The 1st Melbourne Korean Film Festival... "All Korean films are special."

[Anchor] Thanks to the popularity of high-quality Korean cultural contents such as
Parasite and 'Squid Game', interest in Korean movies is also high in Australia.

The first Korean Film Festival in Melbourne, southern Australia, was followed by locals looking for Korean movies to trust and watch.

Reporter Yoon Young-chul captured the scene of enjoying our culture on camera.

[Reporter]
The audience fills the empty auditorium one by one.

Not a few Australians have come from afar to love Korean movies.

This is the site of the 1st Melbourne Korean Film Festival, which opened in Melbourne, Australia.

From director Lee Joon-ik's masterpiece "The King's Man" to "Taxi Driver" set in the May 18 Democratic Movement.

Eleven famous Korean movies met with Australian audiences.

Director Lee Joon-ik of the opening film "The King's Man" has also prepared a time to talk directly with the audience.

Director Lee emphasized that he feels with his whole body that the reaction to Korean movies has developed into a greater favor than before.

[Lee Joon-ik / Movie director: When I was showing "The King's Man" abroad 20 years ago, more people were curious about what it was, but now I feel that (overseas) Korean movies seem to be about us. For the past 20 years, I've felt the difference at the scene where I've been showing a lot of movies abroad.

Earlier in July, a special exhibition was held in Melbourne to collect and screen only Korean horror films.

More than 100 people visited the theater in each movie, and it was so successful that there were no seats in some time zones.Local experts say that the influence of Korean content such as

{Parasite} and 'Squid Game' has created trust among Australian audiences that Korean movies can be trusted and watched.

[Lys Goodwin/Australian Film Center Curator: Australian moviegoers feel a lot of trust in new Korean movies, and I think the Korean film industry has built that trust over the past few decades. Australian audiences can choose Korean movies without hesitation. I know movies will be good, and I know it's a very reliable film-making country.]

Australians' special affection for Korean movies is expected to continue in the future.

I'm YTN World Yoon Young Chul in Melbourne, Australia.