Korean Comedy Film 'BOSS' Gets Japanese Release in October
The film's Japanese release brings a Korean box office hit that succeeded on a premise of reluctant candidates competing to avoid leadership, a comedic inversion of typical succession dramas.
Reporting from 2 sources: Eiga Natalie, Cinema Today.
The Korean comedy film 'BOSS' will open in Japanese theaters on October 23, starting at TOHO Cinemas Hibiya in Tokyo and other locations nationwide. The film attracted 2.44 million viewers in South Korea and ranked fifth in box office revenue for 2025 releases there. The story follows a gang succession battle where candidates try to yield the boss position to one another. The leading candidate Su-tae (Jo Woo-jin) has no interest in the role because he wants to conquer the country with his cooking skills. Rival candidate Gang-pyo (Jung Kyung-ho) pursues a career as a tango dancer after a revelation. The only motivated candidate Pa-no (Park Ji-hwan) has no support from anyone. An undercover cop with an obvious identity, played by Lee Kyu-hyung, complicates the situation. Lee Sung-min plays the old-fashioned former boss who dies unexpectedly. The film is directed by Ra Hee-chan, who previously directed 'Righteous Life' and 'Mr. Idol'. KDDI provides the film, with Nikkatsu and KDDI distributing in Japan.
The Korean comedy 'BOSS' will reach Japanese audiences on October 23, following its domestic run where it drew 2.44 million viewers and became a hit during the Chuseok holiday season. Director Ra Hee-chan, known for 'Righteous Life' and 'Mr. Idol', helms the project. The cast includes Jo Woo-jin, who ranked first in Korea's Movie Actor Brand Evaluation for his work in 'The Day the Nation Goes Bankrupt' and 'SEOBOK', as the serious-minded candidate Su-tae. Jung Kyung-ho, recognized for 'Sorry, I Love You', plays Gang-pyo, who discovers tango and loses interest in the boss seat. Park Ji-hwan, popular as comic relief in the 'Crime City' series, plays the ambitious but unsupported Pa-no. Lee Kyu-hyung ('Innocent Witness') plays the undercover cop Tae-gyu, whose identity is blatantly obvious to everyone. Veteran actor Lee Sung-min ('The Spy Gone North') appears as the old-school boss Tae-su, who meets an untimely death early in the story. The film is provided by KDDI and distributed jointly by Nikkatsu and KDDI.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 2 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.
Sources
- Eiga Natalie ボスの座は“譲る”、前代未聞の後継者争い描いた韓国映画「BOSS／ボス」10月公開
- Cinema Today 韓国の実力派たちが全力コメディ！『BOSS／ボス』日本公開決定