23rd Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival Embraces New Digital Formats

Taking place three weeks earlier than usual this year, the 23rd Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFAN) was markedly cooler than previous editions but the weather didn’t prevent the festival from heating up Asia’s genre film community with a pack...

The Korean Film Companies Doing Business in the Asian Film Market

The expansion of Korea’s film companies into the Asian markets has picked up steam, with CJ ENM’s Miss Granny (2014) contributing to the success of their international projects. Major companies such as CJ ENM and CJ CGV, as well as Lotte Cultureworks and Showb...

Welcome to the Wonderful World of BONG Joon-ho

For well over a decade, the release of any new BONG Joon-ho film has become a major event, accompanied by feverish anticipation and often followed by critical adoration and commercial success. Never has this been more true than with the release of his latest f...

BONG Joon-ho Wins Palme d’Or at Historic Cannes for Korean Cinema

19 years after IM Kwon-taek became the first ever Korean director invited to the competition section of the Cannes Film Festival with Chunhyang (2000), one of his fellow countrymen has walked away from the Croisette with the biggest prize on the global film fe...

Jeonju Celebrates 20th Anniversary in Style

This month’s Jeonju International Film Festival offered film fans its usual blend of spring weather and bright new cinematic voices, but a pair of anniversaries made this year’s celebrations all the more special. 2019 saw Jeonju IFF celebrate its 20th year as ...

The Rise of the Financial Thriller

Ever in flux, the Korean film industry constantly tries to adapt itself to the trends and themes of the moment. When a film in a new genre catches the public’s imagination, it doesn’t take long for studios and filmmakers to cotton on to what made that film tic...

Udine to Have Special Section of Korean Film

The Udine Far East Film Festival (FEFF), ground zero for Asian cinema appreciation in Europe, will be back for its 21st edition later this month when it opens with the acclaimed Sewol-themed drama Birthday on Friday, April 26. It’s no secret that FEFF has been...

Today’s New Faces, Tomorrow’s Stars

Over the last 20 years, one fairly consistent trend in the Korean film industry has seen top local filmmakers pluck young, unknown actresses from obscurity and placing them front and center in major films, a process that has often put these young performers on...

The Rise of the Religious Thriller

Compared to most countries, Korea has a very eclectic religious makeup, and when the various beliefs of the country’s constituents influence cinema, the results on screen have been equally eclectic. Of the 44% of Koreans who declare a religion, about 45% are P...

Korean Cinema Comes Out of the Gate Strong in 2019

If 2018 ended on a down note for the Korean film industry, in the wake of several major box office disappointments, the mood has quickly turned around in 2019 as the first few months of the year have welcomed record returns for local films with more promising ...