No Korean films invited to the Beijing Int’l Film Festival

China’s retaliation against the controversial Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense system is also affecting the Korean movie industry.

It is reported that no Korean film has been invited to the 7th Beijing International Film Festival to be held in Beijing from April 16 through 23. It is the first time that Korean movies have not invited to or screened at the festival in Beijing.

Five Korean movies were screened at last year’s festival where Korea spiced up the atmosphere with many Korean actors and actresses including Lee Min-ho and Kim Woo-bin.

China purchased the film rights of several Korean movies including “Train to Busan” last year, but none of them was released. China has screen quotas but it had released three to four Korean films annually. It is said that only a few films by a joint production venture were released.

“Some Korean blockbusters including “Train to Busan” were imported, they appear to have been suspended for releases in the wake of THAAD,” a source from the Chinese film industry said.

Ja-Ryong Koo bonhong@donga.com