<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<?xml-stylesheet href="/style/rss/style.xsl" type="text/xsl" media="screen"?>
<rss version="2.0">
    <channel>
        <title>Korean Film Biz Zone - Korean Film News</title>
        <link>http://www.koreanfilm.or.kr/jsp/news/news.jsp</link>
        <description>Korean Film Biz Zone - Korean Film News</description>
        <language>en-us</language>
        <image>
            <title>Korean Film Biz Zone - Korean Film News</title>
            <url><![CDATA[http://www.koreanfilm.or.kr/images/logo.gif]]></url>
            <link>http://www.koreanfilm.or.kr/jsp/news/news.jsp</link>
            <description>Korean Film News</description>
        </image>
        
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[51st Toronto International Film Festival to Feature Korean Directors in Both Competitive and Non-Competitive Sections]]></title>
            <link><![CDATA[/view/news.jsp?category=NEWS&seq=6464&blbdComCd=601006]]></link>
            <description><![CDATA[Still of The World Before&#39; (provided by Segye Ilbo)New works by Korean directors have been invited to the 51st Toronto International Film Festival. Yoon Dan-bi&#39;s &#34;The World Before&#34; has been selected for the Platform section, the festival&#39;s competitive strand, while Lee Chang-dong&#39;s &#34;Possible Love&#34; and Yeon Sang-ho&#39;s &#34;Paradise Lost&#34; will screen in the Special Presentations section. Hur Jin-ho&#39;s &#34;The Assassin(s)&#34; was previously announced as a Gala Presentations title.TIFF is regarded as the largest film festival in North America. The 51st edition will run from September 10 to 20 in Toronto, Canada.Yoon Dan-bi&#39;s &#34;The World Before&#34; Selected for PlatformPlatform is TIFF&#39;s competitive section, selecting works based on a director&#39;s distinctive vision and singular artistic world. The festival created the section to spotlight directorial voices, and describes this year&#39;s selections as a reflection of contemporary auteur cinema.&#34;The World Before&#34; follows a summer in the life of Jin, a seve]]></description>
            <category><![CDATA[NEWS]]></category>
            <pubDate><![CDATA[20260805]]></pubDate>
        </item>
        
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Korean Academy of Film Arts Marks 20th Anniversary of Feature Film Program with Largest-Ever Special Exhibition in Brazil]]></title>
            <link><![CDATA[/view/news.jsp?category=KOFIC_NEWS&seq=1868&blbdComCd=601007]]></link>
            <description><![CDATA[45 feature and short films to screen, including opening film Bleak Night and closing film The Apartment with Two WomenKOFIC expands film cooperation with Brazil&#39;s National Cinema Agency and University of São PauloThe Korean Academy of Film Arts (KAFA), operated by the Korean Film Council (KOFIC, Chairperson Han Sang-jun) and led by President Cho Geun-sik, is holding the &#34;15th Korean Film Festival in Brazil – Korean Academy of Film Arts Special Exhibition&#34; in São Paulo, Brazil, from 2026.07.30 to 2026.08.14, in partnership with the Korean Cultural Center, Brazil (Director Jeong Jeong-hee). The exhibition will then tour major Brazilian cities and continue with online screenings through October, bringing KAFA&#39;s representative works to audiences across Brazil. The special exhibition is presented as part of the 15th Korean Film Festival in Brazil, an annual event organized by the Korean Cultural Center, Brazil to introduce Korean cinema to Brazilian audiences. Markin]]></description>
            <category><![CDATA[KOFIC_NEWS]]></category>
            <pubDate><![CDATA[20260805]]></pubDate>
        </item>
        
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Lee Chang-dong's Possible Love Invited to Venice Competition — Second Consecutive Year for Korean Cinema]]></title>
            <link><![CDATA[/view/news.jsp?category=NEWS&seq=6463&blbdComCd=601006]]></link>
            <description><![CDATA[Poster of &#39;Possible Love&#39; (provided by Netflix)Director Lee Chang-dong&#39;s new film Possible Love has been invited to the competition section of the 83rd Venice International Film Festival — his first Venice competition selection in 24 years, since 2002&#39;s Oasis. This marks the second consecutive year a Korean film has appeared in Venice&#39;s competition lineup, following Park Chan-wook&#39;s No Other Choice last year.The festival will run September 2–12 in Venice, Italy. Alongside Cannes and the Berlin International Film Festival, Venice is regarded as one of the world&#39;s three major film festivals, with competition entries vying for the Golden Lion, the event&#39;s top prize.A Return After Eight Years, Centered on Two CouplesPossible Love follows two married couples whose lives become entangled through the making of a documentary. A laid-off worker and his wife, and a documentary director and her husband, come to confront each other&#39;s differing life circumstances and long-hidden desires over the co]]></description>
            <category><![CDATA[NEWS]]></category>
            <pubDate><![CDATA[20260803]]></pubDate>
        </item>
        
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[CJ ENM's Decade-Long Bet on 'Save the Green Planet!' Pays Off as 'Bugonia' Earns Three Award Nominations]]></title>
            <link><![CDATA[/view/news.jsp?category=NEWS&seq=6460&blbdComCd=601006]]></link>
            <description><![CDATA[Still from Bugonia [provided by Yonhap News Agency]  Twenty-three years ago, director Jang Joon-hwan&#39;s &#34;Save the Green Planet!&#34; drew barely 70,000 admissions in its home market. The film went on to win several best new director prizes at Korean film festivals for its wildly original premise, but never found a domestic audience. CJ ENM, which had invested in and distributed the original, recognized untapped potential in the underappreciated title and began developing a Hollywood remake in 2018. Seven years later, that remake, &#34;Bugonia,&#34; has picked up three nominations at the 6th Critics Choice Super Awards, including Best Science Fiction/Fantasy Movie, with stars Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons earning nods for Best Actress and Best Actor. The nominations mark the latest milestone in a Korean film IP&#39;s expanding footprint on the global stage.&#34;Bugonia&#34; follows two young men who become convinced that the CEO of their company is an alien bent on destroying Earth]]></description>
            <category><![CDATA[NEWS]]></category>
            <pubDate><![CDATA[20260731]]></pubDate>
        </item>
        
