Yeon Sang-ho’s ‘Paradise Lost’ Sells To 118 Territories; Sets U.S. Premiere At Hawaii International Film Festival

Korea’s CJ ENM has sold Paradise Lost, the psychological thriller from Train To Busan director Yeon Sang-ho, to 118 countries worldwide, including Twin for Japan, The Jokers Films for France, and Well Go USA for North America.

The film is also set to receive its US premiere in the ‘Spotlight on Korea’ section of this year’s Hawaii International Film Festival (HIFF) on November 1 and 4, following sold-out screenings at Toronto and Busan film festivals. The film screened in the Special Presentations section at Toronto, followed by the Gala Presentation section of Busan.

Among other territories that have acquired the film are Taiwan (Long Shong), Singapore (Shaw), Spain (Youplanet Pictures), Benelux (18K Film), Mongolia (Content Distribution), Philippines (Pioneer Films), Middle East (Gulf Film) and Cambodia (Westec Media), while Emphasis has inflight rights.

CJ ENM said the film’s international sales revenue has exceeded its net production budget. Yeon is well known internationally through films such as Train To Busan, Peninsula, and Colony, which premiered Out of Competition at this year’s Cannes film festival.

Starring Hyun-joo Kim and Hyeon-seong Bae, Paradise Lost follows a mother whose son disappeared nine years earlier when a bus carrying children to a camp mysteriously vanished. Her life takes an unexpected turn when her son, long presumed dead, returns alive.

This year’s HIFF runs from October 21 through November 15 across the Hawaiian Islands. The festival showcases films from around the world, with a particular focus on Asia and the Pacific.

Commenting on the sales success, CJ ENM said: “The film combines a distinctive premise with a deeply felt exploration of family and motherhood. These universal emotions are resonating across cultures and generating strong interest in international markets.”

Presented by Wowpoint and CJ ENM, Paradise Lost opens in South Korean theaters on October 21, 2026, with distribution handled by CJ ENM.

International theatrical releases are scheduled for Taiwan on October 23 and Singapore on November 5, followed by North America and Vietnam on November 6 and Indonesia on November 13.