The Korean Cultural Center Los Angeles (Director Sangwon Jung) announced that it will hold a special screening of the Korean drama Western Avenue, produced in Hollywood, on February 12th at the Ari Hall of the cultural center in collaboration with Dejong Films. This event marks the 80th anniversary of Korean liberation.

Western Avenue is a five-episode drama about Korean American filmmakers' struggles, setbacks, dreams, and hopes as they fight to break through Hollywood's glass ceiling. This series holds significant meaning as the first Korean content produced by Koreans overseas rather than in Korea. It was shown on Amazon Prime and OnDemand Korea in November and December last year.

Directed by Yoo Seok Jong, a filmmaker who has won the Best New Director Award at the Venice Short Film Festival, Western Avenue features a cast of Korean American actors, including Jongman Kim, Ian Oh, Teresa Bomi Kim, and Hayden Won. The drama has received acclaim for vividly portraying the harsh lives of immigrants against the backdrop of Hollywood, the global hub of film and entertainment, through the unique voices of its cast members.

Director Yoo Seok Jong and Actor Jongman Kim will attend the event. After the screening, they will share behind-the-scenes stories from the production process and discuss the inspiration behind the drama's creation.

Western Avenue was made possible through the investment of TruAbutment, Inc., led by John Kim. Under the investment terms, all profits from the production will be donated to the Korean American community.

Director Yoo Seok Jong shared, "When I first saw the Hollywood sign from the western avenue in Koreatown, it felt much closer than I had imagined. While the boundary between the mainstream and the minority is clear, I thought that perhaps we, immigrants, are privileged as minorities who can cross that boundary. That's why I named the drama Western Avenue, and I tried to capture the diverse and intense lives

of Korean immigrant families, their joys and sorrows, through the camera lens."

Director Sangwon Jung said, "It is a great honor to introduce the first Korean drama produced by Koreans in Hollywood in this special screening, commemorating the 80th anniversary of Korea's liberation. This work depicts the challenges and passions of Korean American filmmakers. I hope it will become an opportunity to spread further Korean culture and the lives of immigrants to the US and the world."

Reservations can be made on the Cultural Center website at www.kccla.org.  https://kccla.org/events/view/?eid=7289