Allen Hughes (The Book of Eli) has signed on to direct a remake of the Korean crime drama A Bittersweet Life.  The 2005 original revolves around a hotel manager, Sunwoo, who doubles as the right hand man for a mob boss, Kang.  Kang turns on his former confidante after he botches a job involving a mistress, and Sunwoo must fight for his life alone against the goons sent out to kill him.  Deadline reports that Fox and New Regency are fast tracking the project, and they hired Anthony Peckham (Sherlock Holmes) to write a new draft of the script.

Albert Hughes is one half of the Hughes brothers who directed the likes of The Book of Eli, From Hell, and Menace II Society.  Hughes recently directed his first feature without his brother, Broken City, due in theaters on January 18, 2013.  Hit the jump for a trailer and full synopsis for the original Bittersweet Life.

Sunwoo is no ordinary hotel manager. Decisive and efficient, he's also the right hand man of underworld boss Kang. But tough guy Kang has a weakness; his young girlfriend Heesoo. Suspecting she's unfaithful, Kang orders Sunwoo to take care of the problem. When Sunwoo discovers Heesoo with another man, he is unable to kill them without a reasonable explanation. Sunwoo has a hunch that in doing so he has made the first mistake of his life. But before he can figure out why he has this feeling he falls victim to a surprise attack.

Kang is furious and has ordered his gang members to hunt down Sunwoo and kill him. Heesoo may have triggered the conflict, but she is no longer what is driving Sunwoo. With nerves of steel, Sunwoo battles the gang alone. With each kill, he takes one step closer to Kang. [Culture]

a bittersweet life poster