Jeonju Project Market (JPM) sponsored by Jeonju International Film Festival (JIFF) is operating the MiddleEarth Lab, a research center to plan and develop of small and medium projects under USD 3.5 million production cost. MiddleEarth Lab will generate various experiments to help creative local films to be produced. Moreover, creators such as directors, actors and critics are playing a key role in developing projects to show their best abilities and characters. 

The lead researcher is director SHIN Yeon-shick who wrote and produced DONGJU; The Portrait of A Poet (2016). Other researchers include Alive’s (2015) director PARK Jung-bum, The World of Us’s (2016) director YOON Ga-eun, TRAIN TO BUSAN’s (2016) actor Don LEE and critic LEE Sang-yong. MiddleEarth Lab is planning to complete five scenarios for the next three years.  

This year, MiddleEarth Lab has started developing three projects: SHIN Bul-chul (W/T) about real comic storyteller SHIN Bul-chul, Peorangi (W/T) about a street fighter who wants to belong to the middle class, Gifted Child (W/T) about childhood of an artist. Meanwhile, JPM will take place during the 18th JIFF from May 3rd to 5th.