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The Korean Film Council (KOFIC, Chair Han Sang-jun) has confirmed the final selection of 16 films for its 2026 Mid-Budget Korean Film Production Support Program.

This year's selection of 16 films represents an increase of seven over the nine selected in the prior year. Projects were divided into three budget tiers — Group A, Group B, and Group C — based on net production cost, receiving seven, six, and three selections respectively.

Launched by KOFIC in 2025, the Mid-Budget Korean Film Production Support Program was designed to address the contraction in investment and production brought on by the post-COVID box office slump and growing polarization in commercial performance. The program aims to stimulate the production of mid-budget feature films (live-action narrative features with net production costs between KRW 2 billion and KRW 10 billion) and to build a sustainable industry cycle through revitalized private investment. This year, KOFIC doubled its support budget to approximately KRW 20 billion (approx. USD 14.5M) compared to the previous year and introduced dedicated quotas for emerging directors and international co-productions, reflecting policy goals to strengthen Korean cinema's creative pipeline while expanding its global footprint.

Applications opened following the publication of program guidelines on December 12, 2025. By the deadline of December 29, a total of 334 projects had been submitted — nearly three times the 120 applications received the prior year, underscoring considerable enthusiasm from the filmmaking community. After excluding six ineligible or withdrawn entries, 328 projects advanced to review. A preliminary review and final evaluation process conducted between January and March yielded the final selection of 16 films and their corresponding support amounts.

Group A (KRW 800 million to KRW 1.1 billion per title, approx. USD 579,000–797,000): Takran (탁란, dir. Lee Seung-hwan), My First Graduation (나의 첫 번째 졸업식, dir. Kim Jin-hwa)¹, Geonu, Think Again (건우야 다시 생각해, dir. Lee Eun-il)¹, Grip (그립, dir. Ahn Dong-hak, pen name: Ahn Do-ha)¹, Our School's Security Guard (우리학교 보안관, dir. Oh Se-kyung)¹, Mokya (목야, dir. Kim Bong-ju)¹, and Mom Is Fangirling (엄마는 덕질 중, dir. Park Sang-ho)¹ — 7 films in total.

Group B (KRW 800 million to KRW 1.8 billion per title, approx. USD 579,000–1.30M): Two-Piece (투피스, dir. Min Yong-geun)¹, AlphaGo (알파고, dir. Kim So-hyun)¹, Your Target (당신의 과녁, dir. Byun Young-joo)¹, Terry Kay (테리케이, dir. Yeom Jeong-won)¹, Bound (혈육, dir. Eddy Bell), and Phantom (허깨비, dir. Lee Seok-hun)¹ — 6 films in total.

Group C (KRW 1.2 billion to KRW 2.3 billion per title, approx. USD 869,000–1.67M): Bad Dream (흉몽, dir. Kim Se-hwi)¹, King of Sleep (잠의 왕, dir. Ha Gi-ho)¹, and The Gardeners (정원사들, dir. Nam Dong-hyup) — 3 films in total.

The Final Evaluation Committee, chaired by film producer Lee Sang-mu, remarked: "The Korean film industry is currently facing market contraction due to declining admissions and low return on investment — a severe winter for filmmakers with new projects in development. In this environment, the Mid-Budget Korean Film Production Support Program, which shoulders a portion of production costs, offers a lifeline to these filmmakers and carries the promise of keeping our collective dreams alive."

A particularly notable trend this year was the strong showing of emerging directors. Under the program's definition, an emerging director is one whose feature directing experience consists solely of short films, or who has directed no more than one live-action narrative feature (including OTT films or series). Remarkably, more than 60% of the final selections were projects by emerging directors — achieved without even applying the mandated emerging director quota of at least 30% of supported projects. The results are expected to signal a broadening of the talent base for mid-budget filmmaking and to contribute to the discovery of directors poised to lead Korean cinema into its next chapter.

Highlights among the selected emerging directors include: Kim Jin-hwa, who drew attention with the KAFA production Missing Yoon, returns with the coming-of-age film My First Graduation. Oh Se-kyung's Our School's Security Guard, backed by KOFIC's Scene #1 (S#1) Feature Film Lab, centers on a story with cross-generational resonance. Kim So-hyun's AlphaGo and Yeom Jeong-won's Terry Kay, both based on true events, bring fresh and original concepts to the selection. Also notable are Kim Se-hwi's Bad Dream — the follow-up from the director of She Is Dead — and The Gardeners by Nam Dong-hyup, who won the New Director Award at the 2025 Directors' Cut Awards for Handsome Guys and has already generated pre-production buzz with a cast including Song Kang-ho, Koo Kyo-hwan, and Song Seung-heon.

Established directors with proven track records are also represented. Lee Seok-hun, known for box office successes The Pirates: The Last Royal Treasure and Confidential Assignment 2: International, brings genre entertainment with Phantom. Min Yong-geun, who demonstrated refined sensitivity in Soulmate, returns with Two-Piece, a drama about the unraveling of two women's lives that promises a fresh female-driven narrative. Also selected are Byun Young-joo's Your Target, adapted from the webtoon of the same name; Kim Bong-ju's Mokya, which sets out to explore new directions in Korean genre cinema; and Ha Gi-ho's period film King of Sleep, distinguished by its distinctive imaginative vision.

Finally, in the newly established international co-production category — created to extend Korean cinema's reach in the global market — Australian director Eddy Bell's Bound (혈육) was selected. Upon completion, the film will mark a historic milestone as the first Korean–Australian international co-production, and is expected to strengthen the foundation for exchange and collaboration with a diverse range of countries.

Turning to last year's cohort, the 2025 Mid-Budget Korean Film Production Support selections are advancing toward release. Jung Ji-young's My Name was invited to the Forum section of the 76th Berlin International Film Festival, where it was warmly received, and is set to open in Korean theaters on April 15. Jung Ju-ri's Dora, Jang Hoon's Canvas of Blood, and Kim Jeong-hun's 6 Lying University Students have completed principal photography and are targeting domestic release before year's end, with post-production currently underway. Kim Sun-kyung's Ripple (파문, working title: Andong) and Kim Jeong-gu's The Taste of Prison¹ remain in active production.

KOFIC has stated its intention to provide ongoing support to ensure that all 16 selected projects successfully secure main investment and distribution agreements with domestic investors, distributors, and venture capital firms, and that production proceeds smoothly through linkage with policy-based financing programs.

¹ Some film titles marked with this symbol have not yet been released theatrically. In the absence of confirmed official English titles, Korean titles have been rendered as direct translations for reference purposes.