Korean Film Biz Zone - Korean Film News

Korea AI Content Awards Draws 1,528 Entries from 87 Countries, Adds Mid-Length Competition

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2026 Korea AI Content Awards (provided by Gyeonggi Province)Competitions for films made with generative AI are multiplying in Korea, in both the public and private sectors. The largest of them opens this week. The 2026 Korea AI Content Awards (KAICA), hosted by Gyeonggi Province and organized by the Gyeonggi Content Agency, will hold its awards ceremony and industry forum at Lotte Cinema Suwon on Oct. 15 and 16. Now in its third edition, the competition drew 1,528 entries from 87 countries and territories, its largest intake to date. When the event launched in 2024 as the Korea International AI Film Festival it received 535 entries; last year it drew 1,105 from 71 countries. Entries have nearly tripled in two years. Twenty titles advanced to the finals — six in mid-length competition, 12 in short competition and two for the Nam June Paik Special Award — and 11 of them will receive prizes.The headline change this year is the new mid-length competition. The call had previously been built

Busan's Top Prize Opens a Direct Path to the Academy's International Feature Race

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BIFF Chairman Park Kwang-su delivers opening remarks at the press conferencefor the 31st Busan International Film Festival on September 1. The 31st Busan International Film Festival opened on October 6 and runs through October 15. It is the first edition to be held since the festival was designated an A-list event by the International Federation of Film Producers Associations (FIAPF). Starting this year, the winner of the Busan Award for Best Film, the top honor in the competition section, becomes eligible to be submitted for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film in the United States.This year's edition has officially invited works from 59 countries, 95 of which will be unveiled as world premieres. The opening film is Kim Jong-kwan's The Table: Day and Night, which follows four couples who pass through a single café over the course of a changing season.Korean films in competition: Beach Fictions, Shaving, Long Long NightThe competition section,

‘The Intern’ Remake Gives Korea Its First Box Office No. 1 in 50 Days

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'The Intern' (provided by Warner Bros. Korea and Anthology Studios)Choi Min-sik and Han So-hee's "The Intern," directed by Kim Do-young, topped the Korean box office in its opening weekend. According to the Korean Film Council's integrated ticketing system, the film drew approximately 275,000 admissions between Sept. 18 and 20, pushing Christopher Nolan's "The Odyssey" into second place after a 40-day run at the top. It is the first time in 50 days that a Korean film has reclaimed the number one position. The title that did it, however, is a Korean-language remake of a 2015 Hollywood release. In a market long dominated by foreign titles, the fact that the domestic comeback arrived by way of a localized imported IP makes this more than a routine change at the top of the chart.Released on Sept. 16, "The Intern" has reached a cumulative 404,000 admissions. Its weekend revenue share stood at 26.0 percent, lower than the 30.7 percent recorded by "The Odyssey" despite trailing in admissions

RioMarket Designates Day Two as ‘South Korea Day’

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RioMarket and festival posters. < Jaekyung Ilbo >RioMarket, the industry arm of the 28th Festival do Rio, has designated October 2 (local time) — the second day of the festival — as "South Korea Day," programming a full slate of sessions devoted to the Korean audiovisual industry. Seminars, a Korea–Brazil producer networking event and a Korean film screening were bundled into a single day's schedule. RioMarket has also allocated the final two days of its free screening program, which runs throughout the event, to Korean films.Festival do Rio runs from October 1 to 11 in Rio de Janeiro. This year's lineup includes films submitted by 16 countries as their entries for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film. RioMarket runs alongside the festival from October 1 to 10.A day built around seminars, networking and screeningsThe "South Korea Day" seminar program opens with a session explaining the structure and financing mechanisms of the Korean audiovisual market, followed

19 KOFIC-Supported Films Officially Invited to the 31st Busan International Film Festival

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–19 films invited across major sections, including Competition, Gala Presentation, Vision and Wide Angle– Five Korean Academy of Film Arts titles invited… feature Beach Fictions selected for Competition- KOFIC support continues to bear fruit, from mid-budget Korean films to independent and art filmsA total of 19 films supported by the Korean Film Council (KOFIC; Chairman Han Sang-jun) have been officially invited to the 31st Busan International Film Festival (BIFF).KOFIC-supported films will meet audiences at the 31st BIFF, running from October 6 to 15. The 19 invited titles include works backed by the Mid-Budget Korean Film Production Support program, designed to revitalize Korean film production and restore a virtuous cycle in the industry; the Independent and Art Film Production Support program, which discovers fresh and original works and helps foster a stable creative environment; the Korean Film Next Project Development Support program, which helps production companies

