W.jpg (Photo : Reuters)
The last two weeks have been a particularly busy period for the Chinese and South Korean film industries, as China's Dalian Wanda Group signed major deals with both the CJ Group conglomerate and the Busan International Film Festival.
The eventful period comes after China's State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television (SAPPRFT) signed a co-production agreement with the South Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in July to further strengthen international ties.
The joint initiative involving Wanda Group and the CJ Group, one of South Korea's pioneer movie entertainment companies when it comes to Chinese integration, occurred on two levels.
Firstly, the fantasy romance film "Miss Granny" is expected to screen for the Chinese New Year. Chinese audiences will be able to watch a production created through a collaboration involving CJ's Entertainment & Media division, Taiwanese director Leste Chen and an all-Chinese cast.
Secondly, the cinema division of the CJ Group, CJ CGV, announced a deal with Wanda Group on Wednesday that will see the innovative 4DX immersive theater technology open in China. Wanda Group, the world's largest operator of movie theaters, will launch five 4DX theaters throughout China, beginning with a location in Dalian in Feb. 2015.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, the 4DX system, which generated a $10-million revenue in 2013, features "vibrating chairs as well as wind, fog and scent-based effects in a climate-controlled room."
Korean officials from the City of Busan then announced on Tuesday the finalization of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between Busan Mayor Seo Byung-soo and Wanda Group chairman Wang Jianlin. While the details of the arrangement were not shared with the media, Mayor Seo reportedly said that the exact value of the deal will be confirmed in 2015 when Wang visits Busan.
The July co-production agreement will support the plans of the two bodies.
Furthermore, another two Chinese-Korean co-produced movies form part of the schedule for China's hesui dang period, which is marked by festivities surrounding Christmas, New Year and the Spring Festival. These movies include "Bad Sister" and "Meet Miss Anxiety."
The CJ Group looks confident about the performance of this year's co-productions at the box office, as it plans to oversee four new co-produced films in 2015.
