Chinese press and film journals have reported extensively on the Korean film industry; the “Korean wave” (hanliu in Chinese or hallyu in Korean) reached China years ago. Of course, Korean, Japanese, Thai films are widely available in China through pirated DVDs. China’s film market is a very different one than Korea and Japan, in part because only 20 revenue-sharing foreign films are allowed in under WTO guidelines (the number used to be ten, when China began importing such films in 1994). The large majority are Hollywood blockbusters. But foreign films are widely available through DVDs and downloading. And some foreign films have come in under a “flat fee” policy, with no revenue sharing. In 2011, the total box office of China film market was 13.15 billion, with domestic films’ contribution more than 53.6%, although the situation is complicated by a number of factors.
With the opening of film industry, more and more famous Chinese directors seek for oversea actor and actress to make their film more diversified and thus can enter the film market in different country. The cooperation on film between China and South Korea has become a leading trend. Because their natural resemblance on appearance, actors and actress of China and Korea can star in both countries’ movies without having much influence. Some famous cooperation movie are named The Myth, The Promise, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, Musa.
Korean Movie released in China in 2011 and 2012
Late Autumn (2011)
Late Autumn (Korean: 만추) is a 2010 English-language film which stars Chinese-born Hong Kong actress Tang Wei as a prisoner who is given a 72 hours parole to visit family in Seattle who meets and befriends a South Korean man on-the-run. A co-production between South Korea, Hong Kong, China and the United States, it is the fourth remake of the now-lost 1966 Lee Man-hee melodrama classic of the same title.
The film premiered at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival. It also screened at the 15th Busan International Film Festival, the 61st Berlin International Film Festival, and the Fribourg International Film Festival. It became the highest grossing Korean film released in China to date, quickly gathering over 910,000 admissions after its March release, with a total box office take of more than 60 million yuan.
Hello Ghost (2010)
Hello Ghost (Hangul: 헬로우 고스트; RR: Hellowoo Goseuteu) is a 2010 South Korean comedy film about a man’s multiple failed suicide attempts. The film was the 9th highest grosser of Korean films in 2010. The film was bought by American film production company 1492 Pictures in February 2011 and is scheduled to be remade by Chris Columbus.
The Man from Nowhere (2010)
The Man from Nowhere (Hangul: 아저씨; Hanja: 아저氏; RR: Ajeossi; MR: Ajŏssi) is a 2010 South Korean film starring Won Bin and directed by Lee Jeong-beom. It was Korea’s highest grossing film in 2010. The film was released in the United States and Canada on October 1, 2010. The film follows the story of a vengeful man who embarks on a murderous rampage when the only person that seems to understand him is taken from him.
Come Rain, Come Shine (2010)
Come Rain, Come Shine (Hangul: 사랑한다, 사랑하지 않는다; RR: Saranghanda, Saranghaji Anneunda; literally. “I Love You, I Love You Not”) is a 2011 South Korean film by Lee Yoon-ki. A young woman (Lim Soo-jung) informs her husband of five years (Hyun Bin) that she is leaving him for another man, but the husband remains calm and even helps her pack. The experimental film traces in real-time parts of their last three hours together while the wife prepares to move out. The film premiered in competition at the 61st Berlin International Film Festival in 2011.
