영화 협업의 얼굴과 경계의 풍경: 한국-동남아 국제공동제작 네트워크의 구조적 이중성 = Faces of Film Collaboration and the Landscape of Boundaries: The Structural Duality of Korea–Southeast Asia International Co-Production Networks

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

Cinema is in crisis. Since the pandemic, the stagnation of the theatrical market, the rapid rise of OTT platforms, and the soaring costs of production and investment instability have shaken the foundation of Korea’s film ecosystem. Amid these challenges, filmmakers began to seek new pathways, turning their attention to international co-production as an alternative. In particular, collaboration with Southeast Asia has evolved beyond a mere convergence of capital into an attempt to expand the intersection of creation, industry, and culture. This study explores the formation and development of Korea–Southeast Asia international co-production through the lens of “connection.” It examines how social networks and structures of trust operate when distinct cinematic ecosystems intersect, and how imbalances of power and resources emerge within these relationships. Employing network theory as its analytical framework, the paper identifies the strategic and cultural characteristics of co-production by mapping the collaborative relations among key actors such as production companies, distributors, and directors. The collaboration between Korea and Southeast Asia largely unfolds in two directions. One takes the form of a top-down network led by major corporations that integrate local industries through capital and distribution networks, expanding their global reach. The other consists of bottom-up, relationship-oriented alliances among independent studios and emerging creators, characterized by flexibility and trust-based cooperation. Mediators linking these two directions operate on multiple levels—from public institutions to individual creators. Institutional platforms such as the Korean Film Council, the Busan International Film Festival, and the Asian Project Market help cultivate trust, while local producers and directors function as practical intermediaries bridging linguistic and cultural divides. Within this mediating structure, Korea gains access to local human resources and market insights, while Southeast Asian partners benefit from Korean capital, technology, and Hallyu content networks, thereby complementing one another. Yet such collaboration inherently contains asymmetry. Under large-scale, Korea-centered production systems, local partners’ creative agency is often constrained, and Korean cultural influence may become dominant. For Southeast Asian partners, cooperation brings both opportunity and dependency, revealing the tension between the ideal and the reality of “co-production.” Ultimately, the Korea–Southeast Asia co-production network functions as a field where cultural trust and social capital intersect. Within this web of cooperation and imbalance, filmmakers from both regions are seeking a new equilibrium.