Festival News News

The 29th BIFF Announces Selections for ‘Korean Cinema Today – Special Premiere’ & ‘On Screen’!

A Girl with Closes Eyes still
Meet Korean films through Special Premiere and Discover Original Series from Korea and Abroad!

‘Korean Cinema Today – Special Premiere’ is a section that selects and premieres the latest and most prominent contemporary Korean commercial films, known for their mass appeal and significance. This year, the section has unveiled five films, including four world premieres, which are set to captivate the audience’s attention.

A Girl with Closes Eyes still
A Girl with Closed Eyes                                             

The film  (2024) is a thriller that delves into the complex and tense relationship between a criminal and a detective, who are reunited after the murder case of a bestselling author. The film features performances by Kim Minha, who gained global recognition from Pachinko (2022), and Moon Choi from Anarchist from Colony (2017). Director Hur Jin-ho’s latest work, A Normal Family (2023), is a well-crafted suspense thriller that depicts the unraveling lives of four individuals, each steadfast in their own beliefs, after they witness a crime scene involving their children captured on CCTV. With stellar performances by Sul Kyung-gu, Jang Dong-gun, Kim Hee-ae, and Claudia Kim, the film delivers intense, gripping tension throughout.

Bogota: City of the Lost
Bogota: City of the Lost still

Hear Me: Our Summer still
Hear Me: Our Summer 

Set in Bogotá, Colombia, the film Bogota: City of the Lost (2024) follows the story of Korean immigrants whose lives, filled with despair, lead them to resort to smuggling in this city of last chances. The movie stars Song Joong-ki in the lead role, alongside a cast of distinctive actors including Lee Hee-jun, Kwon Hae-hyo, Park Ji-hwan, Cho Hyun-chul, and Kim Jong-soo, heightening anticipation for its release. DIRTY MONEY (2024) marks the directorial debut of director Kim Minsu, who wrote the screenplay for The Merciless (2017). This crime drama follows two corrupt detectives involved in crime for a bigger score, with Jung Woo, Kim Dae-myung, and Park Byeong-eun in the lead roles. The film Hear Me: Our Summer (2024) is a remake of the Taiwanese film Hear Me (2009) that also draws attention. The original Hear Me (2009) was well-received in Korea, set to be revisited with a warm and beautiful story, featuring actors Hong Kyung and Roh Yoon-seo, who are building a solid filmography with their outstanding performances, along with rising star Kim Min-ju.

‘On Screen’ section aims to encompass cinema’s expanded trends and values by showcasing the most anticipated drama series in advance. This year, it offers a rich lineup featuring four Korean productions and two international productions, all set to premiere globally for the first time.

 Beyond Goodbye still
 Beyond Goodbye

Beyond Goodbye (2024) is a melodrama starring Arimura Kasumi from We Made a Beautiful Bouquet (2021) and Sakaguchi Kentaro from The Last 10 Years (2022). Despite its familiar setting—a man who receives the heart of a deceased boyfriend and the woman who finds herself drawn to him— this series captivates viewers with rich details that add depth to this Japanese drama. Born for the Spotlight (2024) is the third drama series directed by renowned Taiwanese actor, writer, and director Yen Yi-wen, after the success of previous two-parts drama series The Making of an Ordinary Woman (2019). The film vividly portrays the lives of female characters working in various roles within the show business industry as they fiercely pursue their dreams and passions amidst a blend of ambition and desire. While showcasing their affectionate solidarity, the film is filled with comedic and sexual tension that permeates the screen.

Dongjae, the Good or the Bastard still
Dongjae, the Good or the Bastard
Gangnam B–Side still
Gangnam B–Side

Dongjae, the Good or the Bastard (2024) is a spin-off series of the top-rated and nationally acclaimed drama Stranger (2017). Starring Lee Jun-hyuk and Park Sung-woong, the story revolves around the exasperating yet endearing prosecutor Dongjae as new situations and cases unfold with intense urgency. Gangnam B–Side (2023) is a thrilling crime drama set against the backdrop of the the other side of Gangnam, delving into a high-stakes chase. The gripping storyline, centered around a missing person case, keeps viewers on the edge of their seats. The film stars Jo Woojin, Ji Changwook, Ha Younkyoung, and Kim Hyungseo, who bring added depth and charm to their characters.

Hellbound Season 2 still
Season 2
Way Back Love still
Way Back Love

Hellbound Season 2 (2024) is the highly anticipated follow-up to the drama series Hellbound Season 1 (2021), which gained widespread attention for its various controversial themes, depicting a dystopian world. Director Yeon Sang-ho and writer Choi Gyu-seok team up once again to bring an even more vivid and intense vision of ‘Hellbound’ to the screen. Way Back Love (2024) is a teenage coming-of-age fantasy romance that follows a protagonist who, after losing all hope, unexpectedly reunites with her ex-boyfriend, now a grim reaper, opening a new chapter in her life. Actors Gong Myoung and Kim Minha deliver lively and delightful performances, offering a unique and enjoyable experience.

The 29th , which has unveiled the selections of ‘Korean Cinema Today – Special Premiere’ and ‘On Screen,’ showcasing contemporary Korean and international films and drama series, will be held for 10 days from Oct 2 (Wed) to Oct 11 (Fri) in the vicinity of the Busan Cinema Center.

[Korean Cinema Today – Special Premiere’ Section Selections]

*Titles in alphabetical order

TitleDirectorDistributionPremiere
A Girl with Closed EyesCHUN Sunyoung WP
A Normal FamilyHUR Jin-hoMINDMARK Inc. 
Bogota: City of the LostKIM Seong-jePlus M EntertainmentWP
DIRTY MONEYKIM Minsu  ACEMAKER MOVIEWORKSWP
Hear Me: Our SummerJO Seon-hoPlus M EntertainmentWP

*WP: World Premiere

[‘On Screen’ Section Selections]

*Titles in alphabetical order

TitleDirectorRunning TimeDistributionPremiere
Beyond GoodbyeKUROSAKI Hiroshi90min(2 of 8 episodes screening)NetflixWP
Born for the SpotlightYEN Yi-wen146min (3 of 12 episodes screening)NetflixWP
Dongjae, the Good or the BastardPARK Gun-ho103min(2 of 10 episodes screening)TVINGWP
Gangnam B-SidePARK Noori131min(3 of 8 episodes screening)Disney PlusWP
Hellbound Season 2YEON Sang-ho144min(3 of 6 episodes screening)NetflixWP
Way Back LoveKIM Hyeyoung, CHOI Hana138min(3 of 6 episodes screening)TVINGWP

*WP: World Premiere

About the author

Panos Kotzathanasis

Panagiotis (Panos) Kotzathanasis is a film critic and reviewer, specialized in Asian Cinema. He is the owner and administrator of Asian Movie Pulse, one of the biggest portals dealing with Asian cinema. He is a frequent writer in Hancinema, Taste of Cinema, and his texts can be found in a number of other publications including SIRP in Estonia, Film.sk in Slovakia, Asian Dialogue in the UK, Cinefil in Japan and Filmbuff in India.

Since 2019, he cooperates with Thessaloniki Cinematheque in Greece, curating various tributes to Asian cinema. He has participated, with video recordings and text, on a number of Asian movie releases, for Spectrum, Dekanalog and Error 4444. He has taken part as an expert on the Erasmus+ program, “Asian Cinema Education”, on the Asian Cinema Education International Journalism and Film Criticism Course.

Apart from a member of FIPRESCI and the Greek Cinema Critics Association, he is also a member of NETPAC, the Hellenic Film Academy and the Online Film Critics Association.

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

>