Korean production and sales powerhouse Barunson E&A is set to invest in and handle international sales for the highly anticipated Indonesian horror film Sorop, produced by MD Pictures. The film will make its debut at Busan’s Asian Contents & Film Market (ACFM) next week.

Written and directed by esteemed Indonesian filmmaker Upi, known for her work on the superhero action film Sri Asih—co-written and produced by Joko Anwar—and the popular romcom franchise My Stupid Boss, Sorop is co-written with SimpleMan, a leading creator on Indonesian Twitter. The story is inspired by a viral horror thread that captivated audiences online.

Sopor follows siblings Hanif and Isti as they return to their hometown due to their uncle’s illness. However, after his death, their grief becomes intertwined with eerie occurrences, including the unsettling reappearance of their uncle.

MD Pictures has a track record of success, having produced Indonesia’s highest-grossing film to date, KKN: Curse of the Dancing Village, which was also based on a viral Twitter thread by SimpleMan. Its prequel, Dancing Village: The Curse Begins, was notable for being the first Southeast Asian movie filmed with Imax-certified digital cameras, achieving a theatrical release in North America and garnering four million admissions in Indonesia earlier this year.

Last year, Kimo Stamboel’s horror film Sewu Dino, also inspired by a SimpleMan Twitter thread, emerged as the highest-grossing Indonesian film of 2023, attracting 4.89 million admissions.

Barunson E&A, the production company behind Bong Joon Ho’s Oscar-winning Parasite, is expanding its portfolio beyond Korean films, taking on a growing number of international projects. This includes the Vietnamese horror-comedy Don’t Cry, Butterfly, which won the Grand Prize and the Most Innovative Feature Award at Venice Critics Week this year. The Seoul-based company has also invested in the Indonesian action film 13 Bombs, directed by Angga Sasongko, and the horror film Respati.

MD Pictures’ CEO Manoj Punjabi expressed enthusiasm for the partnership, stating, “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, remarked, “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.”

With Sorop poised to make waves in the international market, the collaboration between Barunson E&A and MD Pictures marks a significant step in showcasing Indonesian storytelling on a global stage.