With a cat bus set to the destination "JEJU" that brings out the feel of soft fur, and a towering 5-meter "Castle in the Sky," the world of "Studio Ghibli" has landed whole in Jeju's blue nature.
On the 11th, "Studio Ghibli Exhibition in Jeju," created across about 3,100 square meters (938 pyeong) around Jeju Fairy Tale Village, officially opened to heated interest. This large-scale exhibition lets visitors experience Ghibli's signature masterpieces with all five senses, including Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, and My Neighbor Totoro, offering immersion as it blends with Jeju's natural environment.
Notably, producer Suzuki Toshio, who led Studio Ghibli for 40 years alongside the two master directors Takahata Isao and Miyazaki Hayao, attended in person to grace the opening. In a special talk moderated by Sung Si Kyung, Suzuki shared his particular reflections on the Jeju exhibition and unpacked the life messages Ghibli conveys.
Asked about what sets it apart from the exhibitions in Japan, producer Suzuki said, "Director Miyazaki Hayao has always said, 'Characters matter, but what's more important is the background. If the background isn't done right, the characters won't come alive.'"
He emphasized, "As I walked through this exhibition, I was reminded of how good the backgrounds are. In particular, the background of Princess Mononoke was truly outstanding."
Producer Suzuki said the opening of this Jeju exhibition was thanks to his deep ties with longtime partner Chung Uk, chairman of Daewon Media. Recalling an episode of first getting to know the chairman through the late Ogata Hideo, his boss when he worked at a publishing house, Suzuki said, "Daewon Media started in 1977, and we created the magazine 'Animage' in 1978. We began around the same time, and over many years Chairman Chung has introduced Ghibli to Korea on a grand scale," expressing his gratitude.
He continued, "In the end, both people and work are made through 'encounters with people.' Without such encounters, it's not as if many people will simply take notice on their own," adding, "Whether it's a company or anything else, what's there are people, and the most important thing is whether they meet and are a good fit. With Daewon Media we have truly had a great fit."
Why do Studio Ghibli's works transcend borders and generations to earn worldwide love? Producer Suzuki offered a clear answer to that fundamental question.
He explained, "If I were to put it into words, as we live there are times of joy; perhaps that is Ghibli's message," adding, "Rather than artificially creating a work's theme, what becomes Ghibli's message is giving concrete form to the questions thrown up by the flow of how the world is changing."
He also emphasized, "The countries are different, but because Korea and Japan are like siblings, I thought Ghibli will surely continue to be loved in Korea."
The "Studio Ghibli Exhibition in Jeju" is expected to go beyond a simple spectacle, offering fans a hands-on experience of a fantastical world and giving weary modern people a healing time through Jeju's nature and Ghibli's philosophy.