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Korean Film Council to Host "Copyright Culture Day with Cinema"]]></title>
            <link><![CDATA[/view/news.jsp?category=KOFIC_NEWS&seq=1867&blbdComCd=601007]]></link>
            <description><![CDATA[&nbsp;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, "KCC") will host a special screening event, "Copyright Culture Day with Cinema," featuring OK! Madam: Bon Voyage, on August 12 (Wednesday) at Busan Cinema Center in Haeundae-gu, Busan.&nbsp;The event is a collaborative initiative linking KOFIC's ongoing policy to revitalize Korean cinema and expand regional access to cultural experiences with the KCC's campaign to promote a healthy copyright culture. It is designed as a meaningful occasion to invite local citizens — including members of underserved cultural groups who have limited access to theaters — to share in the everyday joys of cultural experience and the value of creative work.&nbsp;Notably, the featured film, OK! Madam: Bon Voyage, is an investment of the Korean Film Fund's film account and was selected for KOFIC's 2023 Pre-Produc]]></description>
            <category><![CDATA[KOFIC_NEWS]]></category>
            <pubDate><![CDATA[20260730]]></pubDate>
        </item>
        
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Na Hong-jin's 'HOPE' Shatters Opening-Day Record, Wins Praise from Bong Joon-ho and Lee Chang-dong]]></title>
            <link><![CDATA[/view/news.jsp?category=NEWS&seq=6458&blbdComCd=601006]]></link>
            <description><![CDATA[&#39;HOPE&#39; (provided by Plus M Entertainment, Forged Films)  Director Na Hong-jin&#39;s long-awaited new film &#34;HOPE,&#34; his first feature in roughly a decade since 2016&#39;s &#34;The Wailing,&#34; drew approximately 330,000 admissions on its opening day to take the top spot at the Korean box office. It marks the highest single-day opening of any film released in Korea this year, and the strongest opening-day performance of Na&#39;s own filmography to date. Alongside the box office milestone, praise from Korean cinema heavyweights Bong Joon-ho and Lee Chang-dong has further fueled attention around the film.According to the Korean Film Council&#39;s integrated box office network, &#34;HOPE&#34; opened on July 15 with roughly 330,000 admissions, debuting at No. 1, with cumulative admissions reaching approximately 350,000. The figure far surpasses the previous best opening of the year set by Yeon Sang-ho&#39;s &#34;Ghost Troop&#34; (roughly 200,000 admissions), and also exceeds the opening-day numbers of Na]]></description>
            <category><![CDATA[NEWS]]></category>
            <pubDate><![CDATA[20260729]]></pubDate>
        </item>
        
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[KOFIC Holds Briefing Session on Response to Megabox JoongAng Rehabilitation Proceedings]]></title>
            <link><![CDATA[/view/news.jsp?category=KOFIC_NEWS&seq=1866&blbdComCd=601007]]></link>
            <description><![CDATA[The Korean Film Council (KOFIC, Chairperson Han Sang-jun) will hold a &#34;Briefing Session on Response to Megabox JoongAng Rehabilitation Proceedings&#34; on July 29 (Wednesday) at 2 p.m. in the first-floor conference room of the Film Education Support Center in Mapo-gu, Seoul, for distributors, franchise theaters, and other film industry stakeholders.The briefing session was organized to provide accurate guidance on rehabilitation proceedings to film industry stakeholders who need to prepare for related procedures — including unsettled payments and creditor claim filings — following the commencement of rehabilitation proceedings for Megabox JoongAng, and to offer distributors, franchise theaters, and other affected companies the response measures needed to exercise their rights within the designated period.The session is expected to be attended by officials from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and KOFIC, LIN LLC, and representatives of investment/distribution co]]></description>
            <category><![CDATA[KOFIC_NEWS]]></category>
            <pubDate><![CDATA[20260729]]></pubDate>
        </item>
        
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Korean Films Power Box Office to Near Pre-Pandemic Highs in H1 2026]]></title>
            <link><![CDATA[/view/news.jsp?category=KOFIC_NEWS&seq=1865&blbdComCd=601007]]></link>
            <description><![CDATA[Total H1 revenue of KRW 579.0 billion and 57.05 million admissions, with Korean films driving the recoveryTotal film industry revenue in the first half of 2026 reached KRW 579.0 billion, with 57.05 million admissions — up 41.9% (KRW 171.1 billion) and 34.2% (14.55 million admissions) year-on-year, respectively.Korean films led the box office recovery this half. Korean-film revenue came to KRW 370.2 billion with 37.37 million admissions, up 81.7% (KRW 166.5 billion) and 74.9% (16.01 million admissions) year-on-year. This marks the highest first-half revenue for Korean films since the pandemic, and revenue has now recovered to 94.2% of the pre-pandemic (2017–2019) first-half average.Foreign films, meanwhile, generated KRW 208.8 billion in revenue with 19.68 million admissions. While admissions fell 6.9% (1.46 million) year-on-year, revenue rose slightly by 2.3% (KRW 4.6 billion), driven by titles with a high proportion of premium-format screenings such as Project Hail M]]></description>
            <category><![CDATA[KOFIC_NEWS]]></category>
            <pubDate><![CDATA[20260729]]></pubDate>
        </item>
        
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Korea to Cap Actor Fees at Under 10% of Production Budget for State-Backed Mid-Budget Films]]></title>
            <link><![CDATA[/view/news.jsp?category=NEWS&seq=6457&blbdComCd=601006]]></link>
            <description><![CDATA[Signing of the agreement to revitalize Korean film production (provided by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism)South Korea&#39;s top talent agencies and film production organizations have agreed to cap lead and supporting actor fees at under 10% of net production costs for government-supported mid-budget films. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korean Film Council (KOFIC) signed the &#34;Agreement Between the Government, Producers, and Talent Agencies to Revitalize Korean Film Production&#34; on July 16 at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Seoul, with participation from leading talent agencies BH Entertainment, Management SOOP, and J,WIDE Company, along with the Korean Film Producers Association (KFPA) and the Producers Guild of Korea (PGK).Amid ongoing criticism that high actor fees have been accelerating production cost increases, the agreement commits talent agencies and producers to ensuring th]]></description>
            <category><![CDATA[NEWS]]></category>
            <pubDate><![CDATA[20260727]]></pubDate>
        </item>
        
