Ko-pick: A New Generation of Producers

Producers in Korean cinema have played a crucial role in the building of the industry. While directors are usually the focus of attention, the hidden heroes and heroines of Korea’s film industry are the film producers. This was indeed true of the 1990s and 200...

Ko-pick: The Younger Generation of Professionals Working in the Korean Film Industry

Much attention is paid in Korean cinema to the so-called 386 generation of filmmakers, those born in the 1960s, entered university in the 1980s and were in their 30s when this term was coined as they started making films in the 1990s. Directors such as Bong Jo...

Ko-pick: The Evolution of Creatures in K-Content

Yeon Sang-ho’s science fiction horror series Parasyte: The Grey dropped on Netflix on April 5. Based on the Japanese manga series Parasyte (1989-1994) by Hitoshi Iwaaki, it centers on a parasitic organism that target humans as hosts transforming them into dang...

Ko-pick: Introducing Korea’s “Bridge” Studios

The studio system in Korea has continued to evolve since the 1990s. The Chaebols (Korea’s family-owned conglomerates) entered the industry in the 1990s led by Samsung leading to significant investment that would transform Korean cinema. When they left to focus...

Ko-pick: Female Voices in Korean Independent Cinema

Celine Song’s Past Lives that premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2023 to critical acclaim continued to generate momentum during much of the awards race securing Academy Award nominations for Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay. Although it ended ...

Ko-pick: Tracking Korea’s Female Directors : From Park Nam-ok to Yim Soon-rye

On March 8th, we celebrated International Women’s Day to recognize the achievements of women and put focus on issues under different annual themes to highlight the importance of gender equality. In 2024, the UN theme was Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress th...

Ko-pick: Capturing Korea’s Young Generation

Students in Korea started the new academic year in March at schools and universities all over the country. Education remains central to all walks of life in Korea; entering school and graduating are important occasions and preparations for the college-entrance...

Ko-pick: Shamanism and Exorcism in Korean Films

Films centering on shamanism are not all dark, Lee Han-jong’s Daemuga (2022) is more of a comedic film, but such films often feature quite dramatic and intense moments that adapt well to the thriller, horror and mystery genres, which is highlighted in the film...

Ko-pick: Exploring KAFA Through its Representative Works

The Korean Academy of Film Arts (KAFA) has played an instrumental role in educating Korea’s filmmakers. Founded in 1984 by the Korean Film Council, it offers programs centering on directing, cinematography and animation.By the 1990s, it was training filmmakers...

Ko-pick: Korean Historical War Films

The historical genre known in Korean asSageukhas long been popular among local audiences both in television and cinema. One of Korea’s most famous folktalesThe Story of Chungyangset in the Joseon Dynasty has been adapted into numerous films including one of th...