International interest in visiting South Korea has surged, with a significant majority of surveyed streaming audiences expressing a desire to travel to the country. According to Netflix research shared during the 31st Busan International Film Festival, 67% of surveyed members worldwide stated an interest in traveling to South Korea, a trend industry executives link directly to the emotional resonance of screen narratives rather than simple tourism appeal.
Creative Asia Forum Highlights Impact of Regional Storytelling
The survey findings were presented on October 10 during the opening masterclass of Creative Asia, an industry program returning for its third consecutive year alongside the Busan International Film Festival. The initiative was developed in collaboration with Netflix, the Asian Film Commissions Network, and the Motion Picture Association. Held at Dongseo University’s Centum Campus, the event expanded its footprint this year by incorporating executive-led Netflix workshops alongside traditional industry panels and masterclasses.
Sung Q Lee, Netflix's senior director of APAC production, addressed attendees at the event, arguing that the primary driver behind this travel interest is narrative depth. Lee emphasized that the emotional pull for viewers originates from the specific stories rooted in South Korea rather than scenic landscapes alone. Pointing to projects such as "When Life Gives You Tangerines," which is set on Jeju Island, Lee noted that universal human feelings bridge the gap between global audiences and unfamiliar geographical settings.
Industry Experts Discuss the Intersection of Place and Production
The panel session, moderated by Busan Asian Film School professor James Bang, concentrated on the technical and creative ways physical locations define on-screen storytelling. Alongside Lee, the discussion brought together experienced production figures to dissect how setting functions as an active participant in filmmaking.
Location manager Lauren Cooper provided insight into the practical side of visual planning, describing film production as a collaborative team endeavor. Cooper explained that her initial encounter with a screenplay mirrors that of a standard audience member, evaluating the narrative impact before calculating logistics. She highlighted that close coordination with the production designer and maintaining adaptability across the crew remain crucial to serving the overall story.
Filmmaking Philosophy on Organic Setting Integration
Adding an international lens to the discussion, "Perfect Days" co-producer Kunieda Reiko focused on the organic relationship between physical spaces and story development. Kunieda referenced director Wim Wenders' belief that excessive narrative artifice can damage a movie, noting his aversion to imposing predetermined concepts onto a shoot.
Kunieda explained that on "Perfect Days," which completed production in 16 days, the narrative was permitted to evolve directly out of its filming environments. Emphasizing that location and storytelling are fundamentally inseparable, she described production as the vehicle that translates high-level creative vision into tangible cinematic form.
As collaborative programs like Creative Asia continue to expand, cross-border partnerships between major entertainment platforms and regional film organizations remain focused on evaluating how physical environments shape both production practices and global viewer engagement.
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Source: Variety
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