[BIFF 2023] Korean American filmmakers discuss cultural diversity

The rise of Korean content in Hollywood has opened doors for Korean diasporic creators, according to Korean American filmmakers and actors speaking at the Busan International Film Festival.

From left: actor John Cho, director and actor Justin Chon, actor Steven Yeun and director Lee Isaac Chung pose for a photo during the press conference for the “Special Program in Focus: Korean Diasporic Cinema” session at the KNN Theater in Busan on Friday. [SONG BONG-GEUN]

BUSAN — Ethnic and cultural diversity is supposedly a top priority in cutthroat Hollywood, but what has the experience actually been like for Korean American actors and auteurs? Did the rise of Korean films on the global stage make a difference?

According to some of the most prominent stars and producers of Korean descent, it did.

“The rise of Korean content has opened up new doors for Korean diasporic creators,” said Lee Isaac Chung to reporters during a press conference held in Busan on the sidelines of the 28th Busan International Film Festival (BIFF).

Korean American filmmakers like Chung and Justin Chon, and actors Steven Yeun and John Cho took part to share their experiences on what it's like being both Korean and American — or neither fully Korean nor fully American — in a globalizing world.

Visiting Korea for this year's BIFF felt like “coming home” for the attendees of the “Special Program in Focus: Korean Diasporic Cinema” session. Filmmakers including John Cho, Steven Yeun, Lee Isaac Chung and Justin Chon spoke on the meaning of filmmaking, the ways in which Koreans across the world can collaborate on projects, and the current strike in Hollywood.

“It feels like we are connected heart to heart, coming to this year’s BIFF — that we are all integrated in this global reality,” said Yeun, the star of Oscar-winning film “Minari” (2020) during a press conference for the “Special Program in Focus: Korean Diasporic Cinema” session at the KNN Theater in Busan on Friday. “I am honored to be invited to this session to talk about diaspora and filmmaking.”

Korea is undergoing a transformation in terms of content creation, with subjects of works expanding and Korean films and dramas receiving ever more attention. Thus the visit this year is even more meaningful, claimed Cho, who is known for his roles in the Star Trek rebooted series, the Harold & Kumar films and the Netflix adaptation of “Cowboy Bebop.”

Korean American actor John Cho speaks during the press conference for the “Special Program in Focus: Korean Diasporic Cinema” session at the KNN Theater in Busan on Friday. [YONHAP]

“There has been a lot of change in many industries and areas but Korea especially is having a culturally transformative era,” said Cho. “The rise of Korean content is very significant for diasporic Koreans, too. I am delighted to have people wanting to know about Korean American life and this kind of session being held.”

The meaning of diasporic life and collaborating through creative projects for filmmakers is to grow empathy for each other and to respect differences, said Yeun. The actor's film “Minari” and his most recent work — the highly praised Netflix series “Beef” (2023) — also touches upon the theme of people from varying backgrounds of life coming together to form a community and learning to tolerate and understand one another.

“I think Korean Americans and Koreans here in Korea have resonated with each other’s stories, and through that we can also recognize and respect differences and come together,” said Yeun. “We need to understand the gaps and distance between each other [and] respect that. The intention to understand is the commonality. I think that is very special.”

Korean Americans in Hollywood had to find their own paths without much guidance compared to other groups, and this is parallel to the creativity of the Korean film industry, said Lee Isaac Chung, the director of “Minari” and other films such as “Munyurangabo” (2007) and “Lucky Life” (2010). African American or Hispanic ethnicities have carved a place for themselves in popular culture, but for Asians, it is still hard to find works where Asians are the main characters. Even in works like the live-action adaptation of “Ghost in the Shell” (2017) where the protagonist was originally Asian, and with Marvel characters who were drawn as Asians in the comic books, the characters were cast with white actors.

“Korean films are very unique and have their distinct characteristics,” said Chung. “Korean Americans have also had to find uniqueness and find our own path in building careers and making stories. The immigrant life itself is a journey and the rootlessness of this life is something that we all feel.”

Films are a connecting element that brings people together, which applies especially to diasporic people — who are scattered all around the world, said Cho.

“Being at the BIFF has reminded me that even in this digital age cinema is still a medium through which we can laugh and cry together,” said Cho. “Festivals have always left a big impression upon me because as an actor I tend to feel alone on sets, but at events like this I feel that I am a part of a larger community.”

Chung also named his favorite Korean films that have been an inspiration to him and expressed admiration for Korean film directors such as Lee Chang-dong.

“Lee is my hero — I love ‘Oasis’ [2002] and ‘Secret Sunshine’ [2007,]” said Chung. “I met Lee back in 2007 at a hotel lobby. Back then I wasn’t very known and I was extremely nervous. I saw him drink a cup of coffee and felt that my hero is also another human being, and that left a lasting impression on me. Film festivals are where you can have that kind of close distance.”

The ongoing strike in Hollywood has not yet rippled through the Korean entertainment scene, but its core values are important not just to the U.S. scene but to any and every creative mind that shares the film spirit, the attendees said.

“The strike is to guarantee the basic conditions for writers and actors,” said Yeun. “In many cases there are no safety nets for artists. It is a privilege itself for me to be able to come here and speak on this issue.”

“There is a movement toward automation in the entertainment industry,” said Cho. “People are being replaced by machines and excluded from creative processes by AI. But art is an expression of the human mind, and I would want to watch a work by a human and about human experiences. The Hollywood strike is to protect the area of what only humans can do.”

The 28th BIFF continues until Oct. 13 and more programs and events are lined up in the days to come. Luc Besson, the legendary director behind “Léon: The Professional,” (1994) is to hold a press conference and interview Saturday, while Actor‘s House sessions with stars of the Korean film scene and screenings of more than 200 feature and short films are scheduled throughout the 10-day festival.

BY LIM JEONG-WON [lim.jeongwon@joongang.co.kr]