The 2nd Korean Filmmakers Showcase in Beijing, organized by the Korean Film Council (KOFIC, Chair: KIM Eui-suk), was held from December 11th to 13th in 2013. This event’s main goal is to introduce Korean filmmakers to the Chinese film industry, support building the two industry’s relationship, and provide the opportunity to develop co-production projects.

A total of 9 individuals visited Beijing from Korea in 2012 for the first showcase. Filmmakers that attended in 2012 included directors KWAK Kyung-taek, KIM Sang-jin, KIM Sung-soo, KIM Tae-yong, and CHANG Yoon-hyun, along with cinematographers KIM Wu-Hyeong, KIM Hyeong-gu, JIN Young-hwan, and CHOI Hyun-ki. This time, there were eight participants in 2013 including directors LEE Yeon-woo (Running Turtle, Hot Young Bloods), LEE Joon-ik (King and the Clown, Radio Star, Hope), CHANG Hun (Rough Cut), CHONG Yun-su (My Wife Got Married), and  HAN Jae-rim (Rules of Dating, Very Ordinary Couple, The Face Reader), cinematographers LEE Jong-youl (Oh! Lala Sisters, Montage) and PARK Hyun-chul (200 Pounds Beauty, Take Off, Mr. Go), and scriptwriter LEE Young-jong (The Flu).

The event took place at the Beijing Kempinski Hotel. The Korean attendees were required to have at least two commercial films under their belt and were chosen on the basis of the number of requests by the Chinese companies, if they had had a Korean film released in China, or had a recent local hit.

The Korean directors were given a chance to introduce their works to the Chinese film industry through presentations and by showing trailers. They were also able to discuss the possibility of co-productions through one on one business matching sessions arranged by KOFIC. In these sessions, each Korean filmmaker was scheduled to meet with various Chinese film companies. In total, there were 67 individual business matching meetings held during the two-day event. The one on one sessions were so popular that the Korean directors no longer had any slots left to take day-off requests.

From the Chinese side, there were about 30 companies that attended the session. The participants included SARFT (State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television), Wanda Group, China Film Group Corporation, Shanghai Media Group, Beijing Galloping Horse Film & TV Production, Orange Sky Golden Harvest Company, Hairun Media, and New Classics Media to name a few.

The trend of Chinese companies hiring Korean directors has been on the rise in recent years. This is due to several factors; one is that Korean filmmakers are known to produce quality work in a very short time. Chinese film companies were amazed by the work that was produced and the dedication shown by the directors. Another major reason why Chinese companies choose Korean directors over local directors is because of their fees. In order to hire a famous Chinese director, financiers had to be ready to break their wallets. Those that have produced in Hollywood are in the USD 10 million range, and even the Chinese directors that are only working locally can still go up to a million dollars USD. In comparison, Korean directors ask for much less but will be expecting a bonus depending on the box office success of the film. Acclaimed Korean directors’ fees range from USD 300,000 to 500,000, while most Korean filmmakers charge USD 100,000 to 200,000, and indie filmmakers are merely in the tens of thousands.

Director LEE Joon-ik also believes that “the reason why the Chinese film industry is seeking more Korean directors is because they see how well Korean films are doing locally, how high quality the productions are, and because Korean filmmakers have a good understanding of the Chinese market.”

There were a few films by Korean directors in China in 2013, including A Wedding Invitation and Bunshinsaba 2, and each generated profits in the USD 10 million range. The success of these two works has only served to bolster the Chinese film industry’s trust in Korean filmmakers and we expect to hear more love calls towards Korean directors in the near future.

By June KIM