Academy Invites 529 New Members: Directors Maggie Kang and Kim Jee-woon Set to Gain Oscar Voting Rights

(From left) Maggie Kang, Chris Appelhans, Michelle L.M. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) released its 2026 new member invitation list on June 24 (local time), and among the 529 invitees are a number of individuals connected to the Kore...

Na Hong-jin's Hope Named Centerpiece of NYAFF — Cannes Competition Sensation Set for North American Premiere

Still of ‘HOPE' (provided by VAIRETY) Na Hong-jin's Hope Selected as NYAFF Centerpiece — Buzz Continues in North America Following Cannes Na Hong-jin's Hope has been named the centerpiece film of the 25th New York Asian Film Festival (NYAFF), wi...

Beyond Export: Lầu Chú Hỏa and Korea's Second Southeast Asia Playbook

Poster of ‘Lầu Chú Hỏa’ (provided by Hive Media Corp) The latest box office hit from Hive Media Corp — the studio behind Seoul Spring and Insiders — is not a Korean film. It is a Vietnamese horror film, Lầu Chú Hỏa, based on urban legends surrounding a real ...

Hit Films Return, But Korean Cinema Warns the Fundamentals Are Broken

Panelists at the 22nd Mise-en-scène Short Film Festival's 'Deep Focus: What's Next?' session (provided by Mise-en-scène Short Film Festival) The numbers look like a recovery. In the first quarter of 2026, Korean films captured 75.3% of domesti...

The Malaysian Formula: Why Korean Zombie Films Dominate Southeast Asia

Poster of ‘Colony’ (provided by Showbox)Overseas Trends · International PerformanceThe all-time top three Korean films at the Malaysian box office are Colony, Train to Busan, and Peninsula — all zombie thrillers by the same director. That a single filmmaker ho...

MIFFest Honors Lee Chang-dong with Lifetime Achievement Award, Expanding Its Korean Cinema Focus

Photo of Lee Chang-dong (provided by THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER)The Malaysia International Film Festival (MIFFest) has officially announced that Korean director Lee Chang-dong will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award at its 9th edition, running July 18–25 in Ku...

Son Koo-yong: The Director Who Steps Back — Five Films at the 14th Muju Film Festival

Korean cinema has been the talk of Cannes this year. Park Chan-wook served as the Jury President of the festival; Bong Joon-ho returned to the market with an animated work-in-progress film; and three Korean auteurs competed in Directors' Fortnight, Midnigh...

Berlin Saw It First. Netflix Brought It Back.

Poster of ‘It's Okay’ (provide by by4m studio) A film that drew just 110,000 admissions in theaters is now ranking among Korea's most-watched titles on Netflix.It's Okay!, the feature debut of director Kim Hye-young, has held a place in Netflix K...

Korea's Box Office Stages Its Strongest Post-Pandemic Recovery -- But the Hard Questions Remain

Moviegoers walk past a digital billboard promoting director Yeon Sang-ho’s latest movie “Colony” at a theater in Seoul, May 25 (provide by Newsis)After years of painful contraction following the COVID-19 pandemic, South Korea's film industry is showing the...

South Korea's BIFAN Turns 30, Unveiling AI Competition, Short-Form Strand, and Star-Studded International Lineup

  Still of ‘Obsession’ (provide by Focus Features)  The Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFAN) marks its 30th edition under the banner "NEW ERA NEW SKIN," unveiling its largest-ever program: 321 titles from 50 countries, comprisin...