Busan’s Asian Content & Film Market discussed how the two industries can build a deep bond by bringing together “India-Korea synergy: a new perspective in co-production”, producers and media figures.
This session featured Prithul Kumar, co-secretary (broadcast) of India’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. Actor producer Arfi Lamba; Anthology Studios President Choi Jae-Won; LME Studios CEO Heo Youngkook; Media personality Abhishek Gupta; and Nishikant Singh, deputy director of missions at the Indian Embassy in Seoul.
Kumar outlines the Indian incentive framework, highlighting that international productions, including Korean projects, can access rebates of up to $3.6 million, with approval granted in just 18 days. “Our joint production agreement means that films can qualify as national films in both countries, open up markets and maximize support,” he said.
Choi highlighted the remake of the company of “Dresham,” an Indian blockbuster for the Korean market, describing it as “a groundbreaking step towards filling the storytelling tradition.” Heo discussed his upcoming 3D animation “Astro Station,” created in collaboration with partner studios in India, and praised the visual quality of the project to India’s burgeoning VFX ecosystem.
Lamba calls the Asian creative industry “new superpowers,” pointing to India’s experience with Disney, Pixar and Marvel’s backend VFX. “This is the time to take the front foot, become global together and recover faster through shared resources,” he said.
Long based in Seoul and called “Korea’s most famous Indian,” Gupta emphasized the cultural affinity and the need to break stereotypes about Indian cinema. “Korean audiences consider Indian films to be merely a song and dance epic, while younger viewers are ready for action-driven, layered stories,” he said.
Singh added that increasing festival participation and talent exchange could “build a real bridge” between industries, and all panelists agreed that the Indian Korean story could resonate in Asia and beyond.