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Four Institutions in Busan's Centum District Co-Host Integrity Live Program]]></title>
            <link><![CDATA[/view/news.jsp?category=KOFIC_NEWS&seq=1864&blbdComCd=601007]]></link>
            <description><![CDATA[Joint anti-corruption and integrity education held by four public institutions in Busan&#39;s Centum district on Friday, July 24 Participating organizations: Korean Film Council (KOFIC), Game Rating and Administration Committee (GRAC), Korea Media Rating Board (KMRB), and Korea Youth Counseling &amp; Welfare Institute (KYCI) Institutions unite to spread a culture of integrity and strengthen anti-corruption awareness through inter-agency cooperation The Korean Film Council (Chairperson Han Sang-jun; KOFIC) co-hosted &#34;Integrity Live (LIVE),&#34; an integrity education program operated by the Korea Integrity and Civil Rights Training Institute (KICTI), together with the Game Rating and Administration Committee (GRAC; Chairperson Seo Tae-geon), the Korea Media Rating Board (KMRB; Chairperson Kim Byung-jae), and the Korea Youth Counseling &amp; Welfare Institute (KYCI; President Han Jeong-won) on Friday, July 24. Approximately 200 executives and staff from the four institutions attended the e]]></description>
            <category><![CDATA[KOFIC_NEWS]]></category>
            <pubDate><![CDATA[20260727]]></pubDate>
        </item>
        
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Korean Genre Cinema: Global Recognition for Both Content and Venues]]></title>
            <link><![CDATA[/view/news.jsp?category=NEWS&seq=6456&blbdComCd=601006]]></link>
            <description><![CDATA[poster of ‘The Eyes&#39; (Provided by Edaily)Sitges Selects The EyesDirector Yeom Ji-ho&#39;s thriller The Eyes has received an official invitation to the Panorama section of the competition program at the 59th Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia, running October 8–18. The film&#39;s North American theatrical release is also confirmed, scheduled for July 10. The story follows Seo-jin — a photographer gradually losing her sight to a hereditary disease — as she pursues the truth behind the suspicious death of her twin sister, a premise in which her deteriorating vision becomes a source of sustained suspense. The cast includes Shin Min-a, Kim Nam-hee, Lee Seung-ryong, and Kim Young-ah.Founded in 1968, the Sitges Film Festival has grown into the world&#39;s foremost genre film festival and has previously hosted acclaimed Korean titles including Train to Busan, Sleep, The Night Owl, and The Roundup series. Festival organizers praised The Eyes]]></description>
            <category><![CDATA[NEWS]]></category>
            <pubDate><![CDATA[20260724]]></pubDate>
        </item>
        
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Toronto Selects Hur Jin-ho Once More: New Film The Assassin(s) to World Premiere at Gala Presentations in September]]></title>
            <link><![CDATA[/view/news.jsp?category=NEWS&seq=6455&blbdComCd=601006]]></link>
            <description><![CDATA[poster of ‘The Assassin(s)&#39; (Provided by JTBC News)A Third Invitation — Repeated Trust in a FilmmakerThe 51st Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) announced on July 8 the official selection of director Hur Jin-ho&#39;s new film for its Gala Presentations section. This is not Hur&#39;s first invitation to the festival. Following Dangerous Liaisons in 2012 and A Normal Family in 2023, this marks his third selection at TIFF.The 1974 Incident, Brought to the ScreenThe Assassin(s) takes as its central motif the assassination attempt on South Korea&#39;s First Lady that occurred during the Liberation Day ceremony on August 15, 1974. The film dramatically reconstructs the event, weaving imagination into the unresolved questions that history left behind. Yoo Hae-jin portrays Cheolgu, a detective tracing the case; Park Hae-il plays Jaehwan, the social affairs editor at a newspaper; and Lee Min-ho takes the role of Yeongil, a rookie journalist. In]]></description>
            <category><![CDATA[NEWS]]></category>
            <pubDate><![CDATA[20260722]]></pubDate>
        </item>
        
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Indieground Opens Submissions for 2027 Independent Film Library]]></title>
            <link><![CDATA[/view/news.jsp?category=KOFIC_NEWS&seq=1863&blbdComCd=601007]]></link>
            <description><![CDATA[Call for Submissions: 2027 Indieground Independent Film Library Approximately 80 films to be selected (up to 20 features, up to 60 shorts); distribution support grants to be awarded Submissions accepted 2026.07.20 (Mon) through 2026.08.04 (Tue) via the Indieground website Indieground — established by the Korean Film Council (KOFIC; Chairperson Han Sang-jun) to improve distribution and exhibition conditions for Korean independent and art-house cinema — has launched its call for submissions for the 2027 Independent Film Library. The submission window runs from 2026.07.20 (Mon) through 2026.08.04 (Tue) via the Indieground website.The Indieground Independent Film Library is the organization&#39;s flagship program, in operation since 2020, developed to create new distribution pathways for Korean independent and art-house films and to expand their reach to wider audiences. Selected films receive multi-channel support, including screenings on the Indieground online platform, community]]></description>
            <category><![CDATA[KOFIC_NEWS]]></category>
            <pubDate><![CDATA[20260721]]></pubDate>
        </item>
        
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Hong Sang-soo's Nowhere to Lay My Eyes Selected for Locarno International Competition — Kim Min-hee and Choi Myung-gil Star]]></title>
            <link><![CDATA[/view/news.jsp?category=NEWS&seq=6454&blbdComCd=601006]]></link>
            <description><![CDATA[Still from ‘Nowhere to Lay My Eyes’ (Provided by E Today) Hong Sang-soo Returns to Locarno International Competition for Fifth Time Hong Sang-soo is heading back to Locarno. The festival&#39;s executive committee announced on July 9 (local time) that the director&#39;s 35th feature, Nowhere to Lay My Eyes, has been selected for the International Competition of the 79th Locarno Film Festival — the fifth time Hong and the festival have been in competition together. The festival opens on August 5 next month.  Jeju Island in Search of a Mother — Kim Min-hee as Actress and Production Manager In the film, the character Sanghee sets off for Jeju Island with her younger brother to track down news of a mother she has long been out of contact with. As with his previous works, Hong Sang-soo served as sole creator across all departments — direction, production, screenplay, cinematography, sound, editing, and music. Kim Min-hee participated both as an actress and as production manag]]></description>
            <category><![CDATA[NEWS]]></category>
            <pubDate><![CDATA[20260720]]></pubDate>
        </item>
        
