The Intern (2026 film)

1. Summary

A young entrepreneur, Seon-wu is the founder and CEO of the fashion startup Woo22, which achieves ₩10 billion in sales within three years. While she continues to pursue success with intense focus and ambition, her routine is disrupted by the arrival of Gi-ho, a late-career newcomer described as a "silver intern." Despite having 37 years of professional experience, he finds it difficult to adjust to the company's digital workflows and informal culture. Over time, his sincerity, steady work ethic, and warm interpersonal style influence Seon-wu, leading the two to develop a mutually supportive relationship. Their contrasting backgrounds allow them to exchange perspectives and experiences, bringing unexpected emotional depth and balance to their fast-paced working lives.

2. Cast

• Choi Min-sik as Kim Ki-ho, the intern
• Han So-hee as Lee Seon-woo, CEO of Woo22
• Kim Jun-han as Young-hwan
• Park Ye-ni as Yujin
• Ryu Hye-young as Choi Min-a
• Kim Geum-soon as Hui-suk
• Yoon Sang-jeong as Yun-hee
• Kang Tae-oh as Kang Min-wook
• Han Ji-eun as Ruda

3. Production

3.1. Development

In August 2024, Warner Bros. Discovery made a deal with Jack Nguyen through his new company, Joat Films, that he would get the first chance to develop film projects based on Warner Bros.' English-language films and remake them for Asian audiences. Their first planned project was decided to be the Korean remake of the 2015 comedy-drama The Intern by Nancy Meyers.^[5]

3.2. Casting

In August 2025, it was confirmed that Choi Min-sik and Han So-hee would star together in the film Intern, directed by Kim Do‑young.^[6]

3.3. Filming

Principal photography began on September 29, 2025 and filming ended on December 6, 2025.^[2][7]

4. Release

The Intern was released in South Korean theaters by Warner Bros. Pictures on September 16, 2026 coinciding with Chuseok holidays.^[8]

5. Reception

5.1. Box office

The film was released on 1473 screens and registered the highest opening-day gross with 61,038 viewers, taking top spot in overall box-office rankings surpassing The Odyssey.^[9] It crossed 400,000 viewers in its opening weekend, reaching a total audience of 403,906 and securing the number-one position at the Korean box office.^[10][11]

As of October 2, 2026, the film has grossed US$5,919,559 from 809,238 admissions.^[1]

5.2. Critical response

Lee Min-ji of Yonhap News Agency described the Korean remake as a warm, feel-good workplace film that explores generational tensions and Korea's seniority culture. She praised the chemistry between Choi Min-sik and Han So-hee, as well as the supporting cast, while criticizing the episodic and predictable narrative. She also highlights the effective use of Korean settings, cultural details, social media, and the digital divide. Lee viewed the film as an uplifting "workplace fairy tale", despite feeling that its story does not fully match the strength of its performances.^[12]