Kim Joong-nam Outlines Blueprint for Gangneung’s Film Industry Growth
When Kim Joong-nam, the Gangneung mayoral candidate, pledged to bolster the city’s film industry by supporting events like the Dongjin Independent Film Festival, it might have sounded like a regional arts initiative playing out far from American shores. But peel back the layers, and you’ll find a familiar rhythm echoing in cities across the United States where local leaders are betting big on creative economies as engines for resilience and renewal. Think of places like Asheville, North Carolina, where the Blue Ridge Mountains frame not just scenic vistas but a growing cadre of filmmakers, animators, and digital storytellers who are quietly reshaping what economic development looks like in the 21st century. The news from Gangneung isn’t just about Korean cinema—it’s a signal flare for how mid-sized American cities are reimagining their futures through the lens of culture, community, and celluloid.
In Asheville, this isn’t theoretical. The city’s long-standing relationship with the film industry dates back to the 1990s, when productions like Last of the Mohicans put its rugged landscapes on the map. Since then, a self-sustaining ecosystem has emerged—not through Hollywood subsidies alone, but through grassroots collaboration. The Asheville Film Society, now in its third decade, hosts monthly screenings at the historic Fine Arts Theatre on Patton Avenue, where indie directors rub shoulders with Appalachian storytellers preserving oral traditions through documentary. Just down the hill, the River Arts District buzzes with converted warehouses housing animation studios and VFX artists who’ve found that high-speed fiber and a lower cost of living can rival any coastal hub. What’s emerging is a virtuous cycle: local talent stays, regional festivals like the Asheville Film Festival gain traction, and ancillary businesses—from catering companies sourcing from the West Asheville Tailgate Market to grips renting gear from French Broad Electric—thrive in the ripple effect.
This matters because the second-order effects ripple beyond the red carpet. When a city invests in its creative class, it’s not just buying cameras and soundstages. it’s cultivating a workforce adept at adaptation—skills that transfer to UX design, educational tech, and even urban planning visualization. In Buncombe County, where the median age creeps upward, attracting young creatives has grow a quiet strategy for demographic renewal. Programs like the Asheville City Schools’ Digital Arts Academy, partnered with A-B Tech, are training high schoolers in everything from motion capture to ethical AI use in storytelling—preparing them not just for film sets, but for the immersive media jobs that companies like Epic Games and Unity are scouting for in the Southeast. And let’s not overlook the cultural ROI: films rooted in place, like those exploring the Gullah Geechee corridor or the legacy of the Buncombe Turnpike, foster a deeper sense of belonging that no chain restaurant or outlet mall can replicate.
Of course, challenges linger. Zoning conflicts still flare when production crews descend on Montford Avenue, parking eats up residential streets, and the line between “film-friendly” and “overrun” can feel thin during festival season. That’s why forward-thinking cities are pairing incentives with infrastructure—think dedicated loading zones near the Civic Center, sound-dampening ordinances adapted from Nashville’s Music City model, and liaison offices within the Asheville Police Department trained to mediate between crews and neighborhoods. It’s a delicate balance, but one that places like Louisville, KY, and Savannah, GA, are also navigating as they court productions whereas protecting neighborhood character.
Given my background in urban storytelling and community-driven development, if this trend toward localized creative economies impacts you in Asheville, here are the three types of local professionals you’ll aim for to have in your corner:
- Creative Economy Advisors: Glance for consultants who’ve worked with the Asheville Chamber of Commerce’s Creative Sector Initiative or the River Front Development Group. They should understand how to blend cultural asset mapping with practical business planning—helping you navigate everything from film tax incentive applications to structuring a co-op for local grips and gaffers. The best ones don’t just quote policies; they’ve sat in on meetings at the Collider and understand how to translate city hall jargon into actionable steps for a filmmaker on Haywood Road.
- Zoning & Permitting Specialists with a Cultural Lens: These aren’t your average land-use attorneys. Seek out professionals familiar with the City of Asheville’s Urban Design Manual, particularly the sections on overlay districts like the River Arts and Tourism Districts. They should have experience negotiating temporary use permits for productions in Pack Square or managing noise variance requests near the Basilica of St. Lawrence. Bonus if they’ve collaborated with the Asheville Design Center on adaptive reuse projects that turn traditional textile mills into soundstages without triggering gentrification alarms.
- Cultural Impact Assessors: A newer but vital role. These specialists—often affiliated with UNC Asheville’s Department of Sociology or the Southern Oral History Program—help measure whether a film project truly reflects and respects the community it portrays. They’ll guide you on everything from hiring local dialect coaches for a story set in the Sandy Mush area to ensuring profits from a documentary about the Montford Park Players are reinvested into youth arts programs. Think of them as the ethical compass in a world where authenticity can’t be outsourced.
Ready to find trusted professionals? Browse our complete directory of top-rated asheville creative economy experts in the Asheville area today.