Korean films get airing in China

China’s film industry is opening to the rest of the world, slowly but surely.
A Korean film festival opened in Beijing for the first time on Thursday at Diaoyutai State Guest House, where the six-party talks on North Korea’s nuclear weapons have taken place. Over the course of the festival, which ends today, 12 Korean films are being screened, including “My Tutor Friend” and “Spirit of Jeet Keun Do.”
Currently, China has a screen-quota system, which allows the import of only 24 foreign films a year.
The festival kicked off with a press conference, and both Korean and Chinese movie makers showed their strong will to produce internationally competitive films. More than 100 broadcasting companies, including Chinese national broadcasting stations such as CCTV and BTV, came to the opening.
Cameramen continually popped flashbulbs at Korean directors and actors such as Kang Je-kyu, Kim Ki-duk, Lee Eun-ju, Jang Seo-hee and Jang Shin-yeong. Jang Seo-hee, known for her role in the Korean television drama “Ineo Agassi (Mermaid),” which was popular among Chinese audiences, drew special attention from the press.
Zhu Yongde, head of the Chinese Center for Promoting Foreign Films, said, “China and Korea should cooperate in making films that can compete in the international film market.” Many Chinese reporters asked detailed questions about the direction the two countries plan to take on future collaborations.
Director Kang Je-kyu said that he hoped to work with Chinese director Feng Xiaogang. And director Kim Ki-duk said he hoped to have an opportunity to cooperate with Chinese filmmakers on large-scale commercial blockbusters.
Jang Seo-hee said she wanted to make a film with famous Chinese director Zhang Yimo and actress Gong Li sometime in the future.
The festival was co-hosted by the Korean Film Council, the JoongAng Ilbo, China Film and the Chinese Center for Promoting Foreign Films.
Next year, a Chinese film festival will be held in Seoul, with the purpose of introducing Chinese films to Korean audiences. Lee Mi-kyung, head of the culture and tourism committee under the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, said she was looking forward to next year’s festival.

by You Sang-chul