The Christian Council of Korean has been trying to prevent the screening of the Da Vinci Code. I suppose that films which touch on religion are always likely to spark controversy in certain circles. But does noisy protest do more harm than good? There’s a thoughtful article in the Winter 2004 edition of the Korea Journal which documents the backlash by netizens against the more evangelical tendency, which suggests that it does.
I know there was some controversy in Winchester Cathedral, which is where some of the scenes are apparently filmed, but the consensus was let’s pocket the money and also let’s encourage debate. I confess to having read the book (on holiday: I’m too ashamed to be seen reading it on the tube) and thought it a rather formulaic pot-boiler based on some familiar conspiracy theories, so I shan’t be going to see the film myself. There are far too many Korean films I want to see to be bothered with mainstream Hollywood stuff.