The New Zealand Embassy in Korea organized a special reception and screening of “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” to a packed house of Kiwi expatriates, foreign envoys, friends of New Zealand and Hobbit fans, Monday.

About two hundred guests enjoyed New Zealand Rapaura Spring’s Sauvignon blanc and pinot noir imported by Tiwitrade Company and the quintessentially Kiwi green-lipped mussels.

“It is a great chance to show off New Zealand and a great way to round off our 2012 Korea-New Zealand Year of Friendship,” New Zealand Ambassador to Korea Patrick Rata said about the special screening.

“The scenery in this movie is instantly recognizable to the many Koreans who have lived, traveled, studied and done business in New Zealand,” Ambassador Rata said. “I hope this movie encourages even more Korean friends to come and experience for themselves all the great things our country has to offer.”

Director Peter Jackson’s latest movie was shot and produced in New Zealand. Other A-list filmmakers have produced their movies in the “land of hobbits.”

Stephen Spielberg and James Cameron have both worked in New Zealand, including for the world’s highest grossing film, “Avatar.”

Korea is soon joining the crew. Shooting for the first full-length feature, “The Graduation,” under a co-production agreement between the two countries starts in April 2013 in New Zealand.

(ephilip2011@heraldcorp.com)