Nigerian content creator now filmmaker Kemi Ikuseedun, popularly known as ‘Kemz Mama’ or ‘Mummy Wa’, hits South Korea with her selling film My Sunshine. The Nigerian-Korean movie has just made rounds at home, sparking mixed reactions, and has crossed borders into making headlines in the Korean media.
The movie, starring Nigerian actors speaking Korean in many scenes, went viral with snippets. Immediately, the actress Juliana Olayode’s phrase of “pali kaja” (meaning “let’s go quickly” in Korean) became a catch phrase, setting tongues wagging on and off social media. While some Nigerians find it an interesting idea, others think it doesn’t make sense for a Nigerian production to make use of the Korean language, adding that it was unusual.
The movie has finally gained recognition in South Korea, with news about it making it into major outlets like JTBC News and KBS News. Mummy Wa marked the occasion by posting clips of the Korean broadcasts on her Instagram page. She was so ecstatic at this, that she wrote: “I can’t keep calm, we are on Korean news JTBC”.
Juliana Olayode also joined in the celebrations on social media as she posted her pictures in traditional Korean attire and responded to haters questioning the artistic direction of the film. “We’re global y’all. those who know, KNOW that this is a masterpiece,” she responded.
My Sunshine has gone international to prove indeed that some creative risks are worth taking.
