and the imminent Hong Kong FilMart see Korean companies putting on a brave face.
Government support for film was slow in coming compared with countries such as Australia and New Zealand. The irony was not lost on those who, only months earlier, watched politicians bask in the reflected glory of the four Oscar wins by “Parasite.” By summer, cinemagoers were offered coupons which gave discounts at cinema turnstiles. And in October, the finance ministry announced limited support for SMEs.
“It is difficult to release new Korean movies. That makes it hard to invest and produce movies,” says Yoon. “Even if the audiences return to theater this winter after the COVID 19 vaccination, it may be difficult for new Korean film investment and production to become return to prior levels.” “The traditional marketplace is currently upside down,” says Justin Choi, previously a senior executive at exhibition and distribution giant Lotte MediaWorks, and who last year co-founded independent development and production firm Covenant Pictures. “The theatrical market is horrible, taking longer to recover than we thought, but there is now more emphasis on streaming, meaning that producers are still active.
Genuinely though this was a photo from some sort of Red Dwarf remake.