Steven Yeun says the 'Korean wave is deeply healing’ at Busan Film Festival
Steven Yeun, John Cho talk K-wave at the Busan International Film Festival
The growing media and entertainment connections between Korean Americans and those Koreans living in Korea may be changing both communities, a public discussion at the Busan International Film Festival on Friday heard.
“Being in a room full of fans feels like they accepted me as a member of the family. It feels like, culturally, Korea [may be in] a moment of transition,” actor John Cho said.
He was joined in the debate by actor-director Justin Chon (“Gook”), director Lee Isaac Chung (“Minari”) and actor Steven Yeun, who are all either first or second generation immigrants to the U.S.
They were careful not to speak about their current movies or projects out of respect for SAG strike protocols, but the avoidance of promotional niceties permitted a wider-ranging and more philosophical discussion. The panel touched on issues of identity, generational change and the development of the post-pandemic, streaming-era global village.
“The reception I’ve had [in Busan] feels connective, not foreign, like living in a global reality,” said Yeun. “There’s an honoring of the separateness, but also of the cohesiveness. Nobody is claiming ownership of anything.
Rating: 5