What happens behind the ‘transnational’ of transnational films? Examining China and South Korea’s co-productions

Abstract

The global popularity of the Korean Wave has enhanced the reputation of South Korea’s (hereafter Korea) creative industries, making Korea an ideal collaborator for China as they develop and produce ‘created in China’ content. Focusing on China’s film industry, as of 2021, China sits at the top spot in terms of box office revenues and has been opened to co-producing with other national industries. To promote cultural flows in East Asia, Koreans are keen to develop the relationship due to China’s growing reach and its promising returns. But when transnational collaborations such as co-producing takes place, it can result in various forms of cultural complexity that may hinder discussions and negotiations. Through semi-structured interviews with Korean filmmakers, the paper examines how complexities are untangled when the two nations collaborate. Demonstrating the importance of obtaining cultural intelligence, the paper shows how cultural capital impacts Korean filmmakers as they navigate language and cultural differences.