President Lee Jae-myung said on the 20th that the government "will provide sufficient support and pay close attention so that the film industry can grow strong from the ground up," noting that "there is talk that the recent Korean film production ecosystem is deteriorating badly."
The president, visiting the 30th Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) in the afternoon that day, said, "Film is a kind of comprehensive art, and it is also a very large industry because many people depend on it for their livelihoods."
The president attended a Q&A session for an official BIFF screening at the Cinematheque of the Busan Cinema Center in Haeundae, Busan, together with first lady Kim Hye-kyung that day.
The official screening was "Times of the Theater," which deals with the relationships formed among films, theaters, and audiences. The work consists of two short films: Director Lee Jong-pil's "Chimpanzee" and Director Yoon Ga-eun's "Naturally."
After watching the films, the president asked Director Lee, "I enjoyed it. I heard the production budget was small—how much was it?" Director Lee replied, "About 70 million won. Money is always short. We have to do well within the budget."
Kim said, "Watching the film together with the director and actors makes my heart tremble. I enjoyed it very much." She also told actor Kim Dae-myung, a cast member, "You are so slim." Kim also asked the president, "Do you know the actor's name (Kim Dae-myung)?"
Presidential office Spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said in a written briefing that "the president and first lady's attendance at the film festival shows special interest and affection for Korea's film industry and filmmakers," adding that they "expressed a special interest in and willingness to support the film industry and film festivals."