Yeon Sang-ho's Paradise Lost Holds World Premiere in TIFF Special Presentations

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Actress Kim Hyun-joo (from left), director Yeon Sang-ho and actor Bae Hyun-sung on the red carpet for the world premiere of Paradise Lost. Yeon Sang-ho's Paradise Lost held its world premiere in the Special Presentations section of the 51st Toronto International Film Festival. The first official screening took place on Sept. 13 local time. Yeon and lead actors Kim Hyun-joo and Bae Hyun-sung walked the red carpet ahead of the screening, where the three signed autographs and posed for photographs with fans who had gathered at the venue.Paradise Lost was allotted four official screenings over the course of the festival, across roughly 2,300 seats. Every one of those seats sold out as soon as tickets went on sale ahead of the world premiere. The first screening was followed by a Q&A session with the audience.A Son Long Missing Returns After Nine Years — International Outlets Focus on Kim Hyun-joo and Bae Hyun-sungParadise Lost is a psychological thriller that begins with

Yoon Ga-eun's The World of Love Confirmed for December 11 Japan Release

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Poster for the film The World of Love Yoon Ga-eun's The World of Love opens in Japan on December 11. Japanese distribution is handled by Bitters End, with screenings beginning at venues including Human Trust Cinema Yurakucho in Tokyo before expanding to other regions in stages. The Japanese release title is Ju-in wa Ringo ga Kirai (ジュインはリンゴが嫌い), meaning "Ju-in Doesn't Like Apples."The distributor announced the release date on September 16, unveiling one still alongside it. The World of Love was first introduced to Japanese audiences through a screening at TOKYO FILMeX last year.Class president Ju-in's daily life unsettled by anonymous notes… How theJapanese distributor introduced Yoon Ga-eunThe World of Love begins with an offhand remark that Ju-in, a high school class president, lets slip during an argument with a classmate. From that day on, notes from an unknown sender begin arriving for Ju-in, and as she tries to carry on as usual, her relationships with tho

Hur Jin-ho's The Assassin(s) World-Premieres in TIFF's Gala Presentations

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The Assassin(s) poster Hur Jin-ho's The Assassin(s) held its world premiere in the Gala Presentations section of the 51st Toronto International Film Festival. The first official screening took place on September 16 local time at Roy Thomson Hall, the festival's main venue. Hur Jin-ho walked the red carpet ahead of the screening alongside Yoo Hae-jin, Park Hae-il and Lee Min-ho.Four public screenings of The Assassin(s) were scheduled over the course of the festival, and all 4,256 seats sold out. A press screening was held ahead of the official premiere, and international reviews began appearing after that screening.A Manhunt for the Missing Shots of 1974 — Response from International Press and the FestivalThe Assassin(s) is a mystery thriller built around the shooting of First Lady Yuk Young-soo on August 15, 1974. The film takes as its starting point a single unresolved question: six shots were fired at the scene, yet only four bullets were recovered.

People with and without Disabilities, Young and Old Come Together: KOFIC Hosts Successful “Gachibom Generations Together Special Screening”

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- Korean closed-caption (CC) Gachibom version of The Intern screened at CGV Yeouido on September 22- Ahead of Chuseok, audiences shared the meaning of barrier-free cultural togetherness, laughing and empathizing together through film- National Assembly member Kim Seung-soo and key figures from the film industry and related organizations attended, adding significance to the occasionThe Korean Film Council (KOFIC, Chairperson Han Sang-jun) successfully held the “Gachibom Generations Together Special Screening” on the evening of Tuesday, September 22, at CGV Yeouido, where people with and without disabilities, as well as young people and seniors, watched a film together.Organized ahead of Chuseok, Korea’s major national holiday, the event was designed to spread the meaning of “barrier-free cultural togetherness,” in which people with and without disabilities watch films together and younger and older generations share the common experience of cinema. National Assembly member Kim Seun

Na Hong-jin’s Hope Opens at No. 8 at the North American Box Office

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Still from the film HOPE Na Hong-jin's HOPE opened at No. 8 at the North American box office in its first weekend. Over the three days from the 11th through the 13th local time, the film grossed approximately $3.31 million, placing behind Buddy at No. 6 and Insidious: Out of the Further at No. 7.HOPE opened on 1,560 screens across North America on the 9th local time. Cumulative revenue from its opening day through the 13th stands at approximately $5.01 million. Figures are based on Box Office Mojo. Over the same period, the No. 1 title for the North American weekend was Practical Magic 2, which recorded about $30 million.A Tiger in Hope Harbor - Starring Hwang Jung-min, Zo In-sung and HoyeonHOPE is a sci-fi action film set in a port village adjacent to the Demilitarized Zone. The story begins when Bum-seok, the police officer heading the Hope Harbor substation, receives a report from local young men that a tiger has appeared. Hwang Jung-min

KAFA Marks 20th Anniversary of Its Feature Film Program with 25 Short Films at Gimhae International Airport

