‘Immigrant filmmakers in Busan’ Justin Jeon, Lee Isaac Chung, Steven Yeun, and John Cho, “An immigrant story that everyone can relate to now” [2023 BIFF]

[Sports Seoul | Busan = Reporter Ham Sang-beom] Works about immigrants, such as Netflix’s ‘Angry People’, Apple TV’s ‘Pachinko’, and the movie ‘Minari’, are gaining worldwide sympathy. The life of a stranger who appears to belong to two countries, but also belongs to neither country, is itself a drama. Their stories are of interest to ordinary first-country people.

The fact that life is a drama means that we have overcome many difficulties and lonely moments. Meanwhile, four Korean-American filmmakers who have overcome the difficult path of filmmaking that their predecessors did not take, gathered together. Directors Justin Jeon and Lee Isaac Chung, and actors Steven Yeun and John Cho.

These four people met with Korean reporters at a press conference for ‘Korean American Special Exhibition: Korean Diaspora’ held at the KNN Theater in Haeundae-gu, Busan at 2 pm on the 6th.

The four people who expressed their honor said, “We are happy to have received such a great welcome in Busan.” They added, “These days, works featuring immigrants seem to be attracting the attention of many people and creating great sympathy. “I believe that all people are connected one by one,” he said with a bright expression.

◇”Busan was like my hometown, I was touched.”

Four filmmakers who are said to be hard to meet even in the United States met in Busan. The four people who arrived in Busan at different times and communicated with various people expressed without hesitation their impressions of Busan in 2023.

First, Justin Jeon said, “It’s been 15 years since I came in 2008. As I watched during the GV, there were some very sharp questions and there were many better questions than in 2008. “It opened my mind a lot to communication,” he said.

Director Lee Isaac Chung said, “I saw Minari for the first time in three years. It was touching to return to Korea and watch this movie in the land of my ancestors. I once visited Busan for a market or as an audience member, and I thought, ‘How great would it be to screen my film here?’ I ended up attending this wonderful event. “I was very impressed,” he said happily.

Steven Yeun said, “It’s only been two days since I came to Busan, so I haven’t been able to meet my fans. Still, I received a lot of welcome. “I felt like my heart and mind were connected, and I felt comfortable as if I was home without feeling unfamiliar,” he said.

John Cho said, “I was very moved to meet the fans yesterday. He opened his heart to welcome and love me. “I felt accepted as part of the family,” he said. “Culturally, Korea is going through a transition. “I think coming to Korea as an observer has great meaning,” he said.

◇”Why are immigrants’ films loved?”

Works about immigrants usually contain protagonists who have the impression of drifting because they do not belong properly anywhere. They are culturally the same as the people they grew up with in the new land, but their appearance is different. The language and culture are different from people from my parents’ country who have the same appearance. They often wander around because they cannot clearly belong here or there. The lives of such people capture the hearts of a wide range of people.

Isaac Jeong said, “The story of immigrants is something that even non-immigrants can’t help but empathize with. Ordinary people also move their residence from one place to another. There are also people who cannot take root there. “It’s not just immigrants who experience other cultures,” he said.

He continued, “Life itself is a journey and a journey. Some people have a hard time just moving to another city. “That is the background to empathize with the immigrant story,” he added.

Justin Jeon said, “When I hear or see our story from other immigrants, they always say, ‘I’m not alone.’ We all fall into a certain category. I feel a sense of empathy and connection as it started from my personal story. “And then we seem to realize that we are not alone.”

◇”Hollywood values ​​plot, Chungmuro ​​focuses on message”

These days, Korean content is considered to be leading the global content industry by dividing it from Hollywood. It is said that they actually form two major mountain ranges. Experts claim that Korean content is filling the emotional space that Hollywood was unable to fill.

Meanwhile, Justin Jeon and Jeong Isaac compared Hollywood style and Korean content style.

First, Lee Isaac Chung said, “I can see both Hollywood and Korean content from a third-party perspective. The acting and emotions seem to be different. In Korea, the mood is conveyed subtly, while in the United States, it is blatant. “It’s hard to explain,” he said. “Even though we are making different movies, we seem to like each other.”

Justin Jeon said, “I thought about this deeply. There is a difference in structural terms. “Hollywood movies place importance on plot, and like big twists or thoroughly structured structures,” he said. “On the other hand, in Korea and the East, the philosophical message seems to be more important than the plot. “It resonates in the emotional realm and is more attractive,” he explained.

He added, “I think Steven Yeun’s ‘Angry Men’ conveys the story completely emotionally, bringing together both East and West in one bowl.”

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