Bong Joon-ho's 'Mickey 17' hits Korean theaters Jan. 28

Director Bong Joon-ho's science fiction film ″Mickey 17″ will hit Korean theaters next year on Jan. 28 before its global release on Jan. 31. [WARNER BROS]

Oscar-winning director Bong Joon-ho’s long-awaited science fiction film “Mickey 17” will hit Korean theaters on Jan. 28 of next year, the start of the Lunar New Year holiday, Warner Bros. Korea said Thursday.

A global release will follow on Jan. 31.

“Mickey 17” was slated for release in March of this year, but production was impacted by the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists strike, according to news reports last year. The delay allowed the crew more time to add finishing touches to the movie.

“Mickey 17” is an action science fiction film adapted from Edward Ashton’s 2022 novel “Mickey7.” It follows the story of Mickey Barnes, played by Robert Pattinson, a disposable employee on a human expedition sent to colonize the ice plant Niflheim. As an “expendable,” he is expected to have a regenerated body with mostly intact memories take his place when he dies — but he refuses.

The star-studded cast also includes Steven Yeun, Naomi Ackie, Toni Colette and Mark Ruffalo.

The movie is Bong’s first return to cinema in more than five years since his critically acclaimed thriller “Parasite” was released in 2019.

Bong’s “Parasite” won four honors at the 92nd Academy Awards in 2020 along with the Palme d’Or, the top prize, at the 2019 Cannes International Film Festival and numerous other accolades including Golden Globes and the BAFTAs.

Bong is one of Korea’s most prominent directors and has achieved critical and commercial success with films such as the crime thriller “Memories of Murder” (2003), monster film “The Host” (2006) and sci-fi action “Snowpiercer” (2013).

BY KIM JU-YEON [kim.juyeon2@joongang.co.kr]