Cinema & Drama
Korean cinema has been steadily gaining international popularity since the 2000s with films like Oldboy, Train to Busan, and more recently, Parasite. In addition to big-budget films, there is a robust independent film industry too. Korean dramas have gotten the attention of a global audience thanks to their compelling plotlines, attractive stars, and high production values.
In the last decade, Korean dramas and films have become popular around the world thanks to social media and streaming services.
Filming locations of famous dramas, movies, and even music videos are popular travel destinations.
Korean film is known for its distinct style that often combines multiple genres in a single movie and a penchant for social commentary. Korean dramas are also very popular internationally, especially in greater Asia. As more people around the world become more curious about Korean culture, they turn to Korean dramas as a window into Korean culture and society.
The popularity of Korean films and dramas has increased overall interest in Korean culture as they depict Korean society and culture in entertaining ways. They’ve piqued global interest in Korean food, music, and fashion. And many fans of Korean media visit Korea to experience the culture for themselves.
The cities of Seoul and Busan are considered to be the centers of film-making in Korea and offer many film-related activities. In these cities, you can find many art house theatres, film museums, and filming locations.
Korea also hosts many film festivals but the most prominent is the Busan International Film Festival, one of the biggest annual film festivals in Asia. Although BIFF is held only for a week, the venues and neighborhoods that host the festival are popular destinations year-round.