Oh, those poor Koreans. When not being attacked by giant pigs they end up in the path of giant waves. What to do? Well, apparently laugh at it. Yes, in a very unexpected turn the full trailer for upcoming tsunami film Haeundae has just released and revealed - very surprisingly - that, for the first part of the film at least, this survival thriller is a comedy. A full on, slapstick comedy. And just as you get tired of people getting smacked in the face by each other they end up getting smacked in the face with a giant wave.
Haeundae, a popular vacation spot on the East Sea coast of the Korean penninsula, draws one million visitors to its beaches every year. Man-sik, a native of Haeundae lost his co-worker in a tsunami four years ago, but now he leads a simple life running a small sushi shop and is preparing to propose to his longtime girlfriend, Yeon-hee. Meanwhile, a tsunami researcher KIM Hwi discovers the East Sea is showing signs of activity similar to the Indian Ocean at the time of the 2004 tsunami. Despite his warnings, the Disaster Prevention Agency affirms that Korea is in no harm. Eventually, a deadly wave is coming with only ten minutes to spare. While the vacationers enjoying a peaceful hot summer day, a mega-tsunami is headed straight for Haeundae.
At first glance this fusion of comedy and full on thriller elements - the production values are massive - is jarring but then I get to thinking that a major part of the appeal of the original Korean wave was the steadfast refusal to remain within conventional American genre bounds, so who knows? Maybe this will work. Check out the new trailer along with the original teaser below the break.
Trailer
Teaser