Film critic and film scholar Oraz Kereybaev talks about the current state of relations between the film industries of Korea and Central Asian countries.

※ The contributions of external writers may differ from the opinions of KoBiz & KOFIC, and they do not represent the official views of KOFIC. 

 Dauren’s Wedding (2024) directed by Lim Chan-ik 

It is no secret that Korean cinema has long gone beyond the local market and turned into a vital phenomenon that is watched by viewers from all over the world. From casual TV series to auteur dramas, Korean cinema has also gained immense popularity in Central Asia. Although the cultures of the two regions are quite different from each other, the plots of Korean projects are reflected in the hearts of the public from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. At the same time, films from Central Asia are also beginning to gain popularity in Korea thanks to various festivals. But this process goes much slower for Central Asia. Finally, the governments of these countries are taking active steps to improve the level of cooperation between the film industries of the countries. 

In this article, film critic and film scholar Oraz Kereybaev talks about the current state of relations between the film industries of Korea and Central Asian countries. 

Despite the huge interest of viewers in the region in Korean cinema, seeing a movie from this country in local cinemas is a rarity. For the most part, viewers have to wait for a digital release for both auteur and popular films. Moreover, most streaming platforms are still unavailable in the region. Therefore, piracy is widespread in Central Asian countries, which means that most fans of Korean cinema watch movies and series on illegal sites and social networks. The problem here is not the public's reluctance to pay for content, but the insufficient level of development of streaming and cinema networks.

Scream (2023) directed by Kenzhebek Shaikakov 

The market of all Central Asian countries is at a developing stage. Many cities lack cinema theatres or they have not been updated for many years. The most economically developed country in the film industry is Kazakhstan, where about a hundred domestic movies are being released per year. Therefore, it is no surprise that Kazakhstan and Korea have developed the closest cooperation in the region. Thus, back in 2014, the Korean Film Council signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Kazakhfilm - the main filmmaking studio in Kazakhstan. The memorandum was signed to promote the film industry of Kazakhstan in the Korean Film Showcase for Korean cinema to develop new markets in Central Asia.

In addition, for many years now, Kazakhstan has been hosting annual Korean film festivals, where not only commercial films but also festival works are being screened. For example, in 2023, the comedy action film Extreme Job and the Oscar nominee for Best International Film, Decision to Leave, were shown simultaneously. What is noteworthy is that such festivals are held not only in the capital, but in cities all over Kazakhstan, each time gathering full houses. Similar screenings, organized as part of Korean cultural festivals, are also held in Turkmenistan and Tajikistan. 

Bride Kidnapping (2023) directed by Mrlan Abdykalykov

At the same time, Korean viewers are getting more and more opportunities to watch movies from Central Asia. Thus, in 2023, the city of Uijeongbu hosted a Central Asian film festival, where viewers had the chance to watch both festival and commercial movies. But more importantly, films from the region are becoming frequent guests at the Busan Film Festival. In 2023, the festival featured the Kazakh film Scream. That same year, the film Bride Kidnapping from Kyrgyzstan won in the Jiseok category. A year earlier, works from Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan were also presented in various programs.

Festivals are not the only point of contact between Korea and Central Asia. Another important aspect is the increasing number of films that are being made as co-productions between the two regions. For example, in 2023, a film by Korean director Lim Chan-ik called Dauren’s Wedding was released. The plot revolves around a young Korean filmmaker who goes to Kazakhstan to make a documentary about the Korean diaspora and their traditions, which have survived even many generations later. However, upon arrival, the main character’s plans fall apart, forcing him to stage his own wedding and film it all on camera. The film is notable for its early exploration of the peculiarities of Korean and Kazakh traditions, which, despite all the differences, can coexist within the same village.

Three (2020) directed by Ruslan Pak

Another important name for both Korea and Kazakhstan is director Ruslan Pak. He has made several notable films, such as Hannan and Three. The latter won a prize winner of the 2020 Busan Film Festival in the New Currents Award category.

Finally, the famous and controversial director Kim Ki-duk shot his latest films Dissolve and Call of God in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, respectively. The leading roles in these films were also played by popular actors from Central Asia, such as Sanjar Madi, Dinara Zhumagaliyeva and Zhanel Sergazina. The latter was first shown at the Venice Film Festival in Venice in 2022 after the director's death.

Business in Kazakh Style in Korea (2019) directed by Alen Niyazbekov 

Finally, it is worth mentioning the film Business in Kazakh Style in Korea. The movie premiered in 2019, and it is part of an incredibly popular Kazakhstani franchise, in which the main characters travel to different countries, starting from the US and finishing with Brazil. The part about Korea was the fourth in the series and told the story of how Yerkosh, a relative of the owner of an expensive hotel in Kazakhstan, gets to South Korea by mistake, and then ends up captured by North Korean soldiers. As a result, the main characters have to go to Korea to save their wayward relative, while getting to know the country’s culture. 

What is noteworthy is that this film, like other parts of the franchise, actually shows viewers not so much what another country actually looks like, but how Kazakhstanis imagine this country. Therefore, in Business in Kazakh Style in Korea, everyone sells facial care products, and Yerkosh, having been captured by the North Korean army, dresses up as Kim Jong-un. However, the most interesting moment of the film is the meeting of the heroes with second-generation Kazakh immigrants. They have already managed to assimilate and introduce Korean traditions into their everyday life. Here, parallels with Dauren’s Wedding immediately come to mind, where we observed the process of assimilation of Koreans in Kazakhstan. 

To sum up, we can say that relations between the film industries of Central Asia and Korea continue to develop in all areas, from the festival environment to popular commercial cinema. For now, the main focus is on Kazakhstan, but in the future, we can hope that other markets will begin to become increasingly involved in co-production projects.

About the writer

Oraz Kereybaev is a Kazakhstani film critic. He completed his MA degree in Film Theory at Eötvös Loránd University in Hungary and is teaching at American University in Bulgaria. A prolific film critic, film scholar and journalist, Oraz has written for numerous Kazakhstani online magazines and is sharing his expertise and insights about films with public through lectures, videos and podcasts. He participated as a journalist in esteemed international film festivals such as Cannes and Venice, and is an international voter for the Golden Globes.