Even before its world premiere in Seoul on Aug. 1, director Bong Jun-ho’s “Snowpiercer” has already been sold to 167 different countries, CJ Entertainment said Tuesday, setting a presale record for a film by a Korean director.

Film distributor The Weinstein Company secured the distribution rights for countries in North America, the U.K., New Zealand, Australia and other English-speaking nations. French film distributor Wildside, which in the past distributed Korean films such as “Thirst” (2009), “The Yellow Sea” (2010) and “The Taste of Money” (2012), procured the distribution rights for France, Eastern Europe and South America.

With a reported production cost of $40 million, the film features a stellar cast of top names including Chris Evans, Ed Harris, John Hurt, Tilda Swinton, Jamie Bell, Ewen Bremner and prominent Korean actors Song Gang-ho and Ko Ah-sung.

A number of the Hollywood cast members are slated to visit Korea for the upcoming world premiere and red carpet event at CGV Yeongdeungpo in Seoul.

By Cha Yo-rim (yorimcha@heraldcorp.com)