On May 28, 2022, at the 75th Cannes Film Festival, director Park Chan-wook won Best Director for his film Decision to Leave, and actor Song Kang-ho was named Best Actor for his performance in the film Broker. For the first time in Korean history, two Koreans received awards at the same Cannes Film Festival.
Korea has the world’s fifth-largest film market, only surpassed by North America, China, Japan, and the UK. Korea leads the world in the number of films watched per person (as of 2018), and Korean films account for around 51% of moviegoers in the country.
The global interest in Korean films steadily grew after a series of successes at international film festivals in the 2000s. Korean films and filmmakers have been recognized multiple times by the three major film festivals: Berlin Film Festival, Cannes Film Festival, and Venice Film Festival. The Korean film industry mesmerized film enthusiasts with the works of such renowned directors as Lee Chang-dong, Bong Joon-ho, Park Chan-wook, Hong Sang-soo, and Kim Jee-woon, and their highquality production and distinguished storytelling. For many moviegoers outside of Korea, the psychological barrier of the need to watch subtitles has been significantly lowered with the growing global interest in Korean films.
Director Bong Joon-ho became the first Korean director to win the Golden Palm award at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival for his film Parasite, a success followed by four major Oscars at the 92nd Academy Awards in 2020 (Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best International Feature Film). The film’s success further increased global interest in Korean films.
In 2021, actor Youn Yuh-jung stood at the forefront of the cinema K-Wave. Minari, directed by the Korean-American director Lee Isaac Chung and starring many Korean actors, won more than 100 awards at numerous film festivals and awards, including the US Dramatic Grand Jury Prize and the US Dramatic Audience Award at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival. The public attention regarding the film concentrated on Youn Yuh-jung, a Korean actor with 50 years under her belt who wowed the audience with her stellar performance. Youn was nominated for more than 50 awards in North America and won more than 30 of them. In addition, she went under the global spotlight by winning the Screen Actors Guild Award and Best Supporting Actress at the Academy Awards. She was also named one of Time’s Most Influential People in 2021.
According to a survey conducted by the Korean Foundation for International Cultural Exchange (KOFICE) in 2021 with 8,500 respondents aged 15 to 59 across 18 countries, 80.6% of the respondents answered that they like Korean films, only surpassed by Korean TV shows (81.6%). Furthermore, the highest percentage of respondents reported that they love Korean films for their well organized story (33.3%), followed by the uniqueness of Korean culture (24.3%), superb performance by actors (23.5%), and the beautiful looks of actors (23.4%).
Park Chan-wook (left)
World-renowned director Park Chanwook, who directed the movie Decision to Leave, won Best Director at the 75th Cannes Film Festival.
Youn Yuh-jung
Actress Youn Yuh-jung drew worldwide attention by receiving more than 100 trophies at numerous film festivals and awards ceremonies for her outstanding acting skills.
Korea has the world’s fifth-largest film market, only surpassed by North America, China, Japan, and the UK. Korea leads the world in the number of films watched per person (as of 2018), and Korean films account for around 51% of moviegoers in the country.
The global interest in Korean films steadily grew after a series of successes at international film festivals in the 2000s. Korean films and filmmakers have been recognized multiple times by the three major film festivals: Berlin Film Festival, Cannes Film Festival, and Venice Film Festival. The Korean film industry mesmerized film enthusiasts with the works of such renowned directors as Lee Chang-dong, Bong Joon-ho, Park Chan-wook, Hong Sang-soo, and Kim Jee-woon, and their highquality production and distinguished storytelling. For many moviegoers outside of Korea, the psychological barrier of the need to watch subtitles has been significantly lowered with the growing global interest in Korean films.
Director Bong Joon-ho became the first Korean director to win the Golden Palm award at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival for his film Parasite, a success followed by four major Oscars at the 92nd Academy Awards in 2020 (Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best International Feature Film). The film’s success further increased global interest in Korean films.
Song Kang-ho
Actor Song Kang-ho, who appeared in Broker, won Best Actor at the 75th Cannes Film Festival.
In 2021, actor Youn Yuh-jung stood at the forefront of the cinema K-Wave. Minari, directed by the Korean-American director Lee Isaac Chung and starring many Korean actors, won more than 100 awards at numerous film festivals and awards, including the US Dramatic Grand Jury Prize and the US Dramatic Audience Award at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival. The public attention regarding the film concentrated on Youn Yuh-jung, a Korean actor with 50 years under her belt who wowed the audience with her stellar performance. Youn was nominated for more than 50 awards in North America and won more than 30 of them. In addition, she went under the global spotlight by winning the Screen Actors Guild Award and Best Supporting Actress at the Academy Awards. She was also named one of Time’s Most Influential People in 2021.
According to a survey conducted by the Korean Foundation for International Cultural Exchange (KOFICE) in 2021 with 8,500 respondents aged 15 to 59 across 18 countries, 80.6% of the respondents answered that they like Korean films, only surpassed by Korean TV shows (81.6%). Furthermore, the highest percentage of respondents reported that they love Korean films for their well organized story (33.3%), followed by the uniqueness of Korean culture (24.3%), superb performance by actors (23.5%), and the beautiful looks of actors (23.4%).
