Thirty Years of the Busan Film Festival

 South Korean cinema  has become a household name for creativity and excitement. With this in mind, what lessons can we take home from the Busan Film Festival? We have the news from Brandon Blake, best entertainment lawyers in los angeles at Blake & Wang P.A.

                                                                    Brandon Blake

30th Anniversary

This year, the Busan International Film Festival returned ready to celebrate its third decade as one of Asia’s largest film showcases. The festival has helped the world discover many now-iconic Korean directors, from Bong Joon-hoo to Park Chan-wook. While it has had its share of flops, and even a scandal or too over the years, the festival still thrives under new leadership, with several changes introduced to this year’s program. 

What to Know

This year, we have seen industry heavyweights, from Park Chan-wook with the opening film through to a who’s who list of Korean celebrities and international visitors returning to Busan after the turbulent post-pandemic years. To celebrate, this was the first time the Busan festival has hosted an official competition, bringing it into line with heavyweights like Cannes and Berlin.


Alongside competition hopefuls, Netflix has solidified its near-takeover of Korean screens, and that presence was tangible. With no less than 9 new Netflix originals on display, it’s clear Netflix’s domination of the Korean market is here to stay. 


With Korean film and TV in something of a heyday, can it sustain it? While many major Korean studios are swinging into more conservative content strategies, raising fears that the very creativity its cinema is known for could be in peril, we could be looking at a new, mature era for the entertainment giant. However, judging by the excitement at Busan this year, we have very little to worry about. Let’s hope to see the energy continue for thirty more years. 

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