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Government, Producers, and Management Agencies Sign Cooperation Agreement to Revitalize Korean Film Production]]></title>
            <link><![CDATA[/view/news.jsp?category=KOFIC_NEWS&seq=1862&blbdComCd=601007]]></link>
            <description><![CDATA[Korea&#39;s leading talent management agencies respond to government&#39;s Korean film recovery efforts with voluntary commitment to actor fee caps Cooperation on actor fees for KOFIC&#39;s Mid-Budget Film Production Support program, alongside plans to establish a private-sector consultative body The Korean Film Council (KOFIC, Chairperson Han Sang-jun) and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST, Minister Chae Hwi-young) will sign the &#34;Government–Production Company–Management Agency Agreement for Revitalizing Korean Film Production&#34; with major domestic management agencies and film production organizations on Thursday, July 16, at 2:00 PM at MMCA Seoul (National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Seoul). The signing ceremony will be attended by KOFIC, MCST, leading management agencies including BH Entertainment, Management SOOP, and J,WIDE Company, along with the Korean Film Producers Association (KFPA) and the Producers Guild of Korea (PGK). Representatives from each signatory]]></description>
            <category><![CDATA[KOFIC_NEWS]]></category>
            <pubDate><![CDATA[20260720]]></pubDate>
        </item>
        
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[As Indonesian Horror Redefines Asian Genre Cinema, Korea Looks to Women Directors for New Energy]]></title>
            <link><![CDATA[/view/news.jsp?category=NEWS&seq=6453&blbdComCd=601006]]></link>
            <description><![CDATA[Still of ‘Ghost in the Cell’  In April 2022, Indonesian horror film KKN di Desa Penari (also released internationally as Curse of the Dancing Village) opened in theaters and went on to draw 9.2 million admissions within two months, becoming the highest-grossing film in the country&#39;s history. In the years since, horror has become the financial backbone of Indonesia&#39;s film industry, peaking in 2024 when 68 horror titles accounted for 66% of total admissions nationwide. As genre film increasingly emerges as a driving force across Asian film industries, Korea is pursuing a different kind of renewal. This year, marking its 30th anniversary, the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFAN) launched a special program on genre film and, alongside it, unveiled the first-ever list tracing the lineage of Korean women directors working in genre cinema — 11 films by 11 directors, spanning theatrical releases from 1997 to 2026.  Indonesia&#39;s horror boom rests on a narrativ]]></description>
            <category><![CDATA[NEWS]]></category>
            <pubDate><![CDATA[20260716]]></pubDate>
        </item>
        
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[BIFAN Turns 30: Fan Bingbing, Isabelle Huppert Lead Starriest Lineup Yet as Festival Pushes Into AI]]></title>
            <link><![CDATA[/view/news.jsp?category=NEWS&seq=6452&blbdComCd=601006]]></link>
            <description><![CDATA[Actress Fan Bingbing attends a press conference for the 30th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFAN), held July 3 at the Hyundai Department Store Jungdong branch in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province.(provided by Kookmin Ilbo)  The Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFAN) opened its 30th edition on July 2 with its most star-studded international guest list to date. Chinese superstar Fan Bingbing, French screen legend Isabelle Huppert, and veteran action director Yuen Woo-ping all attended the opening ceremony and a press conference the following day. Running through July 12 under executive director Shin Chul, this year&#39;s festival screens 321 films from 50 countries. The opening film, Yuen Woo-ping&#39;s &#34;Blades of the Guardians,&#34; carried the weight befitting a 30th-anniversary curtain-raiser: the wuxia epic stars Wu Jing in the lead role, with martial arts icon Jet Li making a much-anticipated special appearance marking his first return to the screen in 14 y]]></description>
            <category><![CDATA[NEWS]]></category>
            <pubDate><![CDATA[20260715]]></pubDate>
        </item>
        
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[KOFIC and MCST Convene Emergency Industry Forum on Megabox JoongAng Rehabilitation Proceedings]]></title>
            <link><![CDATA[/view/news.jsp?category=KOFIC_NEWS&seq=1861&blbdComCd=601007]]></link>
            <description><![CDATA[The Korean Film Council (KOFIC; Chairperson Han Sang-jun), in partnership with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST; Minister Chae Hwi-young), convened an emergency industry forum on the afternoon of Friday, July 10, to assess the current state of the sector and explore response measures in connection with Megabox JoongAng&#39;s recent filing for the commencement of corporate rehabilitation proceedings. The forum was attended by Chairperson Han Sang-jun and Minister Chae Hwi-young, alongside representatives from film distribution companies and franchise theater operators closely linked to Megabox JoongAng&#39;s business operations. The meeting provided a direct channel for gathering firsthand industry perspectives and discussing effective government-level support measures. Representatives from the film distribution sector and franchise theater operators raised concerns over the business impact and wider industry ripple effects stemming from the commencement of M]]></description>
            <category><![CDATA[KOFIC_NEWS]]></category>
            <pubDate><![CDATA[20260714]]></pubDate>
        </item>
        
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA['Hana Korea': Danish Director's Decade-Long Journey to Tell a North Korean Defector's Story]]></title>
            <link><![CDATA[/view/news.jsp?category=NEWS&seq=6451&blbdComCd=601006]]></link>
            <description><![CDATA[Still of &#39;Hana Korea&#39; (provided by Triple Pictures)  &#34;Hana Korea,&#34; the feature narrative debut of Danish documentary filmmaker Frederik Sølberg, opens in South Korean theaters on July 8. The film follows Hye-seon (played by Kim Min-ha), a young North Korean defector navigating an unfamiliar life in Seoul, and is based on interviews with roughly 30 defectors who have resettled in the South. Sharon Choi (Choi Seong-jae) — best known internationally as director Bong Joon-ho&#39;s interpreter — co-wrote the screenplay. The film also stars Kim Joo-ryoung and Ahn Seo-hyun. It is co-produced by Sisso Pictures and Sontag Pictures, with Triple Pictures handling distribution.  The story follows Hye-seon, a 21-year-old defector from Yanggang Province, as she pursues her ambition of becoming a nurse. At Hanawon, the government&#39;s resettlement support center for North Korean defectors, she is steered toward faster career paths such as baking or nail care, but she insists on pursuing h]]></description>
            <category><![CDATA[NEWS]]></category>
            <pubDate><![CDATA[20260710]]></pubDate>
        </item>
        
