In the recent years, South Korean films have gained international acclaim for their gritty stories and original style. Filmmakers like Park Chan-wook, Yeon Sang-ho and many more have put Korean cinema on the world map.
Puneites will get to savour some of the most popular Korean films at the Korean Film Festival being organised by the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea along with National Film Archive of India and the Korea Foundation. The festival is scheduled to be held on November 9 and 10.
“Our main aim is to entertain the Indian audience. The selection of films for this festival are of different genres like action, comedy, history and they also press on social issues. Korean films have similar characteristics to Indian films. Just like how India was colonized by the British, Korea was colonized by Japan. In 1950, there was a war between North and South Korea. Films are a way for the Indian audience to learn about Korean culture,” states Kenneth Kim, Research Analyst, Consulate General of the Republic of Korea.
Spread over two days, the festival will show three films each day with only the first screening being allowed for children. The Thieves (2012), says Kim, is one of the most popular films in Korea that will be shown at the festival. Other films like Welcome To Dongmakgol (2005) and Kundo: Age Of The Rampant (2014) are based on history and war drama. “The Thieves was a big hit in Korea primarily because of the star cast. Dongmakgol is about the war between North and South Korea. Forever The Moment (2008) is a film about two women who are professional Korean handball players,” says the analyst who chose all the films for the festival.
He also states that officially, there are 300 Korean nationals in Mumbai and 600 in Pune. Speaking about the Korean film industry, Kim adds, “There more than 150 films made in South Korea per year. This does not include the documentaries and independent films.”
He further explains that Indian films resonate highly with Koreans. “Films like 3 Idiots, My Name is Khan, PK, Dangal and Ghajini did very well in the country.
Young Koreans were able to relate with 3 Idiots because they too are judged only by their grades and marks.”
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