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–The Airport Cinema Club runs from Tuesday, September 22 through Monday, October 19–Short films by KAFA alumni directors including Bong Joon-ho, Jang Joon-hwan, Choi Dong-hoon and Lee Ok-seop–Free and open to all visitors, whether or not they are catching a flight

Lee Chang-dong's "Possible Love" Wins Grand Jury Prize at Venice International Film Festival

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Director Lee Chang-dong, winner of the Grand Jury Prize for the film "Possible Love," poses at the closing ceremony of the 83rd Venice International Film Festival,held in Venice, Italy, on the 12th (local time). Lee Chang-dong's "Possible Love" has won the Grand Jury Prize in the competition section of the 83rd Venice International Film Festival. Lee received the Silver Lion trophy at the closing ceremony held at the Palazzo del Cinema on Lido island in Venice, Italy, on the 12th, local time.The Grand Jury Prize is the official award ranked immediately below the Golden Lion, the festival's top honor. "Possible Love" had earlier also received the FIPRESCI Prize. Awarded outside the festival's official prize structure, the FIPRESCI Prize is an independent critics' award selected and presented by a separate jury of critics belonging to the International Federation of Film Critics; it was announced on the 12th via the federation's website.Two Couples Enta

"The Future of Film Policy: Listening to Voices from the Field" — KOFIC Conducts Demand Survey for 2027 Film Policy Research Projects

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-KOFIC to accept proposals for film policy research topics from the 18th through October 16-Broad participation from the film community, related organizations, and researchers sought to identify practical policy researchThe Korean Film Council (KOFIC, Chairperson Han Sang-jun) is conducting a "Demand Survey for 2027 Film Policy Research Projects" from September 18 to October 16 to identify research topics needed in the film industry and in the field of policy practice.The survey has been organized to gain a broad understanding of the changing environment surrounding the film industry and the diverse policy needs arising from the field, and to translate these into research projects that can be applied to actual policy. Participation is open to anyone — including professionals and researchers working in the film industry, related organizations, associations and groups, and members of the general public with an interest in film policy and research.Proposals may cover matters requiring pol

Special Committee for the Sustainable Development of Korean Cinema to Hold Public Hearing on Audiovisual Content Governance

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–To be held Tuesday, September 22, at 2:00 p.m. in Theater 1 of Cinematheque KOFA, Korean Film Archive–Discussion of policy and industry issues in audiovisual content under the theme "Rethinking Governance for Film, Drama and Series in the Platform Era"–Nine industry experts from the film, broadcasting and platform sectors to take part in presentations, a panel discussion and a Q&A sessionThe Special Committee for the Sustainable Development of Korean Cinema (co-chaired by Han Sang-jun and Kim Jho Gwangsoo; hereafter "the Special Committee") announced that it will hold a public hearing on audiovisual content governance on Tuesday, September 22, at 2:00 p.m. in Theater 1 of Cinematheque KOFA at the Korean Film Archive.Held under the theme "Rethinking Governance for Film, Drama and Series in the Platform Era," the hearing has been organized to examine the audiovisual content industry as it shifts toward a platform-centered environment, and to hear views from the field on the directio

Oscar-Qualifying Busan Returns at Largest Scale Since 2019

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A poster for the 31st Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) / Courtesy of BIFFThe 31st Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) runs Oct. 6 to 15 at the Busan Cinema Center and surrounding venues. This is the first edition since the International Federation of Film Producers Associations named Busan one of its 17 A-list festivals, and the first in which the top prize carries awards-season weight. The winner of the Busan Award for Best Film now qualifies for submission in the Academy Awards' Best International Feature Film category, placing Busan among the six festivals that confer that status alongside Cannes, Berlin, Venice, Sundance and Toronto. The official selection totals 246 films from 59 countries, the largest since 2019. Festival director Jung Han-seok told a press conference on Sept. 1 that Busan's international standing had risen sharply.Competition, and a First for AnimationThe Competition section, launched last year, fields 14 titles competing for the Busan Award. Korean

Park Chan-wook Returns to Extreme Violence With $60M Hollywood Western

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Lee Byung-hun Park Chan-wook has described his next film as the most violent work of his career. Speaking on August 29 at Seoul Art Cinema, during a special screening marking the 20th anniversary of "I'm a Cyborg, But That's OK," the director said the project contains more brutal scenes than anything he has made. He added that it is also a film about guilt and love.The film in question is "The Brigands of Rattlecreek," Park's first English-language feature since "Stoker" in 2013 and his first Western. The declaration signals a deliberate reversal. Park's two most recent films, "Decision to Leave" and "No Other Choice," both carried Korea's 15-and-over rating, a restrained register by his standards. He now appears to be returning to the intensity that defined "Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance," "Oldboy" and "Sympathy for Lady Vengeance."The story follows a sheriff and a doctor who pursue a gang of bandits after the group uses the cover of a torrential thunderstorm to rob and ter

