Korea becoming filmmaker’s haven?

As the high quality of Korean film-related technology has become known, thanks to the so-called Korean syndrome that is sweeping across Asia, the Korea Tourism Organization plans to expand the Korean heat even further by conducting an aggressive campaign to attract foreign filmmakers and producers to Korea.

The Board’s Bangkok office successfully convinced a major Indian film company, Visheshi Film, to make Korea the location for its Gangster-Love Story in Seoul last November. More than 80% of the scenes in the film feature the autumn sights in Korea, Seoul’s skyline, and Cheonggyecheon as its backdrop.

Regarding this film, a KTO official said, “India produces more than 900 films a year and is the largest film-producing nation in the world, with a domestic film market catering to a population of one billion.Striking a deal with a major Indian film company is in itself a huge success in that it acknowledged Korea’s charm as a film location.”

In addition, many filmmakers in Thailand are inquiring for the possibility to shoot their dramas and music videos in Korea. In particular, Thailand’s CH3, who had a huge success with its sitcom that had been shot in Deoksugung and Daehakno last September, again visited Korea last month to shoot another project, My Beautiful Moon.

KTO announced that based on the strong cooperation between KTO and local governments, it would provide foreign filmmakers and producers with the best environment for realizing their projects.

It also said that with Korea’s God-given natural surroundings with distinctive four seasons, superior production techniques, abundant and highly-educated manpower, and other film-related resources, it would aggressively promote Korea as an internationally renowned film location.