[28th BIFF] “Every life is a journey” Stories of immigrants as thought by Korean-American artists [Comprehensive]

“Life is a journey in itself. “Isn’t this why stories of immigrants moving from one place to another resonate so well?”

Director Lee Isaac Chung, who attracted attention with the film ‘Minari’, which depicts the story of an immigrant family taking root in the United States, made this statement at a press conference for ‘Korean American Special Exhibition: Korean Diaspora’ held at the KNN Theater in Haeundae-gu, Busan on the afternoon of the 6th.

In addition to director Lee Isaac Chung, several Korean-American popular artists were present on the day, including director Justin Jeon, famous for the Apple TV series ‘Pachinko’, and actors Steven Yeun and John Cho. Recently, content that sheds light on the lives of Korean-Americans continues to be released in the United States, including the animated film ‘Elemental’, which was a huge hit in Korea this year. Representative examples include ‘Minari’ starring Steven Yeun and directed by Lee Isaac Chung, the Netflix series ‘Angry People’ (Biff), also starring Steven Yeun, and ‘Kim’s Convenience’, a drama depicting the story of a Korean family who immigrated to Canada.

Director Justin Jeon chose ‘Angry People (Biff)’ as a work that bridges the gap between people. “That series is so huge,” he said. It encompasses both Eastern and Western audiences. “It was like a work that brought us all together in one bowl,” he said.

Director Jeon said, “That was an aspect that could not be seen in existing American movies or TV.” Recently, content that deals with stories from various cultures, including Korea, has been on the rise in the United States. John Cho said, “Isn’t the life of an immigrant dramatic? “Usually when we talk about our lives outside, people are very interested,” he said, analyzing the reasons for popularity.

Director Lee Isaac Chung said that many audiences who watched ‘Minari’ responded that they sympathized with the film even though they were not immigrants. Director Jeong said, “We all live different lives in different situations, but I think we all live the life of an immigrant to some extent.” He added, “Some people talked about how their family moved to a new city after watching ‘Minari.’. “The lives of immigrants are not universal, but I think they can resonate universally.”

Steven Yeun said, “This was an event where I could feel that we understand and interact with each other through culture,” and expressed hope, “I think we can acknowledge our differences, empathize, and move forward in harmony.”

Audiences at the ’28th Busan International Film Festival’ can see various works by Korean Americans through the ‘Korean Diaspora’ program. The 28th Busan International Film Festival continues until the 13th.

Busan = Reporter Jeong Jin-young afreeca@edaily.co.kr