Lee Chang-dong Named Mill Valley Auteur Award Recipient

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Poster for Possible Love Lee Chang-dong has been selected as the recipient of the Auteur Award at the 49th Mill Valley Film Festival. He is the first Korean filmmaker to receive the honor. In announcing the selection on September 3, Netflix also revealed that Lee's new feature, Possible Love, has been invited to the festival's Spotlight program.Launched in 1977 and organized by the California Film Institute, the Mill Valley Film Festival is held each October in Mill Valley, California. Its programming centers on independent films, art-house cinema, and documentaries. The Auteur Award recognizes a filmmaker's sustained creative vision and achievements in cinema, while Spotlight is a program that introduces new work by artists who have built a distinctive body of work.Two Couples Drawn Together by a Documentary ShootPossible Love follows two married couples whose lives become entangled through a documentary shoot. Ho-seok, a laid-off worker, and his wife Mi-ok, along with

Record-High KRW 25.77 Billion in Support: 16 Korean Films Selected for 2026 Supplementary-Budget Mid-Budget Korean Film Production Support

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-KRW 25.77 billion in production support to be provided to 16 mid-budget Korean films selected under the 2026 supplementary budget-Eight projects by first-time directors selected, accounting for 50% of the total and exceeding the program’s minimum 30% quotaThe Korean Film Council (KOFIC, Chairperson Han Sang-jun) has selected 16 projects for the 2026 supplementary-budget Mid-Budget Korean Film Production Support Program and will provide a total of KRW 25.77 billion in funding.The Mid-Budget Korean Film Production Support Program was launched by KOFIC in 2025 to promote the production of mid-budget films, which play a central role in the Korean film industry, and to encourage private investment in order to establish a virtuous cycle across the industry.The program began with a budget of KRW 10 billion in 2025 and was expanded to KRW 19.86 billion under the 2026 main budget. Its funding scale has now been further increased through the supplementary budget.&n

Squid Game's Hwang Dong-hyuk Returns to Cinema with Sci-Fi Thriller 'K.O. Club'

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Lee Byung-hun After the Netflix Phenomenon, Hwang Dong-hyuk Chose the Big ScreenWhat Hwang Dong-hyuk would do after Squid Game had been the most closely watched question in Korean content. Speculation ran in every direction: would the creator of one of Netflix's most-watched series ever stay with streaming, move to Hollywood, or take another route altogether? The answer was cinema.On August 27, production company Firstman Studio unveiled the cast of Hwang's new feature K.O. Club and confirmed that shooting will begin in the first half of 2027. A science-fiction thriller set in the near future, the film is written by Hwang himself and stars Lee Byung-hun. It marks his return to the big screen a decade after The Fortress (2017).Buying Youth in the Near Future, Where Generation Becomes a WeaponK.O. Club is short for "Killing Oldmen Club." The story unfolds in a near future where money can purchase youth itself, setting a small elite of older citizens — holdin

Overseas Pre-Sales Bring Down Korean Films' Break-Even Points

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Director Yeon Sang-ho (left) and actress Jun Ji-hyun at the press conference for Colony*, held on May 6 at CGV Yongsan I'Park Mall in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Director Yeon Sang-ho's Paradise Lost recouped its entire net production budget of 500 million won through overseas pre-sales alone, before its domestic release. The director's other film, Colony, passed its break-even point of 3 million admissions just ten days after its May 21 release. Colony's net production budget was 17 billion won, meaning its break-even point based on theatrical revenue alone exceeded 5 million admissions.In the Korean film industry, the break-even point is typically calculated as roughly three times the production budget in ticket admissions. This is because about half of theatrical revenue goes to theaters, with distribution fees deducted as well. According to the Korean Film Council's (KOFIC) "Korean Film Profitability Analysis," released late last year, theatrical revenue still accounted

Lee Chang-dong's Possible Love Has World Premiere as Director's First Venice Competition Entry in 24 Years

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Actors Zo In-sung (from left), Cho Yeo-jeong, Jeon Do-yeon, and Sul Kyung-gu attend a press conference for Possible Love at Hotel Naru Seoul – MGallery Collection in Mapo District, Seoul, on August 25. Lee Chang-dong's Possible Love had its world premiere in the Competition section of the 83rd Venice International Film Festival on September 6 (local time). Following the official screening at the Sala Grande of the Palazzo del Cinema on Venice's Lido Island, the audience gave the film a six-minute standing ovation. Director Lee Chang-dong and lead actors Jeon Do-yeon, Sul Kyung-gu, Zo In-sung, and Cho Yeo-jeong attended a photocall ahead of the screening.The 83rd Venice International Film Festival opened on September 2 and runs through September 12. This year's Competition lineup includes several films addressing contemporary issues, and actress-director Maggie Gyllenhaal serves as jury president. Winners, including the Golden Lion, the Competition's top prize, will b

