'Swiri' to go to U.S.

``Swiri,`` a Korean blockbuster directed by Kang Jae-Kyu that was a sensation in 1999, will be screened in North and Latin America, including the United States.

A spokesman for Kang Jae-Kyu Film said Thursday that the movie would be distributed in America by the Columbia Tristar Motion Picture Group. It is the first time for such a major distributor like Columbia Tristar to import a Korean film, though a few Korean films have exported to the United States recently, such as ``Chunhyang,`` and ``Lies.``

Columbia Tristar is the mother company of the Sony Classic, which was in charge of distributing ``Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon`` that caused Asian movie fever in the United States last year.

``At the latest, `Swiri` will be screened in about 10 U.S. cities such as New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and Houston no later than August,`` the spokesman said. ``And we are planning to have the director and actors appear in U.S. TV shows.``

Kang Jae-Kyu Film signed a distribution fee contract under which the profits would be divided by 65 percent to 35 percent. Therefore, the Korean company will be able enjoy profits depending on the number of the viewers in the United States.

``Swiri`` has been exported to 22 countries for a minimum guarantee of US$2.6 million.

Kwon Chae-Hyun confetti@donga.com