I Need More Korean Actors and Korean Movies

Hi Blog, 

    I am back doing another segment on Korean representation in film. As a Asian American, I get excited when I watch a movie that has Asian actors or Asian context. Since the representation is minimal in American movies, I feel like every time I see an Asian actor, I can relate in some way. Although I don’t believe that Asian representation in the film industry is focused on enough, I do believe that the industry is giving it more attention than it has in the past. In the past few years, we’ve seen the worldwide praise of movies like Crazy Rich Asians, Parasite, Train to Busan Snowpiercer, Okja, and Always Be My Maybe. Since these movies, the film industry has been trying to address the issues of representation in Hollywood. Although I believe that many industries don’t target Asian actors, I also believe that the lack of Asian actors in the industry is partially due to the fact that not many Asians strive to become actors. This can be partially due to the fact that the dream of being a Asian actor is difficult to achieve, but also due to the stereotypes labeled on Asian culture. Instead of pursuing a career in film, many are influenced to pursue a career in health sciences or business because it is the tradition route. The increase in Korean representation in the film industry has helped in getting rid of this stereotype. We’ve not only seen an increase in popularity for Korean films, but we’ve also seen an increase in movies being set in Korea. For example, Avengers: Age of Ultron was partially filmed in Seoul and grossed $1.4 billion worldwide with $78 million coming from Korea. Other movies that were filmed in Seoul include Star Trek: Beyond, The Bourne Legacy, and Okja. As Korean representation rises in films, more Koreans will be willing to set aside time to watch these movies. I hope that someday, I won’t be as shocked to see a Asian actor in a film than I am today. 

https://thesmartlocal.com/korea/korean-movies-covid-19/

https://www.the-irishman.com/5-movies-filmed-seoul-south-korea/

By Ricky Mo