Jeon Do-Yeon is Your New Housemaid

Ohh Ohh... this is more like it.

We mentioned last month the change of plans regarding the remake of Kim Ki-Young's 1960 masterpiece 하녀 (The Housemaid), with director Gina Kim opting out, and leaving the choice of who was going to helm it (a "Internationally-renowned director," as the producers said) to only a few names. We suggested one between Im Sang-Soo and Kim Ki-Duk... and it will indeed be Im, who returns to Chungmuro after 오래된 정원 (The Old Garden) and a much too long hiatus - meaning that his French project is either postponed, or went belly up altogether.

But we saved the best news for last: Jeon Do-Yeon, fresh off two consecutive jewels - Lee Chang-Dong's 밀양 (Secret Sunshine) and Lee Yoon-Gi's 멋진 하루 (My Dear Enemy) - will in fact play the titular housemaid, role which was changed to a nanny to better fit the modern setting. Still nothing else announced other than the fact that casting will soon complete, and that shooting will start before the end of the year. But what looked like a rather unnecessary remake of what was already very difficult (if not nearly impossible) to top now looks like an immensely more intriguing question mark. Jeon Do-Yeon is the best actress in Korea, and Im Sang-Soo one of its most eclectic and talented directors. If you add what is likely to be another top name for Kim Jin-Gyu's role (the professor who falls for the housemaid), then this might become one to seriously look out for.

Produced by Mirovision, the film is aiming for a May 2010 release (so... Cannes premiere).

[Nate]