Germany: "Korean Films Are Violent"… Park Chan-wook Responds, "I'm Actually Curious"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Seung-woo] Director Park Chan-wook drew attention by responding to a German audience's question, "Why do Korean films feature so much blood and violence?" with "It is rather the preference of foreign audiences that is the problem."

On the 2nd (local time), Park held an online Q&A session with local audiences to commemorate the release of the film in Germany and Austria.

At the event, Park said, "Since and , Korean films have been labeled as high-quality films filled with blood and violence," and received a question from a German audience asking, "Can Korean films succeed on the global stage without these elements?"

Park responded, "I am actually curious. There are many good Korean films without violent elements, so why do foreign audiences prefer the violent ones more?"

He added, "From the early 2000s, when I was just starting to make a name for myself, many Korean films were introduced under the brand 'Asian Extreme,' so it seems the image of violent films was established."

'Asian Extreme' is a brand series by the UK film distributor Tartan, which has consistently introduced Asian films from Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, and others since the early 2000s. Films such as Park's , Kim Jee-woon's , and Bong Joon-ho's were introduced to Europe through 'Asian Extreme.'

Park said, " is a film with hardly any violence. Of course, some viewers might find even this level violent," and added, "I hope more non-violent Korean films will be introduced overseas."

Another audience member cited BTS leader RM watching six times and asked, "How many times do you think is appropriate to watch it?" Park replied, "Since a lot of effort was put into embedding details, you can discover something new even after watching it 6 to 7 times," and added, "Foreign audiences might miss visual details while reading subtitles, so I hope they watch it at least twice."

is a mystery romance film that begins with a detective investigating a death in the mountains who, after meeting the deceased's wife, feels both suspicion and interest. In Korea, since its release in June last year, it has been screened for over six months, fueled by a rewatch craze known as 'N times.'

According to distributor Fly On Pictures, was released under the title in 80 theaters across 54 cities in Germany on the day of the report. It will be released in Austria starting the 3rd.