[Edaily Starin YUN GI BACK Reporter] Director Shim Hyung-rae clarified the production status of the film “The War 2” and announced that it will be released in two years. Director Shim, who had previously stated that “production was complete,” clarified two days later that he meant “the script was finished.” With “The War”—which drew 7.85 million viewers in 2007—recently enjoying a global resurgence on Netflix for the first time in 19 years, interest in the sequel’s production is once again on the rise.

On the 20th, Director Shim explained the current production status of “The War 2” through his YouTube channel, “Young-gu TV.” Although he had implied in a video released on the 18th that production on “The War 2” had concluded, he uploaded another video that day to clarify that he had actually meant “scriptwriting is complete.” He went on to mention the release date of the sequel, saying, “Please look forward to *The War 2*, which will be released in two years.”
“The War 2” continues the story from where the first film left off, after the imugi ascended to become a dragon. According to Director Shim, the screenplay and investment negotiations have been finalized, and global investors and distributors have been secured. After approximately six months of pre-production, filming is scheduled to begin early next year. A production press conference is planned for the end of this year to unveil specific details.
This time, the film is targeting the global theatrical market from the outset. About 80% of the filming will take place in the United States, with additional shoots planned in South Korea, Europe, and China. In addition to Hollywood and Korean actors, K-pop idols are also being considered for casting. The plan is to produce the film exclusively for theatrical release—not for online video services (OTT)—and to hold its world premiere in the United States.
The reason this sequel is garnering attention 19 years later is the unexpected resurgence in popularity of the original film. “The War” is a sci-fi monster movie that depicts the events that unfold when Imugi—a creature from Korean folklore—appears in Los Angeles (LA). Directed and written by Director Shim, it was released in 2007 and drew 7.85 million viewers in South Korea at the time. Although it was a box office hit billed as a “Korean-style blockbuster,” reviews were mixed regarding its artistic merit and the quality of its computer graphics (CG).

Now, 19 years later, it is reaching new audiences through online video services (OTT). According to FlixPatrol, a site that tracks global OTT rankings, *The War* climbed to No. 6 on Netflix’s global movie chart on the 10th. It entered the top 10 in 20 countries and ranked second in major European nations such as Germany, France, and Italy.
What’s noteworthy is that the viewing environment surrounding “The War” has changed significantly. While it was recognized in theaters in 2007 for its artistic merit and technical prowess as a “Korean-style blockbuster,” 19 years later, it is being discovered by new audiences on global OTT platforms as just one of many genre films. The combination of the Korean mythological creature Imugi and Hollywood-style monster action is believed to have provided overseas viewers with an intuitive, genre-driven entertainment experience.
Director Shim plans to re-release the original film to coincide with the premiere of *The War 2*. His plan is to first release a director’s cut of the original *The War*, featuring about 20 to 30 minutes of new footage and enhanced CGI, and then bundle the director’s cut of *The War* and *The War 2* together as a single series for release on OTT platforms.