Almaty Consulate Screens Korean Animated Film “Munyeodo” at Three Venues
The Korean Consulate General in Almaty screened the animated film “Munyeodo,” based on a classic Korean short story, at three venues in the Kazakh city this week, marking the first time the work has been shown in Kazakh translation, Koreilbo reported.
The screenings ran Nov. 4–5 at the Goryeo Theater and Nov. 6 at the Almaty Kinoforum, the consulate said. The event was organized to commemorate the first Korea–Central Asia Summit held in South Korea in September and the Korea–Kazakhstan summit held alongside it, and to deepen literary and cultural exchange between the two countries.
90-Year-Old Story Reaches Kazakh Readers for the First Time
The film adapts "Munyeodo," a short story by renowned Korean author Kim Dong-ni first published in 1937. Last year, six other Korean short stories — including "When Buckwheat Flowers Bloom," "A Lucky Day," "Hometown," "Spring," "Camellias" and "Shower" — were translated into Kazakh.
Annecy Award-Winning Musical Animation
“Munyeodo,” directed by Ahn Jae-hoon, is described as the first K-musical animation, depicting generational and religious conflict and identity confusion through imagery and music. The film won a special prize at the 2020 Annecy International Animation Film Festival in France.
Director Meets Kazakh Film Students
On Nov. 4, the Goryeo Theater screening drew Almaty’s diplomatic corps, prominent members of the local Korean diaspora community, students of Korean studies and Korean language at Almaty universities, Korean exchange students and Korean Education Center attendees. On Nov. 5, a special screening for animation and film students was followed by a question-and-answer session with director Ahn, who discussed cultural exchange between Korea and Kazakhstan and ways to expand training and exchange in the two countries’ animation industries. A public screening open to Almaty residents took place Nov. 6 at Kinoforum.
Consul General Ha Tae-wook said in a welcome address that Kim Dong-ni’s “Munyeodo” had been reborn as an animation and was being shown in Kazakhstan 90 years after its publication. He said he looked forward to seeing how Kazakh audiences responded, adding that the film portrays the conflict between Korea’s traditional culture and foreign culture, offering a window into the era it depicts. He said language, literature and art are the most important means of understanding each other’s thoughts and feelings, and that activating such communication and cultural exchange would form a solid foundation for political, economic and social exchange between the two countries.
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