Korean Cultural Centers (KCCs) around the world will hold film screenings from March through June. Pictured here is director Lee Byoung-heon of the comedy blockbuster "Extreme Job" during a Q&A on Nov. 7, 2019, at the 2019 London Korean Film Festival. (KCC London)
By Kim Hyelin and Lee Hana
To mark the Oscar triumph of director Bong Joon-ho's "Parasite," Korean Cultural Centers (KCCs) around the world from March to June will show more Korean movies.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will boost funding for KCCs in 25 countries given the recent surge of foreign interest in Korean cinema.
The KCC in Nigeria will start things off with a screening of "Parasite" on March 13 and 14. The event will be attended by foreign diplomats based in Nigeria at Silverbird Cinemas in the capital of Abuja.
From March through June, the KCC in Japan (Tokyo) will screen ten movies at the center's Hanmadang Hall. The first work scheduled for showing on March 10 will be "Little Forest," directed by Yim Soon-rye, followed by "Veteran" (Ryoo Seung-wan) on March 18 and "Always" (Song Il-gon) on March 26.
The KCC in Italy will hold the 18th Florence Korea Film Fest from March 19-28 at Cinema La Compagnia in Florence, Italy. The program will feature 43 short and feature-length films as well as 25 virtual reality works. Meet-and-greet sessions with Korean directors and actors will also be held.
Movie screenings are also slated at KCCs in Russia, Belgium, Spain, France and Hungary in addition to regular cultural programs. More information on these events is on the relevant KCC's website, which can be found at the following link: http://www.kocis.go.kr/eng/openInformation.do
The following is a list of KCC cultural events in March.
London, U.K.
The KCC on March 9 will host an author's talk at the bookstore Waterstone's for Cho Nam-joo, author of the bestselling feminist novel "Kim Ji-young, Born 1982," to celebrate the launch of the book's English-language edition. The novel has been published in 17 countries. Tickets for the event are available here.
Budapest, Hungary
The photo exhibition "Korean Shamanism: GUT, Breath of Spirit" will be held at the KCC from March 20 to June 19. The six Korean photographers whose works will be featured include the late Kim Soo-nam, a leading photographer who shot shamanic rituals in Korea for more than 30 years. On the exhibit's opening day, a shamanic ritual from Hwanghae-do Province in present-day North Korea will be held at a KCC exhibition hall.
http://hungary.korean-culture.org/hu/952/board/704/list
Mexico City, Mexico
A Korean cultural festival will run from March 7-9 at Paseo Alcalde in Guadalajara featuring events like K-pop cover concerts and exhibitions.
http://mexico.korean-culture.org/es/1038/board/786/list
Bangkok, Thailand
An ink painting workshop will be held on March 26 at the KCC's Korea Hall. Participants can learn how to create paintings using traditional materials like Hanji (traditional paper), silk, ink and pigments.
http://thailand.korean-culture.org/th/1050/board/799/list
kimhyelin211@korea.kr