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Newly Launched 'KoCo Fund' Opens Second-Half Call for Entries — Deadline July 10]]></title>
            <link><![CDATA[/view/news.jsp?category=NEWS&seq=6450&blbdComCd=601006]]></link>
            <description><![CDATA[The Korean Film Council (KOFIC) will close applications for the second-half round of the 'Film International Co-Production Support Program (KoCo Fund),' newly introduced in 2026, on July 10.The KoCo Fund supports international co-production projects created jointly by Korea's film industry and overseas production companies, and was newly established this year. With a total budget of KRW 3 billion, it selects six to seven projects and provides up to KRW 500 million per film in production funding.Second-Half Review: Around 3 Films Selected with KRW 1.4 BillionFor this second-half review, KOFIC plans to select a total of around three films with a budget of KRW 1.4 billion. The selection results are scheduled to be announced in late August.Second-Half Application Guide Application Deadline — July 10, 2026 Second-Half Budget — KRW 1.4 billion Selection Size — Around 3 films Results Announcement — Late August &nbsp;First Half: 4 Films Selected — Diverse Partner Countries from Year OneIn the]]></description>
            <category><![CDATA[NEWS]]></category>
            <pubDate><![CDATA[20260709]]></pubDate>
        </item>
        
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Academy Invites 529 New Members: Directors Maggie Kang and Kim Jee-woon Set to Gain Oscar Voting Rights]]></title>
            <link><![CDATA[/view/news.jsp?category=NEWS&seq=6448&blbdComCd=601006]]></link>
            <description><![CDATA[(From left) Maggie Kang, Chris Appelhans, Michelle L.M.  The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) released its 2026 new member invitation list on June 24 (local time), and among the 529 invitees are a number of individuals connected to the Korean film industry — spanning animation, genre filmmaking, cinematography, screenwriting, and acting.  Among the invitees, Korean-Canadian director Maggie Kang commands particular attention. Her Netflix animated feature KPop Demon Hunters, co-directed with Chris Appelhans, swept the 98th Academy Awards this past March, taking home both Best Animated Feature Film and Best Original Song. Five others associated with the film have also been extended invitations alongside Kang: co-director Chris Appelhans, producer Michelle L.M. Wong, singer-songwriter EJAE — who performed and co-wrote the winning song &#34;Golden&#34; — co-lyricist Mark Sonnenblick, and music editor Oren Yaacoby.  Genre filmmaker Kim Jee-woon also appear]]></description>
            <category><![CDATA[NEWS]]></category>
            <pubDate><![CDATA[20260708]]></pubDate>
        </item>
        
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA['Korean Short Films: From Introduction to Advanced' Indieground × Eodum-dan Screening Collective Special Screening Program]]></title>
            <link><![CDATA[/view/news.jsp?category=KOFIC_NEWS&seq=1859&blbdComCd=601007]]></link>
            <description><![CDATA[Cine Academy: Introduction to Short Films Launches — Discover the New Appeal of Korean Short Film Eight Films Spanning Actor-Director Park Jeong-min&#39;s Work to a Cannes Palme d&#39;Or Winner In-Person Screenings at Art Nine Cinema, July 17–18; Free Online Screenings July 25–31 Indieground, established by the Korean Film Council (KOFIC, Chairperson Han Sang-jun) to improve the distribution environment for Korean independent and art-house cinema, will co-present the special screening program Cine Academy: Introduction to Short Films together with the Eodum-dan Screening Collective. This special program, co-organized by Indieground and Eodum-dan, is designed to lower the barrier to Korean short film and help audiences discover its distinctive appeal. Eodum-dan is composed of graduates from the 4th cohort of the Indieground Distribution Academy; following the completion of their training, its members have continued to organize screenings independently while remaining active across v]]></description>
            <category><![CDATA[KOFIC_NEWS]]></category>
            <pubDate><![CDATA[20260707]]></pubDate>
        </item>
        
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Na Hong-jin's Hope Named Centerpiece of NYAFF — Cannes Competition Sensation Set for North American Premiere]]></title>
            <link><![CDATA[/view/news.jsp?category=NEWS&seq=6449&blbdComCd=601006]]></link>
            <description><![CDATA[Still of ‘HOPE&#39; (provided by VAIRETY)  Na Hong-jin&#39;s Hope Selected as NYAFF Centerpiece — Buzz Continues in North America Following Cannes Na Hong-jin&#39;s Hope has been named the centerpiece film of the 25th New York Asian Film Festival (NYAFF), with its North American premiere set for July 20 at SVA Theater in New York. The selection follows the film&#39;s invitation to the Competition section of the 79th Cannes Film Festival on May 17, extending its momentum across both prestige art-house and genre festival circuits.  The centerpiece slot — alongside the opening and closing films — is one of the defining selections of any festival, programmed at the peak of the event to drive attention and ticket sales. NYAFF annually designates one Asian genre film that combines artistic merit with broad appeal for the centerpiece slot; this year, Hope takes that honor, maximizing its visibility to North American audiences and industry professionals. Na Hong-jin Recei]]></description>
            <category><![CDATA[NEWS]]></category>
            <pubDate><![CDATA[20260706]]></pubDate>
        </item>
        
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Beyond Export: Lầu Chú Hỏa and Korea's Second Southeast Asia Playbook]]></title>
            <link><![CDATA[/view/news.jsp?category=NEWS&seq=6447&blbdComCd=601006]]></link>
            <description><![CDATA[Poster of ‘Lầu Chú Hỏa’ (provided by Hive Media Corp)  The latest box office hit from Hive Media Corp — the studio behind Seoul Spring and Insiders — is not a Korean film. It is a Vietnamese horror film, Lầu Chú Hỏa, based on urban legends surrounding a real mansion in Ho Chi Minh City. Released in Vietnam on June 12, the film surpassed 500,000 admissions within its first week, topping the local box office at number one, and broke even after three weeks with cumulative revenue exceeding 70 billion dong (approximately 4 billion KRW). It marks Hive Media Corp&#39;s first foray into overseas investment and production — a result born from combining Korean production and development expertise with locally rooted subject matter.  Korean Know-How Meets Vietnamese Legend Lầu Chú Hỏa is a co-production between Hive Media Corp and Runup Vietnam, the Vietnamese subsidiary of Korean company RUNUP Company. The film adapts urban legends attached to a real building in downtown Ho]]></description>
            <category><![CDATA[NEWS]]></category>
            <pubDate><![CDATA[20260703]]></pubDate>
        </item>
        
