Korea’s Barunson E&A Boards Indonesian Horror ‘Sorop’, Based On Viral Twitter Thread

Korean production and sales powerhouse Barunson E&A is investing in and taking on international sales for upcoming Indonesian horror Sorop, produced by MD Pictures, and will launch the film in Busan’s Asian Contents & Film Market (ACFM) next week. 

The film is written and directed by veteran Indonesian filmmaker Upi, known for her work on superhero action film Sri Asih, co-written and produced by Joko Anwar, as well as popular romcom franchise My Stupid Boss. It was co-written with SimpleMan, one of the leading creators on Indonesian Twitter, based on a viral horror thread.

The story revolves around siblings Hanif and Isti as they return to their hometown due to their uncle’s illness. After his death, their grief is disrupted by eerie events, including their uncle’s reappearance. 

MD Pictures previously produced Indonesia’s highest-grossing film ever, KKN Curse Of The Dancing Village, which was also based on a viral Twitter thread by SimpleMan. The film’s prequel, Dancing Village: The Curse Begins, was the first Southeast Asian movie filmed with Imax-certified digital cameras, received a theatrical release in North America and pulled in four million admissions in Indonesia earlier this year. 

Last year, Kimo Stamboel’s horror film Sewu Dino, also based on a SimpleMan Twitter thread, was the highest-grossing Indonesian film of 2023 with 4.89 million admissions. 

Known as the production company behind Bong Joon Ho’s Oscar-winning Parasite, Barunson E&A is handling sales on a growing number of non-Korean films, including Vietnamese horror-comedy Don’t Cry, Butterfly, which won the Grand Prize and the Most Innovative Feature Award in Venice Critics week this year. The Seoul-based company also invested in Indonesian action film 13 Bombs, directed by Angga Sasongko, and handled sales and invested in Indonesian horror film Respati.

Commenting on Sorop, MD Pictures’ CEO Manoj Punjabi said: “We are thrilled to collaborate with Barunson E&A, a company renowned for its global success, to bring Sorop to international audiences. Sorop offers a unique blend of local folklore and supernatural intrigue, which we believe will captivate international viewers.” 

Sylvie Kim, head of the international business unit at Barunson E&A, said, “Over the past two years, we’ve witnessed tremendous potential in Indonesian filmmakers and are confident that their stories can resonate with audiences worldwide. We’re excited to collaborate with MD Pictures, one of Indonesia’s most creative and powerful studios, and we hope this is just the start of a strong and lasting relationship.”