Why Andrew Ahn Gave ‘The Wedding Banquet’ A Korean Makeover

Asian Financial Daily
8 Min Read
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When Andrew Ahn was eight years old, he accompanied his family to the video store where his mother saw the movie’s VHS Wedding banquet.

“So my mom said, hey, this is an Asian movie that white people are watching.” “We should see what it means.”

This 1993 film tells the story of a Taiwanese man dishonest about his sexual behavior. He married a woman from mainland China so that she could get a green card or not disturb him anymore. It seems like a good plan until his parents arrive and want to plan his wedding party, which means he has to explain his marriage plan to a gay partner.

“So we rented it, and didn’t know it was a queer movie, and we watched it was a family,” Arn said. “It kind of shocked me as a freshman gay boy. I still remember the first scene of this movie, which was Winston Chao at the gym, and I remember thinking, I don’t know why, but I don’t know why. So in retrospect, I realized it was the first gay gay guy I’ve ever seen. I felt like this was my gay. Cross.

A lot has changed over the past 30 years. To keep the story up to date, Ahn collaborated with James Schamus, who co-wrote the original script with Ang Lee. Ahn describes the rewrite as very organic, a storyline that comes naturally as a result of a conversation with Schamus and the producer.

“We talked about the natural products of the movie,” Arn said. “So I think if the bride in the original movie was also weird and had a partner, if there were no accidental kids, it was a couple who were going to have a child. In this movie, the movie showed the experiments and ordeals of building a queer family. Of course, we have to admit that a marriage since 1993, that’s how my marriage was? Life, I’ve been with my partner for many years, and now we can choose that option, do we really want to accept it?”

The next step of commitment will naturally bring great pressure and expectations.

“So there’s only something that really starts clicking in place.” “Of course, we have to do a lot of work afterwards. But, on that basis, the two couples and one couple quickly had this marriage problem, and one couple struggled with the process of having a baby. Then, it grew up from there.”

In Ahn’s 2025 version, Bowen Yang plays Chris, a birdwatcher and PhD procrastinator who loves her boyfriend Min but has issues with commitment. Min, played by Han Gi-chan, is Korean and his family will turn his back on his family if he declares he is gay. Still, he really wants to marry Chris, and his student visa is about to run out.

He has a plan with Chris’ best friend Angela, played by Kelly Marie Tran, and her girlfriend Lee is played by Lily Gladstone. They tried to have a baby, but the money was running out. If Angela fakes marry him, he can get a green card and will pay for Lily’s IVF. Like in the original movie, it was a great plan until Min’s grandmother shows up and wants them to have a traditional wedding. In the 1993 film, the character is Chinese, but the son of Korean immigrant Ahn wanted to incorporate his culture into it. So many Korean media (FILMS, drama and K-Pop) have been trending for some time.

“I’m Korean,” Ann said. “I want to show a Korean wedding. It’s a way to personalize this movie and make it different from Lee’s version, I think it’s a Chinese cultural wedding, a Taiwanese wedding, it’s so beautiful. I’m like, let me do something closer to my experiences. However, I’ll also admit that the popularity of this movie is still very popular. Visually, because I think uncomfortable about my cultural identity and my sexual behavior at times.

His movie cast is perfect. Every character feels real and is good at familiarity. They treat marriage and parenting ideas with the same horror and optimism. The love they share is obvious, and the dialogue is keen and witty. AHN will play Bowen Yang as the lead role for the second time. Comedians and writers also appear in his movies Fire Island.

“I love Bowen,” Ann said. “I think he’s very generous like a performer. He really brings the best of himself and everyone else. I love his vulnerability. When you see him on the screen, you really feel like you know him. And I think it’s a very rare talent skill, and what he has is what he has. I think it’s something different. Saturday Night Live. I love this ensemble. They are incredible. ”

Actor Ahn collaborates with actor director Jenny Jue, who also acts as director of the fist fist OKJA and Snowpiercer.

“She knows the Asian American community very well and forms this Avengers for this Romcom,” Ahn said. “And I think that it was so important to us that we create a family. I think that’s so incredibly hard to do and to show that kind of intimacy. Not only did we have to find actors that could really embody these characters, but also really champion the spirit with which we were making the film. But Lily Gladstone’s so incredible, just such an insane talent, and I’m so happy to have worked with her. Kelly Marie Tran, I love the way that she balances the comedy and drama mix.

The ensemble creates a very interesting rom-com with the people you choose to love, commitment, grow and build a family.

“It is a lifelong honor to work with this actor,” Ahn said. “I’m so happy to see how people come together to create this weird, harsh, vibrant family that still feels incredible cohesion in some way.”

Wedding banquet It will be launched in the theater on April 18.

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