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Hit Films Return, But Korean Cinema Warns the Fundamentals Are Broken]]></title>
            <link><![CDATA[/view/news.jsp?category=NEWS&seq=6446&blbdComCd=601006]]></link>
            <description><![CDATA[Panelists at the 22nd Mise-en-scène Short Film Festival&#39;s &#39;Deep Focus: What&#39;s Next?&#39; session (provided by Mise-en-scène Short Film Festival) The numbers look like a recovery. In the first quarter of 2026, Korean films captured 75.3% of domestic admissions — a sharp rebound from the 53% share recorded in the same period a year earlier. Leading the surge was The King&#39;s Warden, director Jang Hang-jun&#39;s historical drama starring Yoo Hae-jin and Park Ji-hoon, which crossed 16.28 million admissions to become the second-highest-attended film in Korean box office history. Yet at nearly the same moment, thirteen film industry organizations held a joint press conference warning of structural collapse, and Megabox — one of Korea&#39;s three major multiplex chains — filed for court rehabilitation. The surface and the foundation are telling different stories.  Beneath the headline numbers lies a more precarious picture. According to the Korean Film Council&#39;s 2025 industry report, dom]]></description>
            <category><![CDATA[NEWS]]></category>
            <pubDate><![CDATA[20260701]]></pubDate>
        </item>
        
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Korean Film Council Appoints Jang Gwang-su as New Secretary-General]]></title>
            <link><![CDATA[/view/news.jsp?category=KOFIC_NEWS&seq=1858&blbdComCd=601007]]></link>
            <description><![CDATA[The Korean Film Council (KOFIC; Chairperson Han Sang-jun) approved the appointment of Jang Gwang-su as its new Secretary-General at the 12th Regular Committee Meeting of 2026, held on Friday, June 26. Jang joined the Korean Motion Picture Promotion Corporation — KOFIC&#39;s predecessor institution — in 1993, and has since accumulated more than 33 years of wide-ranging practical experience across KOFIC&#39;s headquarters and several of its affiliated institutions, including KOFIC Namyangju Studios and the Korean Academy of Film Arts (KAFA). He began his career at KOFIC Namyangju Studios, where he served as Head of the Sound Recording Team and later as Director of the Studios, contributing to the development of Korea&#39;s film production infrastructure. He subsequently served as Head of the Creative Support Team and Director of the Support Projects Division, leading a range of initiatives to support filmmakers, revitalize the independent and art-house film ecosystem, and expand film cul]]></description>
            <category><![CDATA[KOFIC_NEWS]]></category>
            <pubDate><![CDATA[20260701]]></pubDate>
        </item>
        
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[KOFIC Holds 2026 Screenplay Contest for Korean Films Awards Ceremony]]></title>
            <link><![CDATA[/view/news.jsp?category=KOFIC_NEWS&seq=1857&blbdComCd=601007]]></link>
            <description><![CDATA[The Korean Film Council (Chairman Han Sang-jun; KOFIC) held the awards ceremony for the 2026 Screenplay Contest for Korean Films on Thursday, June 25, at SCENE ONE (S#1), KOFIC&#39;s Korea Film Planning and Development Center in Myeongdong, Seoul.KOFIC&#39;s Screenplay Contest for Korean Films is a pure creative fiction screenplay competition designed to discover and nurture talented emerging writers. Outstanding works are selected based on filmability, artistic merit, originality, freshness, and diversity.This year&#39;s contest received a total of 1,225 submitted screenplays — up from 963 the previous year — and following an intensive selection process, 14 outstanding screenplays were chosen. The Grand Prize was awarded to ▲ Kim Wan for Our Child. A psychological thriller told from the perspective of a mother with antisocial personality disorder, the work was praised by jurors as &#34;a piece with living, breathing characters built around an intriguing premise, made compelling by a]]></description>
            <category><![CDATA[KOFIC_NEWS]]></category>
            <pubDate><![CDATA[20260701]]></pubDate>
        </item>
        
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[The Malaysian Formula: Why Korean Zombie Films Dominate Southeast Asia]]></title>
            <link><![CDATA[/view/news.jsp?category=NEWS&seq=6445&blbdComCd=601006]]></link>
            <description><![CDATA[Poster of ‘Colony’ (provided by Showbox)Overseas Trends · International PerformanceThe all-time top three Korean films at the Malaysian box office are Colony, Train to Busan, and Peninsula — all zombie thrillers by the same director. That a single filmmaker holds this kind of monopoly over an entire country&#39;s Korean cinema history isn&#39;t a matter of individual talent alone. It points to something structural.Colony, which had its world premiere in the Midnight Screenings section of the 79th Cannes International Film Festival, swept theaters across Asia following its May 21 release. The film drew 1.51 million admissions in Malaysia, 1.06 million in Indonesia, and 340,000 in the Philippines — claiming the all-time top spot for a Korean film in Malaysia and Indonesia, and second place in the Philippines. It also entered the TOP 5 in Singapore, Taiwan, and Thailand. Domestically, cumulative admissions have reached 5.24 million, making Colony the seco]]></description>
            <category><![CDATA[NEWS]]></category>
            <pubDate><![CDATA[20260629]]></pubDate>
        </item>
        
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[MIFFest Honors Lee Chang-dong with Lifetime Achievement Award, Expanding Its Korean Cinema Focus]]></title>
            <link><![CDATA[/view/news.jsp?category=NEWS&seq=6444&blbdComCd=601006]]></link>
            <description><![CDATA[Photo of Lee Chang-dong (provided by THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER)The Malaysia International Film Festival (MIFFest) has officially announced that Korean director Lee Chang-dong will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award at its 9th edition, running July 18–25 in Kuala Lumpur. The festival described Lee as &#34;a filmmaker whose work continues to resonate across cultures and generations through its honesty, compassion, and profound understanding of humanity.&#34; As part of the tribute, two of his landmark films — Peppermint Candy (1999) and Oasis (2002) — will be screened at the festival.Lee Chang-dong first established himself as a novelist in the 1980s, writing while working as a high school teacher. He came to filmmaking relatively late, only turning to directing in his forties. Yet the six features he has made over the ensuing three decades have all drawn significant attention at major international film festivals, securing his reputation as one of Korea&#39;s foremost auteur directors. That standi]]></description>
            <category><![CDATA[NEWS]]></category>
            <pubDate><![CDATA[20260626]]></pubDate>
        </item>
        
