The 13th Korean Film Festival in Abuja has successfully highlighted the growing cultural relationship between Nigeria and South Korea, with key officials emphasizing the event's vital role in fostering cross-cultural understanding. Held from August 21-23, 2025, the festival showcased Korean cinema that provided audiences with deep insights into Korean society, culture, and traditional values.
At the festival's opening ceremony, Mukhtar Yawale Muhammad, Permanent Secretary of Nigeria's Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, delivered remarks praising the event's significant contribution to strengthening cultural ties between the two nations. Muhammad specifically commended both the Korean Cultural Centre and the Korean Ambassador for their dedicated efforts in promoting meaningful cross-cultural dialogue and understanding between Nigerian and Korean communities.
The Permanent Secretary also issued an inspiring call to action for Nigerian artists and filmmakers, encouraging them to draw creative inspiration from Korea's rich historical heritage and deeply-rooted cultural values. He emphasized how such cultural exchanges could benefit Nigeria's own creative industry by providing new perspectives and artistic approaches that could enhance local film and artistic productions.
Uche Agbo, Chairman of the Nigerian Film Festival Association, expressed strong appreciation for the Korean Cultural Centre Nigeria (KCCN) and its ongoing commitment to bringing Korean culture closer to Nigerian audiences. Agbo praised the initiative as a valuable platform for cultural exchange and strongly encouraged the expansion of such collaborative efforts between the two countries' film industries in the future.
Jeon Ju Ho, Director of the Korean Cultural Centre Nigeria, articulated the festival's primary mission as building meaningful bridges between Nigerian and Korean communities through the powerful medium of cinema. He highlighted the ongoing collaboration between KCCN and the Nigerian Film Festival Association, emphasizing how this partnership represents a model for sustained cultural cooperation.
The three-day festival featured a carefully curated selection of Korean films that offered Nigerian audiences comprehensive glimpses into various aspects of Korean life, from contemporary social issues to traditional cultural practices. The event successfully demonstrated how cinema can serve as an effective tool for international cultural diplomacy and mutual understanding between diverse communities.