As Kim Hyang-gi, Park Bo-gum, Jung Hae-in and Kang Ha-neul Take the Mic, Korean Animation Rewrites Its Marketing Playbook

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Posters for "Gill," left, and "David" / Courtesy of ATNINE FILM and Lotte EntertainmentKorean animation studios, long challenged by the absence of established franchises or built-in fandoms, are increasingly turning to A-list live-action stars for voice casting as a core marketing strategy. Actors Jung Hae-in and Kang Ha-neul both take on their first voice roles in the animated feature "Gill" (Korean title: 아가미), based on the novel of the same name by Gu Byeong-mo, opening September 9. Their casting follows a similar pattern set by stars like Park Bo-gum and Kim Hyang-gi in recent animated releases — a trend that international trade press has already begun tracking as a distinct shift in how Korean animation markets itself.

Korean Film Council Launches “Special Committee for the Sustainable Development of Korean Cinema” with Film Industry Experts

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The Korean Film Council (KOFIC) has launched the Special Committee for the Sustainable Development of Korean Cinema, bringing frontline industry professionals into a standing consultative body. At a moment when creation, production, investment and distribution are faltering simultaneously, the significance lies less in any single policy announcement than in the mechanism itself: for the first time, Korea's film policy agency and the industry it regulates will sit at the same table on a continuing basis. Diagnoses of the crisis have been plentiful in recent years, but the conversation has typically ended with the forum that hosted it. This committee is an attempt to build a channel from that conversation to actual policy.What was decidedKOFIC launched the committee and held its first official meeting on September 1 at the Film Education Support Center in Seoul. The body comprises four KOFIC commissioners, including Chairperson Han Sang-jun, alongside private-sector members drawn from ac

Announcement of Second-Half Selection Results for the KOFIC Co-Production Fund (KoCo Fund)

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On September 1 (Tue), the Korean Film Council (KOFIC) announced the second-half selection results for the 2026 KOFIC Co-Production Fund (KoCo Fund).<2026 Second-Half KOFIC KOFIC Co-Production Fund (KoCo Fund)> Title Korean Prod. Foreign Prod. Director Subsidy (KRW) Tamako Jin Pictures Central Arts (Japan) Sakamoto Junji (Japan) 150 K Running CHAEUN Tomato Production Champion Star Pictures (Hong Kong) KIM Tae-yong 250 K Finding Mr. Destiny SOO Films Innicor Pictures (Indonesia) Hong Ji-young (Korea) 300 K Pudong Pudong Rainbow Factory Portico Media (Taiwan) KIMJHO Gwang-soo (Korea) 300 K Maiden Home Indiestory Screenworks Asia (Taiwan) / Infinite Studios (Singapore) SINN Ki-rin (Korea) 400 K The KOFIC Co-Production Fund (KoCo Fund) is a project launched for the first time this year, with a total budget of KRW 3 billion, supporting up to KRW 500 million per project. In the first half, a total of 4 works were selected. The budget for the 2027 KOFIC Co-Production Fu

Bong Joon-ho's First Animated Film 'Ally' Turns to Humanity's Relationship with Nature

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Ally ©2026 V8 Pistons Pictures.Bong Joon-ho confronted class conflict head-on in "Parasite," the 2019 film that swept four Academy Awards. With his first feature-length animated film, "Ally," the director's gaze is now widening from human society to humanity's relationship with the natural world. Italian dailies La Repubblica and Corriere della Sera each published interviews with Bong on August 21 examining this shift, coverage that arrives just weeks before the director receives the Stella della Mole ("Star of the Mole") award at Turin's National Museum of Cinema on September 23."Ally" marks Bong's first feature as an animation director, with a screenplay he wrote himself alongside Jason Yu ("Sleep") as co-writer. Producer Seo Woo-sik, who previously worked with Bong on "Mother" and "Okja," oversees the project, marking their third collaboration. The film follows Ally, a young piglet squid living in the depths of the South Pacific who dreams of seeing the sun and becoming the star of

South Korea's 2026 Box Office Rebound: Genre Reliability Overtakes Auteur Prestige as the Industry Hits a New Inflection Point

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Still from TAZZA: The Song of Beelzebub (Provided by CINE21)South Korea's theatrical market posted its strongest first half in years, with box office revenue reaching 579 billion won (approximately $414 million) and admissions hitting 57.05 million — up 41.9 percent and 34.2 percent, respectively, year-on-year. That puts revenue at 94.2 percent of the pre-pandemic (2017–2019) first-half average. Korean films drove the recovery, capturing a 63.9 percent revenue share (up 14.0 percentage points) and sweeping the top three spots at the box office: "The King's Warden" (16.91 million admissions), "Colony" (5.74 million) and "Salmokji: Whispering Water" (3.24 million). But the formula behind this rebound looks different from years past. Rather than a director's name carrying a film to success, genre clarity and the in-theater experience have become the deciding factors.Choi Chang-woo, head of CJ ENM's film planning and production team, summed up the first half with the keyword "unmistakable

