The Land of Morning Calm, directed by Park Ri-woong, is a powerful portrait of a fading Korean fishing village and the emotional dislocation of its residents. Supported by moving performances from Yoon Joo-sang, Yang Hee-kyung, and Khazsak Kramer, the film explores generational divides, economic decline, and the complex, often unspoken tensions surrounding immigration and arranged…
Tag: Korean Cinema
20th London Korean Film Festival: In Conversation with Kim Jong-kwan, Director of “Frosted Window”
Within the subtle intimacy of Kim Jong-kwan’s films lies an entire universe. His cinema captures the delicate spaces between people; the brief moments of longing, love, hesitation, and loss. The South Korean filmmaker, a graduate of the Seoul Institute of the Arts, has built a reputation for making films of profound emotional delicacy. From his…
20th London Korean Film Festival: In Conversation with Yeon Woo-jin of “Frosted Window”
Yeon Woo-jin is one of South Korea’s most versatile and compelling actors. Rising from a background in modeling to presence on screen, Yeon’s early recognition came with his role in Arang and the Magistrate (2012), which earned him a Best New Actor nomination. Since then, he has consistently demonstrated an ability to inhabit a wide…
Tibet Film Festival London 2025: “MOLA” Review
Every once in a while, a documentary comes along that makes you pause and reflect on your own life – and how you move through the world. Shown at this year’s Tibet Film Festival in London, MOLA: A Tibetan Tale of Love and Loss is a beautiful portrait of family and faith, and a story…
Explore East Asian Cinema at LEAFF 2025: Full Film Lineup
The London East Asia Film Festival (LEAFF) returns this autumn to celebrate its 10th anniversary. From 23 October to 2 November 2025, the festival will once again transform the capital into a hub of cinematic celebration, bringing over 40 films from across the region to some of London’s most iconic venues. Over the past decade,…
Celebrating 20 Years of Korean Film: LKFF 2025
Now in its landmark 20th year, the London Korean Film Festival (LKFF) returns from 5 to 18 November 2025. Organised by the Korean Cultural Centre UK (KCCUK) and supported by the Korean Film Council, this year’s anniversary edition will unfold across BFI Southbank, Ciné Lumière, and ICA London, offering an ambitious lineup. The festival opens…
Kim Kang-min and OMEGA X’s Kevin on Hot New BL Drama “My Bias Is Showing!”
The tides are turning, and actor Kim Kang-min and OMEGA X’s Kevin are mermen. BL (Boys’ Love) and other LGBTQIA+ themed dramas are abundant in regions like Thailand and the Philippines, but South Korea is not quite there yet. That’s why Webtoon phenomenon My Bias Is Showing!’s adaptation is such a big deal; there are…
30th Busan International Film Festival: In Conversation with Frederik Sølberg, Director of “Hana Korea”
Frederik Sølberg is a Danish filmmaker whose work connects the worlds of documentary and narrative cinema, exploring stories that illuminate human identity and belonging. He is known for his careful attention to detail and for bringing real-life experiences to the screen. Fifteen years ago, a first visit to South Korea left an impression on Sølberg….
Sylvia CHANG Receives BIFF x CHANEL 2025 Camellia Award at the 30th Busan International Film Festival
Taiwanese filmmaker Sylvia Chang has been awarded the 2025 Camellia Award for her groundbreaking contributions across generations and roles, paving the way for Asian women in cinema. The Camellia Award, presented by CHANEL in partnership with the Busan International Film Festival, honors women whose cultural and artistic impact shapes the film industry. At the 30th…
30th Busan International Film Festival: “Hana Korea” Review
For many North Korean defectors, crossing the border is not the end of a story but the start of another kind of struggle. Frederik Sølberg’s Hana Korea, co-written with Sharon Choi, goes straight into that fraught second chapter. The film is a great story of adaptation and loss: how the comforts of a new country…
European Women Filmmakers Take Stage at the 30th Busan International Film Festival
European Film Promotion (EFP), a consortium of 37 national film organizations, is devoted to bringing the richness of European cinema and its creators to the attention of the international film industry and press. This year in Busan, EFP will back 69 European titles invited to the festival, alongside the participation of 19 global distributors connected…
78th Locarno Film Festival: In Conversation with Park Syeyoung, Director of “The Fin”
Seoul-based Syeyoung Park is an interesting independent filmmaker. A graduate of the Korea National University of Arts, with a BFA in Film and an MFA in Video Arts, Park made his feature debut with The Fifth Thoracic Vertebra, which earned him awards at the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival, Seoul Independent Film Festival, and Fantasia,…
78th Locarno Film Festival: “The Fin” Review
Korean cinema continues to prove its global dominance not just through streaming platforms, but through visionary films that challenge and expand the very language of cinema. With The Fin, director Park Syeyoung delivers a haunting work, an unsettling look at control and survival in the aftermath of ideology. Set in a post-unification, ecologically devastated Korea,…
30th Busan International Film Festival: Special Program in Focus – Defining Moments of Asian Cinema
Marking its 30th milestone, the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) presents the third edition of Asian Cinema 100 under the theme Defining Moments of Asian Cinema. Curated in collaboration with the Pusan National University Film Institute and the Korean Film Archive, the program revisits the artistry and history of Asian filmmaking through landmark works, each…
VIEW OF THE ARTS 