Park Chan-wook warns of Korea film crisis

Director Park Chan-wook speaks about concerns over the Korean film industry in an interview with a British newspaper. / Courtesy of CJ ENM

Acclaimed director Park Chan-wook has voiced concern over what he described as a deepening crisis in the Korean film industry, citing declining investment and changing audience habits.

In an interview published by the British daily The Independent on Jan. 19, Park said it was no secret that the industry is in a “very dangerous state,” despite the global recognition achieved by a handful of Korean films.

“During the COVID-19 pandemic, Korean audiences who could not go to theaters realized they could enjoy plenty of entertaining content at home, and many never returned to cinemas afterward,” he said.

Park warned that shrinking box-office revenues have led investors to pull back, with remaining funding concentrated on projects deemed commercially safe. “As investment declines and money flows only into predictable, low-risk films, audiences end up finding theatrical releases too obvious or uninteresting,” he said. “That keeps people away from theaters, reduces profits further, and ultimately causes investors to cut back even more. It becomes a vicious cycle.”

The director also touched on his latest film, No Other Choice, which is seeking to advance to the final nominations for best picture, international feature and best actor at the 98th Academy Awards. He said he hopes viewers will experience the moral dilemma faced by the protagonist, Mansu, alongside the character.

ⓒ "젊은 파워, 모바일 넘버원 아시아투데이"