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Son Koo-yong: The Director Who Steps Back — Five Films at the 14th Muju Film Festival]]></title>
            <link><![CDATA[/view/news.jsp?category=NEWS&seq=6443&blbdComCd=601006]]></link>
            <description><![CDATA[Korean cinema has been the talk of Cannes this year. Park Chan-wook served as the Jury President of the festival; Bong Joon-ho returned to the market with an animated work-in-progress film; and three Korean auteurs competed in Directors&#39; Fortnight, Midnight, and the Palme competition, respectively: July Jung&#39;s muted dramaDora(2026), Yeon Sang-ho&#39;s latest zombie thriller,Colony(2026), and Na Hong-jin&#39;s genre-bending sci-fi thriller,Hope(2026).]]></description>
            <category><![CDATA[NEWS]]></category>
            <pubDate><![CDATA[20260624]]></pubDate>
        </item>
        
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Berlin Saw It First. Netflix Brought It Back.]]></title>
            <link><![CDATA[/view/news.jsp?category=NEWS&seq=6442&blbdComCd=601006]]></link>
            <description><![CDATA[Poster of ‘It&#39;s Okay’ (provide by by4m studio)  A film that drew just 110,000 admissions in theaters is now ranking among Korea&#39;s most-watched titles on Netflix.It&#39;s Okay!, the feature debut of director Kim Hye-young, has held a place in Netflix Korea&#39;s Top 10 movies chart since its platform release on May 29 — a second life arriving some fifteen months after the film quietly left cinemas. With a break-even point of around 1.5 million admissions,It&#39;s Okay!had been written off as a commercial disappointment. Now it is finding the audience it never had. A Human Drama Rooted in Korean Traditional Dance The film follows In-yeong (Lee Re), a high school student left alone after losing her mother, who unexpectedly ends up sharing a home with Seol-ah (Jin Seo-yeon), the exacting director of a national arts company. Rather than plot twists or dramatic confrontations,It&#39;s Okay!stays close to its characters — their loneliness, their gaps, their gradual]]></description>
            <category><![CDATA[NEWS]]></category>
            <pubDate><![CDATA[20260622]]></pubDate>
        </item>
        
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Korea's Box Office Stages Its Strongest Post-Pandemic Recovery -- But the Hard Questions Remain]]></title>
            <link><![CDATA[/view/news.jsp?category=NEWS&seq=6441&blbdComCd=601006]]></link>
            <description><![CDATA[Moviegoers walk past a digital billboard promoting director Yeon Sang-ho’s latest movie “Colony” at a theater in Seoul, May 25 (provide by Newsis)After years of painful contraction following the COVID-19 pandemic, South Korea&#39;s film industry is showing the clearest signs of recovery yet. A succession of local box office hits in early 2026 has restored momentum in theaters and reignited confidence across the industry -- though questions about whether the rebound can be sustained remain very much open.According to data from the Korean Film Council (KOFIC), domestic theaters drew 31.9 million admissions in the first quarter of 2026, up 53.2 percent year-on-year. Total box office revenue rose 58.7 percent to 318 billion won (approximately $211 million USD). Korean films drove much of that growth, generating 233.3 billion won in ticket sales and attracting 24.01 million viewers -- more than double the figure from the same period a year earlier.At the center of the rebound is &#34;The King&#39;s War]]></description>
            <category><![CDATA[NEWS]]></category>
            <pubDate><![CDATA[20260619]]></pubDate>
        </item>
        
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Connecting Creation and Distribution: "First Link" Independent Film Matching Workshop Opens Call for Submissions]]></title>
            <link><![CDATA[/view/news.jsp?category=KOFIC_NEWS&seq=1856&blbdComCd=601007]]></link>
            <description><![CDATA[Indieground, established by the Korean Film Council (Chairman Han Sang-jun; hereinafter KOFIC) to improve the distribution environment for Korean independent and art-house films, is now accepting submissions for its sixth annual business matching program, the &#34;Independent Film Matching Workshop: First Link.&#34;First Link is a business matching program that connects newly completed independent films without confirmed distributors to distribution and sales professionals. To expand distribution opportunities for independent filmmakers, the program offers a range of initiatives including 1-on-1 business meetings, practice-oriented workshops, and in-kind support.This year&#39;s call is open to Korean feature-length independent films completed after January 2025, or those expected to be finished within 2026. Films without a confirmed distributor are eligible to apply regardless of genre — fiction, documentary, animation, or experimental. Films that first applied to First Link thre]]></description>
            <category><![CDATA[KOFIC_NEWS]]></category>
            <pubDate><![CDATA[20260618]]></pubDate>
        </item>
        
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[South Korea's BIFAN Turns 30, Unveiling AI Competition, Short-Form Strand, and Star-Studded International Lineup]]></title>
            <link><![CDATA[/view/news.jsp?category=NEWS&seq=6440&blbdComCd=601006]]></link>
            <description><![CDATA[&nbsp; Still of ‘Obsession’ (provide by Focus Features)&nbsp;&nbsp;The Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFAN) marks its 30th edition under the banner "NEW ERA NEW SKIN," unveiling its largest-ever program: 321 titles from 50 countries, comprising 170 features, 85 shorts, 38 AI films, and 28 XR works, with 93 world premieres. The festival runs July 2-12 across multiple venues in Bucheon, just west of Seoul.&nbsp;Executive Director Shin Chul set the tone at the press conference: "If 1997 -- the year BIFAN was founded -- marked the beginning of the Korean film industry's renaissance, we are now at another monumental inflection point." He pledged that the festival would become "a forward base for discovering creators prepared for the age of AI and streaming." Organizing Committee Chair Jang Mi-hee framed the edition around "imagination that breaks boundaries," underscoring the festival's ambition to show how AI and emerging technology can fuse with cinematic vision.The flags]]></description>
            <category><![CDATA[NEWS]]></category>
            <pubDate><![CDATA[20260617]]></pubDate>
        </item>
        
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Korea's First Full AI Feature Film Raphael Makes International Debut at Cannes Marché du Film]]></title>
            <link><![CDATA[/view/news.jsp?category=NEWS&seq=6439&blbdComCd=601006]]></link>
            <description><![CDATA[Poster of ‘Raphael’ (provided by Mateo AI Studio)On May 18, Raphael, South Korea's first full AI-generated feature film — co-directed by Yang Ik-june, Moon Sin-woo, and Jung Ju-won — made its international debut at the Cannes Marché du Film. Director Yang Ik-june presented approximately five minutes of footage at an official Kling AI conference session, offering the first public look at a project that reimagines what a small team can produce: a film that, had it been shot on conventional live-action, would have required hundreds of crew members and a production budget of up to $2 million USD — achieved here by a team of just seven, using AI.Also on the panel were American director Jon Erwin, known for the Amazon Prime Video series The Old Stories: Moses, and Chinese animation director Wei Li. The global session focused on real-world AI filmmaking workflows, and Raphael was presented as a Korean case study.The project traces its origins to the 2024 New Media New Technology Lab, a progra]]></description>
            <category><![CDATA[NEWS]]></category>
            <pubDate><![CDATA[20260615]]></pubDate>
        </item>
        
