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By Prof. Ed H. Pangilinan
Those who have been to Boracay
are aware of the influx of tourists from Korea over the years. As
this piece sees the light, the Korean invasion takes to a more
exciting level as a leading film production outfit is all set to
shoot its latest movie in what is perhaps the best island
destination in the Philippines.
The romantic comedy titled Feels
so Good will be shot in Manila and Boracay and the production team
from Korea’s Story Factory and DRM Entertainment have been charmed
by the beauty of the Aklan paradise island.
Secretary Ace Durano and his team
at the Department of Tourism are all excited about this. “This is
another opportunity for the world, particularly the people of Korea
to see on the big screen what many tourists around the world are
saying about Boracay.”
He adds, “The department has
long been supportive of media projects such as this. It
strategically helps us promote the islands in a manner that appeals
to the intellect and sentiments of the audience. By appearing as a
backdrop in a movie, we show potential tourists the unique
experiences that await them.” Secretary Durano is confident that
this movie will help the Philippines maintain its strong presence in
the Korean travel market.
The team from the Tourism
department helped the Korean producers in the selection of the
locations to be used in the filming of the movie. They have also
assisted the Korean production with travel, accommodations and
logistics. SEAir will fly the Korean crew and stars to Caticlan and
Boracay Regency Resorts will serve as their temporary home during
the shoot.
The story of Feel So Good is
about six strangers who all fly to the Philippines hoping to escape
their personal troubles, unaware of what is in store for them when
they finally step on the sandy beaches of Boracay. Directed by Kang
Chul-woo, who is a young and respectable filmmaker in Korea, the
movie also stars some of the top Korean movie and television actors.
Speaking in Korean, Kang Chul-woo
says that the experience will not only serve as an eye-opener for
the Korean moviegoers about the wonderful places in the Philippines,
but it will also be the start of something like an arts and culture
exchange between Korea and the Philippines. He adds that film has
always been a potent medium of expression and this time, it can also
help promote the tourism potentials of a location like Boracay.
The director and his team have
commenced their Manila shooting last January 9 and will fly to
Boracay next week. Besides helping the Korean group by arranging for
the permits to shoot and other logistical requirements, the Tourism
department has also tapped local talents for additional technical
assistance.
According to Pamela Samaniego of
DOT’s Team Asia, Korea is currently the country’s leading source
of foreign tourists. A total of 586,398 Koreans visited various
points in the Philippines between January and November 2007,
contributing a 21.2 percent share of the entire tourist traffic for
the period.
We certainly hope that if a
Filipino filmmaker will choose Korea as a location for his future
movie, the Tourism department of Korea will also be as excited to
help them like the way Durano and his team are going all out to
assist the Feel So Good team.
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