Lobby cards and posters for Italian film "Cinema Paradiso" (1988) are on display at the "Cinema Paradiso Immersive Special Exhibition — To. Toto" at Galleria Foret in Seongdong District, eastern Seoul, Thursday. It offers a multi-sensory experience that brings the beloved story to life through March 30, 2025. Yonhap

Prepare to be immersed in the world of "Cinema Paradiso" (1988).

The "Cinema Paradiso Immersive Special Exhibition — To. Toto," a unique immersive tribute to the iconic Italian film, premiered at Galleria Foret in Seoul's Seongdong District on Friday. Organized in collaboration with Soop International, Crossmedia Group, and Sangwha, the exhibition offers a multi-sensory journey through the beloved story, commemorating the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and Italy.

The 1988 masterpiece by Giuseppe Tornatore, widely regarded as one of the most cherished Italian films ever made, tells a heartwarming story of friendship and youth. Set in a small Sicilian town, it follows the bond between a young boy, nicknamed Toto, and an elderly projectionist, Alfredo, at the local cinema. Toto, the mischievous and intelligent eight-year-old son of a war widow, dreams of crafting his own cinematic worlds. Inspired by Alfredo, who introduced him to the magic of film, these formative experiences spark a passion that ultimately propels Toto to become a celebrated filmmaker.

A visitor looks at the replica projection room which appeared in the Italian film, "Cinema Paradiso," during a media preview for the "Cinema Paradiso Immersive Special Exhibition-To. Toto" at Galleria Foret in Seongdong District, eastern Seoul, Thursday. Yonhap

The exhibition, designed as a recreation of the story, encapsulates the film's most pivotal moments. The entrance faithfully mirrors the movie theater from the film, and as visitors move through the space, they journey through rooms dedicated to the most iconic scenes. These immersive experiences evoke the same childlike wonder seen on young Toto's face as he watches the screen, capturing the tenderness of friendship, the innocence of first love, and the deep passion for cinema that the story so beautifully portrays.

The Originality section features props from the film, such as a bicycle and a movie projector, both loaned from the Museo Nuovo Cinema Paradiso in Sicily. Visitors can also enjoy documentaries and interviews with Tornatore, the director, and composer Ennio Morricone, offering deeper insights into the creative process behind the iconic film.

The Overwhelming Zone offers a truly immersive experience. has been recreated using real wheat, complemented by a digital sky. In Ennio's Music Room, visitors can immerse themselves in a surround sound experience of Morricone's legendary soundtrack. Morricone, a renowned figure in film music, is also celebrated for his scores in films such as "Once Upon a Time in America," "The Untouchables," "The Mission," and "Love Affair."

Soop International CEO Yang Jun-bo, who initiated this project from his deep admiration for Morricone's musical achievement, said it took nearly three years from floating the idea to actually making it happen. His company, which holds the intellectual property rights for the exhibition, plans to bring it to other countries, aiming to share this immersive experience with a broader global audience.

Soop International CEO Yang Jun-bo, left, stands with Michela Linda Magri, center, director of the Italian Cultural Institute of Seoul, and Federico Dalgas Pandolfini, Crossmedia Group CEO, during a media event for the "Cinema Paradiso Immersive Special Exhibition — To. Toto" at Galleria Foret in Seongdong District, eastsern Seoul, Thursday. Courtesy of Soop International

Yang's motivation for the exhibition was driven by a desire to challenge the status quo of Korea being primarily a destination for international exhibitions. Instead, he sought to create a model where Korea could produce its own exhibitions and share them with a global audience, offering unique content and cultural experiences on the world stage.

"Our company has been involved in the exhibition industry for some time now and we've always pondered why Korea couldn't create its own world-class exhibitions that could tour globally. With the rise of Korean culture on the international stage, we believe there was a significant opportunity for Korea to become a leader in exhibition planning. However, we were puzzled by the lack of such initiatives," he said during a press conference at Galleria Foret in Seongdong District, eastern Seoul, Thursday, a day prior to its official opening.

Federico Dalgas Pandolfini, CEO of Crossmedia Group, who was involved in the collaborative project to design and obtain rights from the families of the filmmaker and music composer, said he was astonished when he first received the phone call from Yang. This unexpected call marked the beginning of their partnership, which ultimately brought the immersive "Cinema Paradiso" exhibition to life in Seoul.

"I couldn't believe it when Yang told me that 'Cinema Paradiso' is also an icon in Korea," he said, expressing his surprise at the interest from such a distant country.

Visitors take photos at the iconic wheat field recreated for the film, "Cinema Paradiso," using real wheat and digital sky, during a media event for the "Cinema Paradiso Immersive Special Exhibition — To. Toto" at Galleria Foret in Seongdong District, eastern Seoul, Thursday. Yonhap

Citing it as an innovative kind of exhibition — one that integrates videos, music, and various forms of storytelling not typically seen in other exhibitions — Pandolfini noted that it could serve as a valuable reference for younger generations who may not be familiar with Italy's cultural and economic landscape during the 1950s and '60s, before the country's post-war economic boom.

"The social life changed a lot in the last 40 or 50 years so very quickly. This film shows the human relations between guys, between women and men and between the priest and the people — that are lost today. It is something that the young generation has to understand," he said, describing the film as "the soul of that we've lost."

Yang, who heads Soop International, a company renowned for its successful botanical art exhibitions, expressed his hope that visitors to the exhibition will be moved by the deeper meanings and messages from both the film and the immersive experience, rather than simply focusing on taking aesthetically pleasing photos for social media.

"My goal with every exhibition is to evoke a sense of pure, unadulterated childhood innocence. I hope that this exhibition will allow visitors to reconnect with their inner child, imagining themselves as Toto or as a protagonist in the film. We want to remind people of that simpler time and tap into those emotions," he said.

The immersive exhibition, runs until March 30, 2025.