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Korea Launches Task Force to Settle Theatrical Holdback Debate, Eyes August Agreement]]></title>
            <link><![CDATA[/view/news.jsp?category=NEWS&seq=6438&blbdComCd=601006]]></link>
            <description><![CDATA[First meeting of the public-private task force (provided by Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism)South Korea&#39;s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) and the Korean Film Council (KOFIC) have launched a public-private task force to address one of the industry&#39;s most contested issues: the theatrical holdback window. The first meeting was held on May 29 at KOFIC&#39;s planning and development center in central Seoul, marking the formal start of negotiations. The body aims to finalize a voluntary holdback agreement — formally titled the &#34;Mutual Coexistence Holdback Accord for Korean Cinema&#34; — by August.Culture Minister Choi Hwi-young opened the session with a call for unity, urging stakeholders to protect &#34;the flame that was painstakingly rekindled&#34; in an industry he described as still recovering from years of crisis.A theatrical holdback window refers to the period during which a film remains exclusive to cinemas before becoming available on streaming platforms, VOD, or other distr]]></description>
            <category><![CDATA[NEWS]]></category>
            <pubDate><![CDATA[20260612]]></pubDate>
        </item>
        
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Jung Woo-sung, Wi Ha-joon Join Kim Hong-sun's Global Action Historical Film Salsaengbu]]></title>
            <link><![CDATA[/view/news.jsp?category=NEWS&seq=6437&blbdComCd=601006]]></link>
            <description><![CDATA[A scene from the webtoon Salsaengbu.Director Kim Hong-sun, who built his international profile withProject Wolf HuntingandGangs of London Season 3, has chosenSalsaengbuas his Korean comeback. With Jung Woo-sung, Jung Sung-il, and Wi Ha-joon confirmed for the cast, the film is now in pre-production with a 2026 principal photography start targeted. Assembling a crew of Hollywood and European department heads while holding active distribution talks with major global companies,Salsaengbusignals a new chapter in the internationalization of Korean historical action cinema.The film is based on a webtoon of the same name that has surpassed 120 million cumulative views and won the Grand Prize at the inaugural Daum Online Comics Competition. Set against the backdrop of the Gyeyujeongnan — the 1453 coup through which Grand Prince Suyang seized the throne by purging his political rivals — the story follows Lee Hwa, a young woman who loses every]]></description>
            <category><![CDATA[NEWS]]></category>
            <pubDate><![CDATA[20260610]]></pubDate>
        </item>
        
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[KOFIC Hosts Special Screening of The King's Warden at Yeoju Prison]]></title>
            <link><![CDATA[/view/news.jsp?category=KOFIC_NEWS&seq=1855&blbdComCd=601007]]></link>
            <description><![CDATA[The Korean Film Council (KOFIC; Chairman Han Sang-jun) hosted a special screening of a Korean film at Yeoju Prison on June 8. The event was organized to give inmates at a correctional facility — where access to cultural activities is comparatively limited — the opportunity to experience Korean cinema, and to expand cultural participation through film. KOFIC collaborated with Yeoju Prison, making use of the facility&#39;s existing screening space and operational conditions to stage the event. The featured film, The King&#39;s Warden, has surpassed 16 million admissions and holds the all-time record for cumulative box office revenue among domestic theatrical releases. The film was selected for this special screening for its thematic resonance: drawn from historical figures, it carries a message that invites reflection on human dignity and responsibility, and the values of trust and community. The screening was held in the main auditorium of Yeoju Prison in accordance with]]></description>
            <category><![CDATA[KOFIC_NEWS]]></category>
            <pubDate><![CDATA[20260610]]></pubDate>
        </item>
        
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Korean AI Films Make Their Mark on the Global Festival Circuit]]></title>
            <link><![CDATA[/view/news.jsp?category=NEWS&seq=6434&blbdComCd=601006]]></link>
            <description><![CDATA[Poster of ‘The Messenger’ (Provided by HSAD).Two Korean AI films made successive waves on the international stage in the first half of 2026. Messenger, a sci-fi short produced by Park Dong-hwa, an AI director at Korean advertising agency HSAD, won Best AI Film at five global festivals including competitions held in New York, Cannes, and Los Angeles. Man in Hanbok, a feature-length alternate history fantasy directed by novelist-turned-filmmaker Lee Sang-hoon, followed a path from domestic and international AI festival recognition to a distribution deal at Hong Kong FilMart and a theatrical release in Korea in May. Both films employed generative AI across every stage of production, from development and cinematography through editing and music.Messenger is an eight-minute, five-second SF thriller short. The film follows scientist Eden Reed, who receives a warning message from the year 2030 and finds himself at a crossroads when he learns that the AI-based reactor he has developed will bri]]></description>
            <category><![CDATA[NEWS]]></category>
            <pubDate><![CDATA[20260608]]></pubDate>
        </item>
        
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[BIFF Winner Earns Direct Oscar Eligibility as Academy Expands International Feature Pathway]]></title>
            <link><![CDATA[/view/news.jsp?category=NEWS&seq=6433&blbdComCd=601006]]></link>
            <description><![CDATA[The Oscar statuette (provided by cineuropa)The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) has significantly overhauled the eligibility rules for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film, designating the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) as one of six festivals whose top prize winners may now qualify directly for Oscar consideration — the only Asian festival to receive this distinction.AMPAS announced the revisions in May, to take effect beginning with the 99th Academy Awards, scheduled for March 15, 2027. The centerpiece of the reform is a new parallel eligibility pathway: in addition to the existing system of official country or regional submissions, non-English-language films that win designated top awards at one of six approved festivals may now independently qualify for the International Feature Film category.The six qualifying festivals and their corresponding prizes are: the Cannes Film Festival (Palme d'Or), the Venice International Film Festival (G]]></description>
            <category><![CDATA[NEWS]]></category>
            <pubDate><![CDATA[20260605]]></pubDate>
        </item>
        
    </channel>
</rss>