Director Shim Hyung-rae's D-War Enters Netflix Top 10 in 20 Countries

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Director Shim Hyung-rae's 2007 film D-War has climbed to No. 6 on Netflix's global film chart. In France, Germany, and Italy, it rose as high as No. 2. This comes 19 years after the film's domestic release on August 1, 2007.Netflix added the film to its catalog on August 6. According to streaming ranking aggregator sites, D-War ranked No. 6 on Netflix's global film chart on August 8 and 9, and No. 9 on August 11. The film appeared in the Top 10 charts of 20 countries.A Sci-Fi Fantasy Built on Korean Serpent Legend — Director Shim Hyung-rae on the International ResponseD-War draws on the Korean legend of the imugi — a serpent said to transform into a dragon after obtaining a magical wish-granting jewel known as the yeouiju — to tell a story of good versus evil unfolding in Los Angeles. The film is built on the premise that events from 16th-century Korea repeat themselves in present-day downtown Los Angeles, with an evil imugi and a good imugi battling over the yeouiju. American a

KOFIC, Korean Broadcasting Actors' Union, and Federation of Korea Movie Workers' Union Sign Joint Agreement for Win-Win Cooperation in the Film and Video Industry

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- Cooperation to build stable employment conditions for actors and crew and expand casting opportunities- 'Win-win ecosystem' to be built connecting on-set staffing needs with production demand through shared union member informationThe Korean Film Council (KOFIC, Chairperson Han Sang-jun), together with the Korean Broadcasting Actors' Union (KBAU, Chairperson Kim Young-jin) and the Federation of Korea Movie Workers' Union (FKMWU, Chairperson Ahn Byung-ho), held a signing ceremony for the Joint Agreement for Win-Win Cooperation in the Film and Video Industry on Thursday, August 27. The ceremony was attended by KOFIC Chairperson Han Sang-jun, KBAU Secretary General Song Chang-gon, FKMWU Chairperson Ahn Byung-ho, and other key officials from each organization. The agreement was established to revitalize the use of on-set personnel amid recent difficulties in the production and investment environment. By building a framework for information-sharing and cooperation between the three

2026 Small Cinema Collection

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- Held at 25 small cinemas nationwide under the concept "Our Neighborhood's Go-To Cinema"- 91 films to screen for free, with tie-in programs including cine-talks and film score concertsThe Korean Film Council (KOFIC; Chairperson Han Sang-jun) will hold the "2026 Small Cinema Collection" (the "Collection") at 25 small cinemas across the country, opening September 1 at Hallim Small Cinema in Jeju.This year's Collection is built around the concept "Our Neighborhood's Go-To Cinema," designed to let audiences revisit beloved films at their local theaters. It will present 91 films in total, centered on Korean films that captured widespread affection in the 2000s, including Ode to My Father, Miracle in Cell No. 7, and One Fine Spring Day. Notably, in partnership with the Korea Animation Producers Association (KAPA) and the Seoul Indie-AniFest, the program will also feature a range of domestic feature-length and short animated films.The Collection will run from September through No

Asia's Advance and the Rise of Local Cinema

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-Asia-Pacific drives global film market growth as revenue rises 12.3% year-on-year- Asian film market grows on the strength of local box-office hits in China, Japan, and beyond-Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, and Japan surpass pre-pandemic admissions levels-Screen infrastructure expands across Asia and the Middle East while contracting in North America-China's Ne Zha 2 tops the 2025 global box officeGlobal Theatrical Revenue Reaches €29.557 Billion; Admissions Total Approximately 4.977 BillionGlobal theatrical revenue in 2025 reached €29.557 billion (approx. KRW 47.5079 trillion), up 5.4% year-on-year, while admissions rose 2.8% to approximately 4.977 billion.1 However, 2025 revenue and admissions stood at only 81.8% and 71.5%, respectively, of the 2017–2019 pre-pandemic average. Despite a modest year-on-year rebound, the market merely returned to levels comparable to 2023, reinforcing a structure in which fewer moviegoers are paying higher ticket prices to s

