Joint productions such as movies and TV shows are also increasing in number.

As early as 2009, Sophie's Revenge, a romantic comedy co-produced by Chinese and South Korean companies not only earned more than 90 million yuan ($14.41 million) at the Chinese mainland box office, but also helped set a precedent for later films. 2010 saw Late Autumn, the film which brought Tang and Kim together. While the last year or two has also seen an increasing number of joint-produced projects such as the film A Wedding Invitation (2013) and the recent TV drama One and A Half Summer. The up and coming 2015 film Honeymoon Hotels is yet another example.

Though few details have yet to be released to the public, the signing of a movie co-production agreement between China's State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television and South Korea's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism is sure to bring more joint projects to theaters.

Common ground

Why has such cooperation been able to develop so quickly and successfully? The answer might be found in the words of Park Keun-tae, CEO of CJ China, the company behind many of these joint productions.

In an interview with the People's Daily, Park said that since Chinese and South Korean cultures share many of the same roots they naturally feel close to each other. He also pointed out that the two countries share many of the same values such as the importance of family and respect for loyalty and uprightness.

Kim Jin-gon, director of the Korean Cultural Center, told the Global Times that due to thousands of years of influence Chinese culture has become a universal part of the Korean people. "The number of college students who learn Chinese is very large, while Chinese dishes, tea culture, calligraphy and chess are also enjoyed by many Koreans," Kim said, giving some examples.

Meanwhile, over the past 20 years Korean culture has been taking greater root in China and considering the current hanliu as its called in China, i.e., the wave of popular South Korean films, music and other forms of entertainment, it doesn't look like it's going to stop anytime soon.

Mutual enjoyment of each other's culture, according to Kim, is the best foundation for a good relationship between China and South Korea. "Especially the love young people have for each other's cultures," Kim stressed, adding that he sees a bright future for the two countries.

Kim's opinion is echoed by Shi Yuan­hua, a senior research fellow at the School of International Relations and Public Affairs at Fudan University.

"The conditions for China and South Korea relations are not very good compared with that of other neighboring countries," Shi said, taking examples of the Korean War and the antagonistic relationship the two countries had during the Cold War.

But this is exactly why cultural exchange is so important.

"Cultural exchanges promote good relations, and good relations promote further communication of culture between the two nations," Shi said.

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