Hyderabad:For many in Hyderabad, the idea of home may seem far removed from the rice paddies and mountain streams of rural Korea, yet the crowd at Prasad Films Lab for the Korean Film Festival 2024 was unmistakably drawn to stories that spoke of returning to one’s roots… in Korean. The turnout shows Hyderabad's love for K-culture, which goes beyond K-pop and K-drama. Two films Little Forest (2017) by Yim Soon-rye and Sunset in My Hometown (2018) by Lee Joon-ik dealt with the universal themes of the pull of nostalgia, the charm of rural life and the essence of homecoming.
“By showcasing these good quality Korean films, we aim to promote K-culture here. These films depict a side of Korea that is lesser known - the beauty of the countryside,” said Kyeongbeom Kim, vice consul from the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Mumbai. The festival is organised by the Korean Consulate in partnership with the Korean Film Council. The festival was inaugurated by the British deputy high commissioner to Telangana and Andhra Pradesh Gareth Wynn Owen, who spoke about his connection to Korea. Having visited the country earlier this year with his family, Owen explained, “We adore the country and its culture. This festival is a great opportunity to continue our journey of understanding Korea.”
Suresh Chukkapalli, honorary consul general of Korea in Hyderabad, echoed this sentiment and shared that a large contingent from the Indian film industry will be shooting in Korea early next year. Talking about a Telugu-Korean project, he said, “We’re working on bringing more Indian films to Korea, including a project that will shoot in Jeju Island. The film will be titled Korean Kanakaraju and would be a perfect blend of Telugu cinema and Korean culture.”
Besides the movies, the festival also offered the Korean cultural experience. There were stations where people could paint, write their names in Korean script, or even dress up in a traditional hanbok. The selfies in hanbok, the flutter of Indian and Korean flags side by side, and the occasional exclamation of “saranghae!” (“I love you” in Korean) set the tone for the event.
Among the visitors were students from the EFLU, who are studying the Korean language. Gayatri Munda, a student dressed in colourful K-fashion, remarked, “I found out about the event through Instagram, and as a student majoring in Korean, it’s important to be part of events like this.”
For Vibhu Agnihotri, another student from EFLU, “The cinematography, the quietness, the music of the movies evoked a sense of belonging and familiarity.” Reflecting on India’s potential for soft power," she added, “India has so much to offer culturally. Films like ‘3 Idiots’ and ‘Dangal’ were well-received in Korea. If we can produce more content with depth, we can create the same lasting impact that Korean media has here.”
