Attention is turning to Ode to My Father 2, which will take on the ambitious task of dramatizing the 1992 Los Angeles riots. While several filmmakers, including Park Jin Pyo, have previously attempted to depict the LA Riots, most efforts stalled due to high production costs tied to location filming and CGI demands.
The sequel will follow two Korean characters swept up in the chaos of the riots: Se Ju (played by Kang Ha Neul), a law student studying in the U.S., and his father Sung Min (Lee Sung Min), who travels to America to visit his son. The story unfolds as the two become caught in the middle of the unrest in Koreatown, where violence, looting and gun battles left more than 2,400 people injured or dead over several days.
While the real-life riots were sparked by the acquittal of four LAPD officers in the brutal beating of Rodney King, tensions had already been simmering, particularly after the 1991 shooting of 15-year-old Latasha Harlins by a Korean store owner. The widespread damage inflicted upon Korean-owned businesses during the riots became a stark symbol of the deep-seated tensions between the Black and Korean communities at the time.
A source close to the production shared on July 14th, “Ode to My Father 2 will spotlight the LA Riots as a defining moment in U.S. racial history.” They continued, “We’re aiming for large-scale, realistic action sequences that depict the riots, alongside emotional storytelling centered on family, survival and reconciliation.”
Although the National Guard was deployed during the actual events, the film will focus on one family’s personal struggle as they face danger, desperation and rediscover love and humanity in the chaos. The production is expected to blend AI and CGI technology with real U.S. location shoots to authentically recreate the setting. JK Film CEO Gil Young Min recently visited the U.S. to scout locations and gather materials.
According to insiders, the project passed CJ ENM’s internal review with near-perfect marks. Expectations are high, especially with Yoon Je Kyun at the helm — the director behind two of Korea’s biggest blockbusters, Tidal Wave and the original Ode to My Father, both of which surpassed 10 million viewers.
Ode to My Father 2 revisits modern Korean history through the lens of one family. Lee Sung Min plays a conservative father who once worked as a miner in Germany with Deok Soo (Hwang Jung Min’s character from the first film). His youngest son, Se Ju, a Seoul National University law graduate passionate about social reform, represents a new generation. The film explores their evolving relationship through decades of social and political upheaval from the Korean democracy movement and civilian government transition to the LA Riots, the 1997 IMF financial crisis and the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup.
The screenplay is already earning praise for its emotional depth and social relevance. Some industry experts predict the film could strike a chord with audiences by portraying generational and ideological reconciliation.
Casting is still underway for key roles, including Sung Min’s wife Ok-ryeon and the couple’s other children, Dong Ju, Hee Ju and Ki Ju. This marks the second on-screen reunion between Lee Sung Min and Kang Ha Neul, who previously starred together in the critically acclaimed drama Misaeng (2014).
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