Korean Films Shine at Gardena Cinema, a Korean American Theater

A Korean film event will be held at Gardena Cinema, a Korean American-operated theater with a 79-year history, as part of the Korean government’s film promotion efforts. The Korean Cultural Center in Los Angeles (Director Haedon Lee) announced on August 20th that the K-Cinema Touring (a Korean film outreach program) will take place from September 28 to 30 at three venues in Southern California.

The program, first launched in 2015 to introduce Korean films to cinema students, will open this year to the general public. Screenings will begin on September 28th at 3 p.m. with Late Autumn at Gardena Cinema, followed by Family Ties at Chapman University’s Folino Theater on September 29th at 4 p.m., and Wonderland at USC’s Eileen Norris Cinema Theatre on September 30th at 7 p.m. Each event will include a Q&A with the director.

The invited guest is Tae-Yong Kim, who debuted in 1999 with Memento Mori (Whispering Corridors 2). Since then, he has worked across film, theater, and live performance, gaining recognition for his broad artistic contributions.

Gardena Cinema holds special meaning for local audiences and the Kim family, who have operated it since 1976, when it was purchased by John Kim and the late Joomyung Kim. Their daughter Judy Kim continues the family’s work. In an interview on August 22nd, she said, “The K-Cinema Touring program is a great opportunity to promote Korean films. It’s not only about screenings but also about creating a space where audiences and directors can communicate.” She added that she hopes to increase Korean film screenings so that the theater becomes a gathering place for Korean American film fans.

Haedon Lee, director of the Korean Cultural Center in Los Angeles, said the event will be “a valuable opportunity to introduce Korean culture and discover new fans of Korean cinema.”

BY KYEONGJUN KIM [kim.kyeongjun1@koreadaily.com]