‘Miracle in Cell No. 7’ Helmer Lee Hwan-kyung Sets ‘Gasigogi’ With Falcon Pictures (EXCLUSIVE)

South Korean director Lee Hwan-kyung has signed on with Jakarta-based Falcon Pictures for “Gasigogi,” an Indonesia-set drama on fatherhood and paternal sacrifice. Shooting is set to begin in the coming months.

“For a story this intimate, I sought a partnership built on emotional resonance rather than just commercial scale,” Lee said. “I have been deeply impressed by the commitment of producers Frederica and HB Naveen. Their dedication to the heart of filmmaking is why Falcon Pictures is the only home for this story.”

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The project takes its title and central conceit from the biology of the stickleback fish, a species in which the male stands guard over the eggs alone once the female has departed. He aerates the nest, repels predators until his body gives out, and ultimately furnishes his own flesh as the first food his offspring consume.

Lee, whose 2013 film “Miracle in Cell No. 7” became a cultural reference point across Asia and prompted a record-breaking Indonesian remake, has long resisted bringing this particular story to screen. “I avoided this story for years because the weight of it was so painful,” he admitted.

Where “Miracle in Cell No. 7” was conceived as a tribute to his daughter, “Gasigogi” is dedicated specifically to his son. By anchoring the film in Indonesia, Lee aims to engage the country’s deep emphasis on family, faith, and communal bonds. He has stressed that the project is not a transposition of Korean sentiment but a new work that “breathes with Indonesian lungs,” rooted in local storytelling traditions.

“The goal is simple,” Lee added. “I want to create a film so honest and resonant that when the credits roll, the first thing the audience wants to do is call their father. I want them to understand the silence of their parents before it’s too late.”