Kevin McMullin ’14 to Write Remake of ‘A Bittersweet Life’ for Netflix

After the successful sale of his short story BOMB to 20th Century Studios late last year, which will be adapted to the screen under director Ridley Scott (Thelma & Louise, The Martian), Kevin McMullin ’14 is now set to pen the English-language remake of A Bittersweet Life. The ultra-violent South Korean noir film from acclaimed writer-director Kim Jee-woon, is being developed by Netflix and Chernin Entertainment. McMullin’s involvement marks another major step in his rising career as a screenwriter, following his collaboration with one of Hollywood’s most iconic directors.

Kevin McMullin joins the project after a highly competitive search for a writer to adapt this property. The original 2005 film follows Kim Sun-woo (Lee Byung-hun), a high-ranking enforcer and loyal subordinate of powerful crime boss, Kang (Kim Yeong-cheol). When Kang orders Sun-woo to monitor his young girlfriend Hee-soo (Shin Min-a), who he suspects of infidelity, Sun-woo, enthralled by the girl’s beauty, decides to not kill her and her lover despite catching them together. This single act of mercy sets off a devastating chain of events, ultimately leading Sun-woo to a brutal confrontation with his former boss. Netflix and Chernin’s is the second attempt to remake the neo-noir action drama stateside, following Fox’s attachment of Michael B. Jordan to star and Jennifer Yuh Nelson to direct in 2017. Seeing as the film screened at the Cannes Film Festival in 2005 to enormous critical acclaim, one can only imagine how anticipated McMullin’s adaptation is. 

Before landing a seven-figure deal to adapt Bomb for 20th Century Studios following an intense 10-studio bidding war, McMullin wrote and directed Low Tide, a critically praised indie drama starring Jaeden Martell, which was released theatrically by A24 after premiering at the Tribeca Film Festival.

McMullin began his career directing national TV commercials after his short film First Prize, made during his time at Columbia, became a semi finalist at the 2014 student Academy Awards. He also adapted the popular fantasy manga Made in Abyss for It producer Roy Lee and Sony. His spec script First Harvest, which made both the Black List and Blood List, has Succession’s Brian Cox attached to star, with Scott Free set to produce, much like Bomb. Alex Jackson is overseeing the new take on A Bittersweet Life for Chernin with Oh Jung-Wan and Kim serving as executive producers.

McMullin is repped by WME, 2AM, and Goodman, Genow, Schenkman and is the Founder of Production company Boy & Star.