'Made In Korea': Why A Tamil-Korean Film Starring Priyanka Mohan Is Making Waves

2026-03-15 02:15:38

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Social media posts or reels that compare the similarities of words in Tamil and Korean languages have been an ongoing trend for a while now. Adding to this discourse is the Tamil-South Korean comedy-drama Made in Korea, which released on March 12.

The film, starring Priyanka Arul Mohan and Park Hye-jin, is turning popular for its authentic story and a heart-tugging finale. Arul Mohan plays its protagonist: a kid who grew up on a staple of Korean entertainment, aspires to move to Seoul.

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Indian actors SJ Suriyah and Aarya and director Nelson Dilipkumar-who is helming superstar Rajinikanth's upcoming movies Jailer 2 and a tentatively titled project with Kamal Haasan, KR*RK-have lavished praise on the movie.

But what is the movie about and what makes it special? Let's dive in.

Who is Priyanka Arul Mohan?

Priyanka Arul Mohan, 32, is an Indian actress who appears primarily in Tamil and Telugu films.

An engineering graduate, she made her acting debut with the Kannada film Ondh Kathe Hella (2019), and appeared in the Telugu films Gang Leader (2019), Saripodhaa Sanivaaram (2024) and the Tamil films Doctor (2021).

The latter, a dark comedy that tasted success at the box office, also fetched her first award. She went on to star in the Tamil comedy Don (2022) and the action drama Etharkkum Thunindhavan (2022).

What is Made in Korea all about?

The movie follows the journey of Shenbagam (Arul Mohan), a young woman from a rural Tamil Nadu, who aspires to visit the nation of her dreams. Her dream comes true in an unexpected twist.

The film is written and directed by Ra Karthik and produced by Sreenidhi Sagar under the banner of Rise East Entertainment. Its music and background score have been composed by Hesham Abdul Wahab, Dharan Kumar and Simon K King.

The Korean connection

Made in Korea boasts a stellar K-cast, including Park Hye-jin, Si-hun Baek, Ha-Ram Jo and Jae-hyeon Jang in supporting roles. Hye-jin appeared in another Netflix special: Squid Game.

The Korean connection keeps getting stronger. Actress Kim Min-Ha, best known for her performance in the acclaimed series Pachinko, has dubbed for Arul Mohan in the South Korean version.

In an interview, Min-Ha felt it was an honour to participate in a cross-cultural project.

"It felt unfamiliar to portray a character using only my voice, but because it's something I have always wanted to try, it was all the more fun and meaningful," Minh-ha, who debuted in 2016 through the web drama Two Women's Season 2, was quoted as saying by Filmfare. "I hope the audience can relate to Shenba's journey as much as I did."

Min-ha has also starred in Korean hits such as Way Back Love and Typhoon Family.

What Priyanka said about filming for the movie?

Arul Mohan said that she enjoyed working with Korean actors in the project so much that she experienced withdrawal symptoms after the shoot ended.

“This was my first international collaboration, and the Korean artistes are very down-to-earth. They rehearse well before the actual take, which is something we don't usually do," she was quoted as saying by the news agency IANS. "The Korean actor who plays the grandmother in the film was very enthusiastic. I bonded so well with everyone that I felt withdrawal symptoms after completing the shoot and returning home."

The actress, who was a vegetarian, said she faced some challenges during the film's shoot.“Food was quite a problem for me because they put red meat in most dishes," she told IANS. "I am mostly vegetarian, but now I eat a little bit of chicken."

The other challenge, she said, was the unpredictable weather.“You could have the sun shining in the morning, rain in the afternoon and snow by night. Shooting in such dynamic weather conditions was quite challenging."

Praise for her performance

Director Ra Karthik, in a post on Instagram, said Arul Mohan worked for more than 12 hours daily in tough Korean weather, while filming for the movie.

Taking to Instagram, the director wrote, "Shenba... @priyankaamohanofficial I've been receiving so many calls, voice notes, and messages about our film #Madeinkorea especially about your performance. It really makes me happy. Thank you so much nga! you've done such a beautiful job."

"During the Korea shoot, you worked continuously for more than 12 hours every day in difficult weather conditions, you adjusted to everything and kept giving your best. Your dedication, energy, and commitment meant so much to the entire team. Personally, I know how much effort and heart you put into this film. I'm really grateful. Thank you so much!!!"