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According to media outlets, Korean content is attracting worldwide attention, with increasing numbers of famous foreign directors making movies with Korean actors in Korea. With Korean films and television shows such as Parasite, Minari, and Squid Game gaining international recognition and awards, Korean content has a high ability to attract customers and influence and it is expected that the interest of foreign movie industries for Korean content market will continue to increase.

Korean filmmakers previously would go abroad to make movies after establishing themselves in the local market, such as Park Chan-wook and Kim Ji-woon. Park Chan-wook made a name for himself with Old Boy and Stalker, while Kim Ji-woon became the epitome of the horror genre. However, as the status of Korean content has increased, more foreign directors are looking to shoot movies in Korea and collaborate with Korean actors.

In Drive My Car created by Japanese director Hamaguchi Ryusuke, Korean actors appeared and the ending scene was filmed in Korea. Hamaguchi Ryusuke said, “I originally wanted to shoot a number of scenes in Busan including the scene where the two main characters had a long conversation in the car, but I gave up because of COVID-19.”

Japanese film master Hirokazu Kore-eda also created the Korean movie Broker  with a large number of star actors such as Song Kang-ho, Kang Dong-won, Bae Doo-na, and IU. Broker is expected to premiere internationally this year and it is anticipated that it will advance to the Cannes International Film Festival.

Attention in the Korean film industry extends beyond Asia to Europe. Vanishing, which is released on March 30th, is a French crime thriller, but more than ninety percent of the background in the film was shot in Korea, including locations in Myeong-dong and Namdaemun. Canal Plus, a large European film distributor, is in charge of investment and promotion of Vanishing, with former Bond girl Olga Kurilenko appearing as a forensic scientist, it is expected to be a big hit. Denis Dercourt, the director of the Vanishing, said that working in Korea is a dream for all directors now that Korean content is receiving great interest around the world.

78th Edition of The Monday Times (April 25th, 2022)