ABSTRACT
To shed light on the Chinese-Korean film policy power struggle, this chapter interrogates how informal industry-to-industry relations are formalised by an official agreement and whether this formalisation actually works to the benefits of the film industry players. Specifically, it analyses how the 2013 MOU and 2014 film treaty have been built on a foundation of collaboration, while further benefitting both film industries in concrete ways. The chapter briefly sets the background for this Sino-Korean cooperation, before exploring the making of Korean mega-distributor CJ E&M's romance drama A Wedding Invitation, which re-clad an original Korean story in Chinese dress. It explains the official China-Korea co-production policy framework and how Korean directors, actors and special effects practitioners have offered their skills to the rapidly expanding Chinese film industry in return for massively increased exposure and investment opportunities. The chapter also analyses the subsequent China-Korea co-production 20 Once Again, a remake of the Korean rom-com Miss Granny.
