Vietnam-Korea Youth Cultural Exchange: Bridging Literature and Cinema

Van Lang University in Ho Chi Minh City organized a symposium titled 'From Literature to Cinema' on July 25th. This event aims to deepen understanding of Vietnamese and Korean literary and cinematic culture and strengthen connections, especially with the youth in Ho Chi Minh City. According to the Ho Chi Minh City Writers' Association, since 2023, the association has annually organized Vietnamese-Korean literary exchange programs to promote literary exchange between Vietnam and Korea and introduce Vietnamese literature to the world, attracting significant interest from many literature enthusiasts. Previous themes included 'Encounters with Vietnamese-Korean Authors,' 'Vietnamese-Korean Literary Exchange in the Context of Globalization,' and 'Encounters with Vietnamese-Korean Poetry.' Following these successes, this year, Van Lang University, along with writers, poets, and translators from the Ho Chi Minh City Writers' Association, organized the 4th program themed 'From Literature to Cinema,' inviting two guests born in 1980: Korean writer and screenwriter Kim Ae-ran, and poet and screenwriter Hanh Ngo. Korean writer Kim Ae-ran is one of the most prominent and influential contemporary female writers in the 21st-century Korean literary scene. Her work 'The Bright Days' was adapted into a film and screened in Vietnam. At the symposium, Kim stated that literary works and films, despite being different genres, complement each other and play a crucial role in disseminating cultural values. She likened cinema to meeting a new, charming friend, requiring a rapid presentation of appeal, while literature, like a close friend, allows for slower sharing of inner thoughts. Poet and screenwriter Hanh Ngo shared her journey from literature to cinema and touched upon the concerns of young writers about the diminishing space for creators in the face of advancing AI. She pointed out that while literature excels at delving into the inner world of characters, cinema is adept at conveying emotions through images, sound, and narrative rhythm. Therefore, during film adaptation, ideas and characters can be retained, but the structure and mode of expression need to be adjusted to suit the characteristics of cinema. This symposium served as an opportunity to reaffirm the mutually complementary relationship between literature and cinema, strengthen cooperation among creators in Vietnam and Korea, and inspire young people on their creative paths in literature and the seventh art. Source: Nhan Dan