Exes Wage War Over Beloved Pooch

Actor-director Ryu Hyunkyung is developing a dark comedy titled "Dog Fight," currently featured in the Asian Project Market at the Busan International Film Festival's Asian Contents & Film Market. The film centers on Minjeong and Seungil, ex-partners who split after eight years, leading to a legal battle over their dog, Ppoppo.

Ryu, who also stars in the project, aims to explore themes of possessiveness, love, and ownership. She critiques how the law treats a long-term companion animal as mere property, contrasting Seungil's desire for legal ownership with Minjeong's self-proclaimed maternal role.

The film is part of a loose trilogy by Ryu, following "Don't Go Back" and "Old Boy," the latter of which is approximately 80% shot and set for completion before "Dog Fight" begins production.

Produced by Kim Sehun of Semosi with Ryune Film, "Dog Fight" is slated for pre-production from June to August 2027, with filming in September-October 2027 and post-production concluding by February 2028. A festival launch is anticipated in the second quarter of 2028, followed by a theatrical release in the fourth quarter.

Kim believes the story resonates with modern couples who raise pets instead of children, seeing it as a timely narrative. During the Busan event, Kim intends to seek international co-producers, financiers, and festival programmers, testing the film's universal appeal beyond South Korea.