Actor GANG Dong-won will receive the Star Asia Award at the 16th edition of New York Asian Film Festival (NYAFF). “GANG Dong-won’s charisma and emotional investment in his performances gives his films a unique edge.” The festival said on its homepage as they chose The Duelist (2005) by LEE Myung-se, Voice of a Murderer (2007) by PARK Jin-pyo and Secret Reunion (2010) by JANG Hun as his representative works. “Last year, NYAFF presented two of his films, The Priests (2015) and A Violent Prosecutor (2016), and in 2017, the festival will be joined by GANG to present a special screening of the magical fable VANISHING TIME: A BOY WHO RETURNED (2016).” Meanwhile, SUL Kyung-gu and LEE Byung-hun picked up the same awards in 2014 and 2016, respectively. 

This year, 11 Korean films were invited to the festival. JUNG Byung-gil’s The Villainess will be screened at the Closing Gala. The rest of the lineup includes UM Tae-hwa’s VANISHING TIME: A BOY WHO RETURNED, PARK Kwang-hyun’s Fabricated City, KIM Bong-han’s ORDINARY PERSON, CHOI Kook-hee’s SPLIT (2016), CHO Hyunhoon’s Jane, AHN Jeong-min’s Fantasy of the Girls (2016), ZHANG Lu’s A Quiet Dream (2016), LEE Zoo-young’s A Single Rider, KIM Hwi and JUNG Sik’s The Tooth and the Nail and LEE Kyoung-mi’s The Truth Beneath (2016). 

NYAFF has introduced various films in the Asian film world including Korea, Japan, Hong Kong and China to American audiences since 2002. Co-presented by Subway Cinema and the Film Society of Lincoln Center, this non-competitive festival takes place in New York City every summer. This year’s 16th edition will be held from June 30th to July 13th at the SVA theatre.