한국-사우디 영화산업 협력 현장

Saudi Arabia's film industry is now firmly entering a phase of full-scale growth. Films were first screened in the 1930s within Aramco residential compounds, but as Islamic conservatism spread in the 1980s, all cinemas were shut down. For roughly 35 years, no official theatres operated, and Saudis could only access films indirectly — through satellite television, DVDs, or while travelling abroad. The turning point came in 2018, when the Saudi government officially permitted cinemas to reopen. The first commercial theatre launched in Riyadh, and Marvel's Black Panther made history as the inaugural screening. Global chains such as VOX and AMC followed, and Saudi Arabia has since accelerated its cultural industry development as part of Vision 2030, expanding both domestic film production and international distribution.

To provide institutional support for this growth, the Saudi Film Commission was established in 2020 under the Ministry of Culture. It focuses on supporting film production, attracting international co-productions, and training filmmakers across the full infrastructure of the industry. In June 2024, Saudi Arabia also became an official member of the Association of Film Commissioners International (AFCI), strengthening its role as a gateway for global content collaboration and overseas distribution.

Among the industries the Saudi Film Commission looked to for inspiration, Korean cinema stood out. Director Bong Joon-ho's Parasite became the first non-English language film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture, and director Hwang Dong-hyuk's Netflix series Squid Game achieved global popularity, winning six Emmy Awards — the highest honour in American television. Korea had emerged as a leading force in the content industry, and Saudi Arabia is now benchmarking these successes to inform its own film infrastructure and content production.

On the Ground: Real Exchange

At a Korea–Saudi panel discussion held at the Asian Contents & Film Market (ACFM) in Busan in October 2024, the Korean Academy of Film Arts (KAFA) announced plans to collaborate with the NEOM media hub — Saudi Arabia's futuristic smart city project — to run directing, production, and cinematography workshops from December onwards. From 3 to 28 November 2024, KAFA specialists partnered with MBC Academy (the educational arm of Saudi private broadcaster MBC) to run the "2024 KAFA Bootcamp" — an intensive masterclass and workshop programme covering directing, cinematography, production, and sound design for emerging Saudi filmmakers.

Participants worked through the entire filmmaking process — from screenplay and direction through to cinematography, production, editing, and colour grading — ultimately completing and screening their own short films. According to Korean officials involved, the workshop received full support from the Saudi government in terms of equipment and production infrastructure.

▲ 2024 KAFA Bootcamp in session — Source: Korean Film Council / Korean Academy of Film Arts

Screening of Concrete Utopia in Riyadh, and a Meeting with Director Um Tae-hwa

On 27 November 2024, a screening of Concrete Utopia followed by a director's Q&A was held at a cinema in U Walk, Riyadh. The film had originally opened in Korea on 9 August 2023 and was released in Saudi Arabia on 5 September 2024.

Organised by KAFA and Saudi MBC Academy, the event attracted around 150 attendees — including event officials, the correspondent, King Sejong Institute cultural class students, MBC Academy students, and general audiences. Before the screening, a reception and red carpet event enabled informal exchanges between key figures and local film industry professionals. After the screening, a substantive conversation with the director followed.

▲ Reception at U Walk, Riyadh, 27 November 2024 — Source: Saudi MBC Academy

▲ Audience at the screening — Source: Saudi MBC Academy

What struck even this Korean correspondent was the sophistication of the local audience's engagement — they knew, for instance, that the director's younger brother is actor Um Tae-goo. The Q&A drew a range of thoughtful questions about directorial intent, genre characteristics, and shifts in Korean cinema, elevating the standard of the event considerably. The programme was widely regarded as a meaningful space for cultural exchange that deepened local understanding of Korean film.

▲ Officials, Director Um Tae-hwa, KAFA President Jo Geun-sik, the correspondent, and King Sejong Institute cultural class students — Source: Saudi MBC Academy

Korea–Saudi Film Cooperation: Building Industrial Foundations

In February 2025, the Saudi Film Commission and the Korean Film Council (KOFIC) signed a strategic partnership agreement at the Korea Press Center in Seoul. Through this partnership, the two countries plan to pursue broad collaboration across the film ecosystem — including co-production, talent development, technical cooperation, policy exchange, and the activation of overseas distribution. Regular networking opportunities are expected to be encouraged, centred on Saudi Arabia's Red Sea International Film Festival and South Korea's Busan International Film Festival. Workshops and mentoring programmes for producers, screenwriters, animators, and directors are also planned. This collaboration signals more than a one-off exchange — it marks the beginning of a sustainable partnership between Korea and the Middle East in the film industry, and a significant milestone in the promotion of Korean cinema in Saudi Arabia and the expansion of cultural exchange between the two nations.