[Edaily Starin Choi Hee-jae Reporter] "The War" (Dragon Wars: D-War), directed by former comedian Shim Hyung-rae, has taken the spotlight after experiencing a resurgence in the global market 19 years after its initial release.

According to FlixPatrol, a website that tracks global online video service (OTT) viewership rankings, “D-War” ranked sixth globally in Netflix’s movie category as of the 10th. The film, which was released in 2007, is once again gaining attention via global OTT platforms nearly 20 years later.
The Netflix release is behind this global resurgence. Since its release on Netflix on the 6th, “The War” has been exposed to European users through recommendation algorithms, leading analysts to conclude that it has secured a new audience.
Director Shim Hyung-rae also expressed surprise at this unexpected resurgence in popularity. In an interview with TV Chosun’s “Hotline” on the 13th, he commented on the film’s recent overseas popularity, saying, “I was so surprised. Since people abroad are enjoying it so much, I’m hopeful that ‘The War 2’ will be well-received when it’s released.”
He also touched on the difference in how the film is perceived domestically versus internationally. “I think it’s because people abroad watch it without the preconception associated with ‘Young-gu,’” he said, adding, “In Korea, people have such strong preconceptions about Young-gu and the prejudice that a ‘fool’ (Young-gu) made a sci-fi movie, so there was a lot of talk about it. I just hope people will watch it and enjoy it.”

He also drew attention by revealing specific plans for a sequel. Shim Hyung-rae said, “We’ll hold a production press conference at the end of this year,” and added, “A game based on ‘The War 2’ is also coming out. We received a proposal from the U.S., so we’ll begin production on it simultaneously with the movie.”
In particular, he mentioned the possibility of Hollywood actor Jack Black appearing in the film. “Although he hasn’t been cast yet, Jack Black is interested in doing it,” he revealed, raising anticipation.
Released in 2007, *The War* depicts a massive battle that erupts when the Imugi—a creature from Korean legend—appears in downtown Los Angeles (LA) to claim the Pearl of Wisdom. *The War* drew 7.85 million viewers in South Korea, topping the 2007 annual box office charts. In the U.S., it was released in over 2,000 theaters and grossed $11 million; it is reported to have generated over $40 million in revenue through secondary distribution rights.
While it garnered attention at the time of its release for showcasing a level of large-scale CGI (computer graphics) that was unprecedented for a Korean film, it also faced harsh criticism from some quarters—including claims that it was merely a “graduation project”—due to its flimsy narrative and other shortcomings. As of the 14th, negative reviews dominate, with a rating of 3 out of 10 on IMDb, the world’s largest movie information site, and a Rotten Tomatoes Freshness Score of just 28%.
An industry insider stated, “Amid growing global interest in Korean content recently, it appears that *The War*—a film familiar to domestic audiences—has been embraced by international viewers as a new type of Korean monster movie.” The fact that the film, which was difficult to access during its theatrical run, is now easily available via OTT platforms is also cited as a factor driving this resurgence.
However, with Director Shim Hyung-rae mentioning plans to produce *The War 2* and even the possibility of Jack Black starring in it, all eyes are on whether this resurgence in popularity will translate into global interest in a sequel.