KOFIC’s new book explores Korea’s foray into Chinese movie market





While K-pop and Korean TV shows have been exerting a significant influence in Asia’s entertainment industry in the last decade, Korean cinema has been often excluded from the so-called “hallyu glory.”



One of the major reasons behind the phenomenon is the ever-booming movie industry of neighboring country China. In 2010, China became the world’s third-largest maker of movies after the U.S. and India. It rolled out 558 feature-length commercial films last year, generating 2.4 trillion won ($ 2.1 billion) in revenue. The Chinese film industry has become something that Korean cinema cannot avoid in its efforts to carve its niche in the international market.



In an effort to break into China’s film market -- as well as to launch more Korean-Chinese joint movie projects, -- the Korean Film Council recently published a book titled “The Current Status of Chinese Cinema and Korean-Chinese Film Co-productions.”



The state-run film institute has been actively involved in promoting Korean cinema in China for the past few years. In April, it opened its film business center in Beijing, where Korean and Beijing-based producers, writers and directors can work on their joint film projects. The institute has been investing in Korean-Chinese joint productions, as they are relatively easier to distribute in China compared to exclusively Korean-made films.



The cover of KOFIC’s latest book, “The Present of Chinese Cinema and Korean-Chinese Co-Production of Films” (KOFIC)

Korean actor Jung Woo-sung and Chinese actress Gao Yuanyuan star in director Hur Jin-ho’s 2009 Korean-Chinese film “A Good Rain Knows.” (NEW)