The Korean animated film 'The King of Kings' is gaining attention in North America.
On the 2nd, the team behind the film 'The King of Kings' (directed by Jang Sung-ho, produced by Mopax Studio, distributed by D Station, co-distributed by Cites) announced that interest in K-content is on the rise in North America. It has been six years since the film 'Parasite' won four Academy Awards in 2019. It is reported that K-animation 'The King of Kings' and K-musical 'Maybe Happy Ending' are at the heart of this.
#Korean content's power, the unique sensibility of the creators and technical team!
'The King of Kings' and 'Maybe Happy Ending' success in North America is the result of remarkable production capabilities and meticulous planning. 'The King of Kings' was scripted and directed by Jang Sung-ho, a pioneer of VFX in Korea, who has been working on films and series for 30 years. He established a Korean-style virtual production system and completed animation on par with live-action films. Additionally, top-tier production personnel from Korea, including cinematographer Kim Woo-hyung from 'Assassination' and '1987' and music director Kim Tae-sung from 'The Admiral: Roaring Currents' and 'The Age of Shadows,' participated to enhance the quality of the work. 'Maybe Happy Ending' is a work that encapsulates the philosophy of writer Park Chun-hyu, who has expanded the horizon of Korean original musicals with works like 'Pungwolju' and 'Arangga.' It is evaluated as a work that extends Korean sentiment into a story that resonates with global audiences through challenging planning across eras and genres as well as a sensitive narrative.
#Localization strategy based on global standards becomes a success formula!
'The King of Kings' reinterprets the universally familiar figure of 'Jesus' with Korean sentiment and a unique style, showcasing a differentiated attempt. From casting global stars such as Kenneth Branagh, Oscar Isaac, and Uma Thurman to the theme song featuring international artists and a tailored marketing strategy aimed at the U.S. sentiment, strategies were meticulously designed from the planning stage to target the North American market. 'Maybe Happy Ending' also underwent detailed localization to naturally approach Broadway audiences, based on the collaboration between writer Park Chun-hyu and composer and playwright Will Aronson, by restructuring the stage design and musical numbers. Both works show the new possibilities of K-animation and K-musical to the global market with a balanced approach that maintains their Korean identity while sensitively reflecting the sensibilities of global audiences.
#Universal themes and emotions captivate multinational audiences!
'The King of Kings' is a family animation that weaves the theme of paternal love into the true story of a king told by a father to his son. With local reviews noting it as a story that resonates with all generations, it achieved the number one position for Korean films at the North American box office and second place among Asian animations, proving its enthusiastic support from audiences. 'Maybe Happy Ending' is a work set in a future Seoul that explores the meaning of existence and love through the relationship between humans and robots, receiving praise as 'the most human story' and achieving the remarkable feat of winning six Tony Awards. Both works delicately unravel fundamental human emotions such as family, love, growth, and forgiveness through the lens of Koreans, eliciting universal empathy that transcends cultural and language barriers. While the stories may differ in nationality, the essence of emotion resonates universally.
'The King of Kings' and 'Maybe Happy Ending,' which captivated North America with universal narratives and sophisticated localization strategies, are original Korean creative contents. Among them, 'The King of Kings' is a global hit that depicts the journey of the brilliant English author Charles Dickens, who travels 2,000 years into the greatest story with his youngest son, Walter. It is set to release in theaters nationwide on the 16th.
[Photo] Provided by D Station.
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