiences in North America and Vietnam can see the film in theaters starting August 16. Releases are then planned in other territories like Indonesia, Taiwan, Cambodia and Thailand from late August through September.
The widespread international deal for “Victory” underlines the ongoing global interest in Korean cinema, especially upbeat stories combining youth themes, sports, and cultural identity. The film finding releases abroad prior to its domestic launch suggests confidence that it will resonate outside of South Korea.
