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“Leaving Mother Behind,” a Korea–Vietnam co-production set to open on December 5, was directed and written by Korean filmmaker Mo Hong-jin and stars Vietnam’s beloved “national mother” Hong Dao (right) and popular actor Tuan Tran. / Source: Sidus

A new wave of collaboration between South Korea and Southeast Asia is reshaping the region’s film landscape, signaling the early success of what some call Korean cinema’s “New Southern Policy.”

As domestic theaters continue to face post-pandemic stagnation, Korean filmmakers are expanding into Vietnam, Thailand, and India—forming creative alliances that combine technical skill, local storytelling, and shared emotional values.

One notable result is Leaving Mother Behind, a Korea-Vietnam co-production set to open on December 5. Directed and written by South Korean filmmaker Mo Hong-jin, the film stars Vietnam’s beloved “national mother” Hong Dao, popular actor Tuan Tran, and Korean actor Jung Il-woo. The film follows a young Vietnamese man who travels to Korea to leave his Alzheimer’s-stricken mother in the care of an estranged brother.

The project took three years to develop collaboratively from the story stage, drawing attention as a true cultural co-production rather than a mere technical partnership. After premiering in Vietnam this August, it surpassed two million admissions in just three weeks.

At a press screening in Seoul, director Mo revealed that Jung Il-woo had waived his acting fee entirely, saying, “He wanted the first Korea-Vietnam joint film to succeed.” Jung responded, “After being called ‘Vietnam’s son’ from High Kick!, I might now be known as ‘Vietnam’s son-in-law.’”

More collaborations are in the pipeline. Director Park Gyu-tae, who scored Vietnam’s second-highest Korean film box-office record with 6/45, is set to begin shooting Saigon Oppa, a comedy co-produced with Vietnamese partners early next year. Meanwhile, Thai director Banjong Pisanthanakun—known for The Medium (Rangjong), co-produced with Na Hong-jin—will join forces again with Korean studio Lewis Pictures on a psychological horror titled Thani.

The cross-cultural trend extends to South Asia as well. The Bollywood–Thai joint film Love in Vietnam, featuring a soundtrack by Korean singer-songwriter Park Xia, will premiere in Korea this December. Rahat Kazmi, the film’s Indian director and head of Rahat Kazmi Films Studios, will visit Korea with 21 cast and crew members for a special screening. The film’s distributor, Dreamfact Entertainment, said it has formed a strategic alliance with the Indian studio, which also plans to produce a new film starring Park Xia.

A Korean producer planning a Korea–Malaysia collaboration said the trend is driven by necessity as much as opportunity: “With average production costs nearing 13 billion won and attendance still only half of pre-COVID levels, focusing solely on the Korean market is too risky. Southeast Asia and India offer both audiences and financing, while we bring proven storytelling and technical strength.”

Ha Chul-seung, a professor of creative writing at Dongduk Women’s University, noted, “Korea and Southeast Asia share emotional ground—colonial histories and deep family values. But true success will depend on sincere mutual understanding and respect for each other’s cultures.”