Korea's Submission for the 99th Academy Awards

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KOFIC Announces Selection Results for Korea's Submission to the Best International Feature Film Category at the 99th U.S. Academy Awards "A Masterwork Worthy of a Master" — Selection Committee Cites the Film's Completeness and Clear Message, Notes Strong Anticipation from North American Media The Korean Film Council (KOFIC; Chairperson Han Sang-jun) has selected Possible Love (dir. Lee Chang-dong) as Korea's submission for the Best International Feature Film category at the 99th Academy Awards. Possible Love follows two married couples — a laid-off worker and his wife, and a documentary director and her husband — who meet through the making of a documentary and confront each other's different lives and hidden desires. The film marks Lee Chang-dong's first new work in eight years since Burning (2018), and drew attention for its cast of Korea's leading actors, including Jeon Do-yeon, Sul Kyung-gu, Zo In-sung, and Cho Yeo-jeong. Ahead of its theatrical release, the film has already

Na Hong-jin's Hope to Open in UK and Ireland on September 25

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Still from Hope (Provided by Empire)Na Hong-jin's Hope will open in cinemas across the UK and Ireland on September 25. US distributor NEON announced the release date on August 14, and will handle theatrical distribution in both territories directly.NEON has set the North American release for September 9, with early-access screenings two days earlier, on September 7, at 175 premium large-format cinemas nationwide. The film will screen in six formats: Dolby Cinema, 4DX, ScreenX, Barco HDR, D-BOX, and Dolby Atmos. Its UK premiere took place on August 16 at the Edinburgh International Film Festival, in an IMAX screening.An Unidentified Presence Descends on Hope HarborHope is set in Hope Harbor, a remote fishing village in Korea. Police outpost chief Bum-seok, played by Hwang Jung-min, and officer Sung-ae, played by Hoyeon, investigate a series of attacks that strike the village. The cause is traced to an unidentified presence hiding in the nearby forest. As the village's hunters join the s

Kim Min-hee Wins Second Locarno Acting Prize as Nowhere to Lay My Eyes Takes Three Awards

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Actress Kim Min-hee (left) and director Hong Sangsooat the 79th Locarno Film Festival. (provided by Seoul Shinmun)Nowhere to Lay My Eyes won the Pardo for Best Direction, the Pardo for Best Performance, and the Ecumenical Jury Prize at the 79th Locarno Film Festival. Director Hong Sangsoo received the Best Direction award, while lead actress Kim Min-hee won Best Performance. The awards ceremony was held on the closing night, August 15 (local time), in Locarno, Switzerland.Since 2023, the Locarno Film Festival has awarded a single, gender-neutral Best Performance prize rather than separate best actor and actress honors. This year, the award was shared by Kim Min-hee and Italian actress Monica Bellucci for Ketticè.The Ecumenical Jury Prize is an independent award presented by a jury separately convened by the Swiss Protestant and Catholic churches, given to a film that engages deeply with human dignity, social values, peace, and human rights.Hong Sangsoo's 35th Feature, With Kim Min-hee

Choi Min-sik, Han So-hee Headline Korean Remake of Hollywood's 'The Intern'

20260821

Poster of ‘Intern’ (Provided by Warner Bros. Korea)Choi Min-sik — the actor behind some of Korean cinema's most searing performances in films like "Oldboy" and "I Saw the Devil" — is stepping into unfamiliar territory this fall: a workplace comedy. "The Intern," a Korean-language remake of the 2015 Hollywood hit that starred Robert De Niro and Anne Hathaway, opens September 16, timed to anchor the Chuseok holiday box office. Directed by Kim Do-young ("Kim Ji-young, Born 1982"), the film pairs Choi with Han So-hee, with a newly released poster contrasting the two leads' commutes to work stirring early buzz ahead of release.The original "The Intern," written, directed, and produced by Nancy Meyers, grossed roughly $195 million worldwide against a $35 million budget, a solid commercial run for an adult-skewing comedy. The Korean version keeps the core premise intact: Han plays Seon-woo, a young CEO who has grown her fashion startup, Wootooto, into an industry dark horse in just three year

KOFIC Chairperson Visits Set of Mid-Budget-Supported Film The Taste of Prison

20260821

Chairperson Han Sang-jun visits shooting location for 2025 mid-budget production support selection The Taste of PrisonMeets with cast and crew to hear voices from the Korean film production fieldFollowing KRW 19.86 billion in support this year, KOFIC to announce KRW 26 billion in supplementary-budget support recipients in September Korean Film Council (KOFIC) Chairperson Han Sang-jun visited "Papillon Zip" (former Jangheung Prison) in Jangheung, Jeollanam-do, on Wednesday, August 19, the shooting location for The Taste of Prison (production: Jupiter Film Co., Ltd.), a selected recipient of the 2025 Mid-Budget Korean Film Production Support Project, and held an on-site meeting with the film's cast and crew.The Mid-Budget Korean Film Production Support Project is a KOFIC initiative launched in 2025 to restore the Korean film ecosystem, which has struggled amid the continued investment slowdown since the COVID-19 pandemic, and to encourage private investment by facilita

Korean Film Council Launches Probe into Ticket Scalping at Premium Theaters Like IMAX

