Barunson E&A Teams Up with Ryūsuke Hamaguchi’s Camp. Co-Production of the Korea-Japan Collaboration “I Hear You”!

Barunson E&A (CEO Choi Yoon-hee, Moon Yang-kwon) will participate as a co-producer and in overseas sales for the Korea-Japan collaboration feature film 〈I Hear You〉 (English title: I Hear You) (tentative title). Filming wrapped on April 29, and the film is currently in post-production.

〈I Hear You〉 is a story in which Haruka, a Japanese researcher collecting soundscapes in Jeju Island, encounters Ayun, a young woman of unknown identity, and comes face to face with her late mother and her own past. This is a psychological suspense that delves into feelings of motherhood, love, obsession, and violence through the relationship between two women who resemble each other like a mother and daughter—or like another version of themselves. Kirishima Reika of 〈Drive My Car〉 plays Haruka, Jeong Sujeong of 〈The Spider’s Web〉 plays Ayun, and Ok Taec-yeon and Narita Ryō, among others, make special appearances.

The direction and screenplay are by Ōe Takamasu, and Teruhisa Yamamoto participates in production. The two are key figures from the Hamaguchi Ryūsuke camp, with whom they worked together on 〈Drive My Car 〉. With this work, Ryūsuke Hamaguchi won the Screenplay Prize at the 74th Cannes Film Festival and the Academy International Feature Film Award, gaining global renown. Ōe Takamasu shared the Cannes Screenplay Award as co-writer on 〈Drive My Car〉, and then proved his genre prowess by writing seasons 1 and 2 of the Disney+ series 〈Gannibal〉. Teruhisa Yamamoto is a leading Japanese producer who has produced 〈Drive My Car〉, the competition-invited title 〈Asako〉, and 〈The Spy’s Wife〉, a winner of the Venice International Film Festival’s Best Legacy Award.

Mystery Pictures, the production company, specializes in horror, thriller, and mystery genres, and has offered content aimed at global markets based on a network spanning both Korea and Japan. Major works include 〈The Ghost of Oksu Station〉 (2022) and 〈The Day After Tomorrow You Die〉 (2024). Most recently, it released in Japan the occult horror 〈Mr. K, Shin-sa: The Whispering of Demons〉, starring Jae-jung Kim.

Meanwhile, Barunson E&A has driven the entry of genre films onto the international stage by collaborating with major studios and creators across Asia. It achieved notable results by presenting the Vietnamese fantasy drama 〈Don’t Cry Butterfly〉 during the Critics’ Week at the Venice Film Festival, winning both the Best Award and the Innovation Award. 〈Shutter〉 and 〈Langzong〉—the new film 〈Inheritance〉 by director Inn Herit are currently pursuing joint overseas sales in partnership with Thailand’s leading studio GDH. In addition, the film 〈Ghost in the Cell〉 by Indonesian master director Joko Anwar saw Barunson E&A participate as a co-producer and in overseas sales, leading to the sale of the film to more than 100 countries after its World Premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival. Even locally, it has maintained the No. 1 spot at the box office after its release, sparking a major hit wave. Barunson E&A plans to carry this momentum forward with 〈I Hear You〉.

CEO Choi Yoon-hee of Barunson E&A said, “This is a co-production in which the direction and screenwriting of the Japanese creative team organically combine with Korean actors and production staff.” She added, “What stands out is that the setting of a soundscape that collects natural sounds from Jeju Island functions as a device that gradually shakes the psychology and relationship of the two women.” She continued, “It’s a fresh attempt that creates the film’s distinctive tension through the way unseen sounds heighten emotions. As it features a powerful narrative and deep emotional resonance, we expect it to appeal not only to audiences in Korea, but also to global viewers.”

From the planning stage, this project is an example of how the creative talent and production capabilities of both Korea and Japan come together, and attention is focused on the synergy the finished film will deliver.