The South Korean government paid an eye-watering £2.4million to the makers of the new Avengers movie to ensure the country is shown in a positive light , it has emerged . Much of the comic book film , Avengers : Age of Ultron , was shot in Seoul and the country 's culture ministry agreed to cover a third of filming costs in the city on the agreement the Republic of Korea is shown as 'high tech ' and 'modern ' . The use of public funds in what appears to be an extreme case of product placement has been criticised by South Koreans - as officials are having to wait with the rest of the world to see if the film , released on Thursday , will lift the country 's reputation out of the shadow of it 's headline-grabbing northern neighbour . Scroll down for video . On set : Chris Evans suited up as Captain America as shooting on Avengers : Age Of Ultron got underway in the Sangam-dong district of Seoul , South Korea last year . The production crew in the Sangam-dong district of Seoul , South Korea last year during filming for Avengers : Age Of Ultron . The move echoes that of Sony Pictures Entertainment and MGM , who recently made headlines after leaked emails revealed the Mexican government had offered the studios $ 20m to ensure a positive portrayal of the country in Spectre . Kim Young-gun , who overseas the Korean Film Council 's ( KOFIC ) incentive program for foreign films , said the film could transform the status of Seoul , which has been largely overlooked by Hollywood compared to its regional peers . He told MailOnline : 'If we have that kind of huge film , which shows Korea in a more positive way , then we think the image of Korea will be changed in a positive way . ' The locations featured in the film include Gangnam Boulevard , immortalised in the pop song Gangnam Style , and Cheongdam and Mapo Bridges which span the city 's Han River . Before shooting began last year , local government and film industry officials signed an agreement with the filmmakers to ensure the country would be shown in a positive light . In an memorandum of understanding , Marvel Studios agreed it would 'portray Korea as a high-tech , modern country and shall avoid portraying the Republic of Korea in any negative manner . ' Filming : Black Widow pictured on her motorbike ( right ) in Avengers : Age Of Ultron , filmed in the Sangam-dong district of Seoul , South Korea ( left and right ) Capital city : Much of the comic book film , Avengers : Age of Ultron - released tomorrow - was shot in Seoul in South Korea . Scarlett Johansson plays Black Widow in the new Marvel movie Avengers : Age of Ultron , out on Thursday . The sequel sees the Marvel Comics superheroes forced into action when a high-tech peacekeeping programme - Ultron - goes badly wrong . In return , the country 's culture ministry agreed to pay 30 percent of the cost of production in Seoul , about £2.4m . Only on Thursday will they know if it will boost the international image of the capital and make it as iconic abroad as Asian metropolises like Tokyo . Kim said : 'KOFIC and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism , also , are concerned about how they will portray Korea in the film , but we are looking forward to seeing the film on Thursday . ' KOFIC has estimated the sequel to the 2012 hit The Avengers , which features an all-star cast including Scarlett Johansson and Robert Downey Jnr , could attract some 620,000 extra tourists to the country . The film has already sold 94 percent of its presale tickets . Scarlett Johansson stuns at the European premier of Avengers : Age of Ultron at Westfield shopping centre in west London last night . Stars : The cast of Avengers : Age of Ultron attended the European premier of the film in London last night . Kim acknowledged there has been domestic criticism about the spending of public funds but said the money has been put to good use , claiming US producers are already expressing greater interest in the country . A US source close to the production of the film , however , insisted Marvel Studios has not altered production to appease Korean officials . 'If there was an agreement signed or a rebate involved , Marvel is always about ( being ) creative first and the script and the story come first , and then if they can shoot in an area that offers them an incentive , then that 's just an extra bonus , that 's extra good for them , ' the source said . 'But it 's not what drives their scripts or the stories they tell . ' Media in strongly nationalistic South Korea have often complained the country has been overlooked or misrepresented in Hollywood . Starring role : Elizabeth Olsen , who plays Scarlet Witch in the new movie , wrapped up for the premier last night . Dashing : Chris Hemsworth , who plays Thor , and Chris Evans , aka Captain America , attend the European premier . On Monday , the national broadcaster KBS reported that the country has only had fleeting appearances in the film , usually in relation to North Korea . Seoul , it said , has been shown as indistinguishable from Tokyo . Nina Juna , senior manager of international affairs at the Seoul Film Commission , said the few previous appearances of Seoul on the silver screen have irked Korean audiences . She said : 'The depiction of a future Seoul in Cloud Atlas looked like a future Japanese city , not Korea . '
South ##gate has shown Marvel to the country is portrayed in positive light . Much of the new Avengers film , released on 2015 , was shot in Seoul . Culture reportedly paid £ 2.4 m to cover a third of the filming costs in the film . The government wants Seoul to be portrayed as ' high tech ' and ' modern '