20260820

Dedicated reporting channel for scalping and fraudulent trading at premium theaters opens August 18 Ongoing collection of online scalping cases and audience complaints to analyze distribution patterns The Korean Film Council (Chairperson Han Sang-jun, "KOFIC") will begin accepting reports on an ongoing basis starting Tuesday, August 18, regarding the illicit resale of tickets ("scalping") for premium theater formats at domestic cinemas, including IMAX, 4DX, and Dolby Cinema. The initiative aims to assess the scale of the problem, prevent harm to moviegoers, and foster a fair viewing environment.In recent releases of high-profile films, seats in premium theaters — which are in especially high demand among audiences — have reportedly been bought up in bulk using macro programs and other automated tools, then resold at a markup on secondhand marketplaces and social media. This ongoing practice has caused mounting harm and frustration among ordinary moviegoers.In response

Long Long Night to World Premiere in TIFF's Centrepiece Section

20260819

Still fromLong Long Night poster (watchapedia)The 3D animated feature Long Long Night has been invited to the Centrepiece section of the 51st Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). Distributor The Contents On announced the selection on August 6, confirming that the film will have its world premiere at the festival.TIFF is widely regarded as the largest film festival in North America. Centrepiece, the section in which Long Long Night has been selected, showcases notable films from around the world. The 51st edition of the festival will run from September 10 to 20 in Toronto, Canada.The Journey of a White Rock Rhinoceros and a Penguin — A 3D Animation Rooted in a True StoryLong Long Night follows Norden, the last white rock rhinoceros remaining on Earth, and a young penguin hatched from an abandoned egg, as they journey toward the ocean. Having each lost someone dear to them, the two lean on one another throughout their journey. The story draws its origin from the real-life ca

CJ CGV Returns to Pre-Tax Profit in Q2 as CJ 4DPLEX's Global Business Accelerates

20260818

Logo of CJ CGV (Provided by CJ CGV)CJ CGV posted a return to pre-tax profit in the second quarter of 2026, driven by the accelerating overseas growth of its specialty-format subsidiary CJ 4DPLEX and a steady recovery in the domestic theatrical market. The exhibitor reported consolidated sales of KRW 593.9 billion (approx. USD 428 million), up 20.8% year-on-year, with operating profit of KRW 11.5 billion (approx. USD 8.3 million) and pre-tax profit of KRW 9.0 billion (approx. USD 6.5 million) — the company's first quarterly pre-tax profit since the third quarter of 2024.CJ 4DPLEX, which operates the SCREENX and 4DX specialty formats, was the standout performer, posting sales of KRW 46.9 billion and operating profit of KRW 8.3 billion, up 56% and 260% respectively from a year earlier. The unit's growth was fueled by the continued global rollout of SCREENX and 4DX auditoriums and by the box office success of "The Super Mario Galaxy Movie" and "Toy Story 5," with North America recording i

CJ ENM Signs India Distribution Deal With Amazon Prime Video, to Supply Over 100 K-Content Titles Over Two Years

20260814

(From left) Jangho Seo, EVP of Platform Division at CJ ENM; Shilangi Mukherji, Director and Head of SVOD Business, Prime Video India; and Manish Menghani, Director and Head of Content Licensing, Prime Video India (Provide by Prime Video India)CJ ENM has signed a multi-year distribution deal with Amazon Prime Video India. Under the agreement, more than 100 Korean titles will be rolled out on Prime Video in India over the next two years.The slate consists of 26 new CJ ENM titles alongside works from the studio's existing library. The deal extends an earlier global distribution agreement between the two companies to the Indian market specifically. New and upcoming releases will carry English subtitles along with Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu dubbing.Yumi's Cells Season 3 Leads New Titles, Library Favorites Also IncludedThe first new title to premiere is the romance drama Yumi's Cells Season 3. Yumi's Cells is one of CJ ENM's flagship franchises, based on the webtoon of the same name. The

A day of copyright culture with film

20260814

The Korean Film Council (Chairperson Han Sang-jun, "KOFIC"), the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (Minister Chae Hwi-young), and the Korea Copyright Commission (Chairperson Kang Seok-won, "the Copyright Commission") successfully held the "A Day of Copyright Culture with Film" screening of OK! Madam: Bon Voyage on Wednesday, August 12, at the Busan Cinema Center in Haeundae-gu, Busan.The event was a joint initiative linking KOFIC's ongoing policy to "revitalize Korean film and expand community access to cultural enjoyment" with the Copyright Commission's "campaign to promote proper copyright culture." About 300 people participated, including local residents invited in cooperation with the Busan Metropolitan City Social Contribution Information Center and the Haeundae General Social Welfare Center, along with staff, employees, and family members of the Centum District ESG council "Eu-sseuk (ESG)."Ahead of the screening, citizen participation programs were held in