Esther Oseyiomon
The 14th Korean Film Festival in Nigeria is expected to deepen cultural understanding between Nigeria and South Korea, foster creative collaboration and strengthen the countries’ people-to-people relations through the film industry.
Korean Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Jeong Yo-an, stated this at the opening of the three-day festival organised by the Korean Cultural Centre Nigeria (KCCN) on Thursday night in Abuja.
Yo-an said the festival was designed to bring Korean storytelling and perspectives closer to Nigerian audiences, stressing that cinema provided an important platform for promoting cultural exchange and strengthening friendship between both countries.
According to him, the essence of the festival goes beyond entertainment, as films provide opportunities for audiences to explore shared human values, including friendship, justice, courage, loyalty, compassion and respect for human dignity.
The ambassador said the festival had, over the years, helped expose Nigerian audiences to Korean stories and culture, noting that the growing global popularity of Korean films, dramas, music, food and other aspects of Korean culture had created new opportunities for deeper cultural engagement.
He said the featured movie, The King’s Warden, was not merely a historical account of a king, but a story centred on friendship, loyalty, courage and human dignity. He urged participants to view the film as a human story capable of connecting audiences across national and cultural boundaries.
The King’s Warden, directed and written by Jang Hang-jun, tells the story of the deposed King Dan-jong during his exile in 1457. According to the Korean Film Council, the movie, released on February 4, recorded more than 16.9 million admissions across 2,262 screens and generated about $120 million in box-office revenue as of September 3.
Other films screened during the festival included The Book Fish, Move Those Grave, Lucky Chan-Sil and a short film produced by the winner of the 2026 Korean Cultural Centre Film Contest. The programme provided an avenue for Nigerian audiences and filmmakers to engage with Korean cinema while examining the possibilities for creative collaboration.
Also speaking, Executive Director of the Kaduna International Film Festival (KADIFF) and Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Film Festival Association, Mr Israel Audu, described the festival as an important platform for strengthening cultural understanding and people-to-people relations between Nigeria and Korea.
Audu said film had the capacity to transcend borders, preserve culture, connect people and create opportunities for meaningful dialogue, adding that collaboration between KCCN and Nigerian film organisations could provide emerging filmmakers with opportunities to learn, participate, compete and connect with audiences beyond Nigeria.
He commended the KCCN for its continued commitment to promoting Korean culture through cinema and encouraged Nigerian filmmakers, particularly emerging talents, to continue developing their storytelling skills and telling African stories that could shape global understanding of the continent.
Some Nigerian participants at the festival also expressed satisfaction with the programme, describing it as entertaining and educative. A movie enthusiast, Grace Moses, said it was her third time attending the festival and described the experience as refreshing, while another participant, Reign Moses, said the event offered an opportunity for families to enjoy Korean cinema while learning more about Korean culture.
The festival, which features a selection of Korean films and creative activities, underscores the growing role of cultural diplomacy and the creative industries in strengthening relations between Nigeria and South Korea.