The Korea Times

Bucheon Fantastic Film Festival leaps into AI-driven era for 30th anniv.

The Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFAN) is ready to lead changes in the movie industry this year, its 30th anniversary, by actively embracing AI and new media while staying true to its identity as a home for genre cinema. As it celebrates 30 years of showcasing unique and imaginative movies, Asia's top genre film festival aims to create a new trend where advanced technology and human creativity come together. This year’s BIFAN, running from July 2 to 12 in Bucheon, just west of Seoul, will feature an all-time high of 321 films from 50 countries. Reflecting the festival's tech-forward vision, the lineup includes 38 AI-generated films and 28 extended reality (XR) projects, alongside 170 feature films and 85 shorts. Director Yuen Woo-ping’s "The Blades of the Guardians" will open the festival. The organizers emphasized that the anniversary is not just a celebration of longevity, but a new beginning for the future of moviemaking. "This is not merely a story of the trajectory of time that has passed, but a moment to reflect on the journey of the past 30 years and to leap

Jun 9, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul

Bucheon Fantastic Film Festival leaps into AI-driven era for 30th anniv.

Films

‘Toy Story 5’ returns to face challenge of smart devices

The beloved toys are back in "Toy Story 5" to face their biggest modern challenge — smart devices. In this fifth installment, the familiar toys face a completely new reality where children put toys away and pick up digital devices. Bonnie, the main child character, gets introduced to Lilypad (voiced by Greta Lee), a smart device that begins taking away her playtime with traditional toys. "Yes, well, one of the biggest advancements in ‘Toy Story 5’ is that we're kind of finally catching up to the truth of childhood today, which is that kids everywhere are playing with iPads and screens and devices all the time," co-director McKenna Harris said during an online conference, Monday. "Bonnie, the main character, or the main child, has been introduced to Lilypad, a device that is really taking away a lot of playtime with the toys, so this is a bigger challenge than any of the toys in the previous films have ever had to face.” Unlike previous films where Woody (Tom Hanks) took the lead, "Toy Story 5" places Jessie (Joan Cusack) at the center of the narrative, a creative decision by dire

Jun 8, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul

‘Toy Story 5’ returns to face challenge of smart devices

Films

J-horror meets K-occult in spiritual thriller ‘The Shrine’

Singer and actor Kim Jae-joong is making his long-awaited return to the big screen in a unique horror movie that bridges the chilling aesthetics of Japanese and Korean cinema. Directed by Japanese filmmaker Kazuyoshi Kumakiri, upcoming horror movie “The Shrine” marks Kim’s first movie in 14 years since his appearance in the 2012 comedy “Code Name: Jackal.” “The Shrine” follows the story of three university students who mysteriously disappear after visiting an abandoned shrine in Kobe, Japan. Shaman Myung-jin (Kim) tries to uncover the truth behind the disappearances, but faces a bizarre and terrifying evil spirit. Joining him is Yu-mi (Kong Seong-ha), Myung-jin’s university junior who seeks his help. Kim described the film as a refreshing departure from typical Korean horror movies, largely due to the cross-cultural collaboration. “Even though this is a Korean production, about 90 percent of the crew members were Japanese,” Kim said Monday after the premiere. “Because we worked with a Japanese director, it became a movie where the distinct characteristics of J-horror

Jun 8, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul

J-horror meets K-occult in spiritual thriller ‘The Shrine’

People & Events

Rev. Billy Kim receives honorary doctorate from Soongsil University

Rev. Billy Kim, chairperson of the Far East Broadcasting Company (FEBC)-Korea, received an honorary doctorate in business administration from Soongsil University, Friday, in recognition of his lifelong dedication to Christian evangelism, talent cultivation and community service. FEBC-Korea said the university recognized Kim as a leading figure in the Korean church community. The university said he has dedicated his life to domestic and international evangelism while making significant contributions to broadcasting missions, education, international exchange and social contribution. Kim served as the senior pastor of Suwon Central Baptist Church for several decades, spearheading the growth of the church and the Christian community in Korea. He currently serves as the church's pastor emeritus. As the chairperson of FEBC-Korea, Kim has also led efforts to expand broadcasting into regions with restricted access to religious freedom, including North Korea, China and Russia. Founded by American missionaries in 1956, FEBC-Korea is the nation's first international broadcasting station. Celebratin

Jun 7, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul

Rev. Billy Kim receives honorary doctorate from Soongsil University

Films

Kore-eda explores human nature, imagination in 'Sheep in the Box'

Renowned Japanese filmmaker Hirokazu Kore-eda has focused on the concept of unseen imagination as the ultimate message of his new sci-fi film "Sheep in the Box." The movie, which competed for the Palme d'Or at the 79th Cannes Film Festival last month, follows human parents (Haruka Ayase as the mother and Daigo Yamamoto as the father), who adopt a 7-year-old "humanoid" robot Kakeru (Rimu Kuwaki) to replace their deceased son. The film’s title is inspired by an episode in Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s novel “The Little Prince,” where a pilot draws a box and tells the prince a sheep is inside to satisfy the boy's imagination. Kore-eda gave the film an ambiguous ending where the parents leave the robot boy in a forest because he believes there should be a certain emotional distance between humans and an entirely different entity, like the adopted humanoid. "The adults do not go into the forest. Instead, they return. It doesn't end with 'everyone lived happily ever after,'" Kore-eda told The Korea Times at film distributor NEW’s office in Seoul, Friday. "But I believed those who return

Jun 7, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul

Kore-eda explores human nature, imagination in 'Sheep in the Box'

Books

Ridi sees surge in fantasy web novel transaction volume

Ridi, a major Korean digital content platform, has recorded a more than 50-fold increase in the transaction volume of its exclusive fantasy web novels compared to 2021, supported by a rising fanbase and intellectual property (IP) expansion. This increase outpaced the average growth rate of the overall web novel market. Ridi attributed the performance to rising user interest in the fantasy genre. Reflecting this demand, the number of newly published fantasy web novels on the platform last year increased by more than 10 percent year-on-year. Ridi's user data from last year showed that about 45 percent of readers who bought a work by a specific author also purchased other titles by the same writer. This trend has led to an increase in both user retention time and overall consumption on the platform. The fantasy genre has emerged as a powerhouse for IP expansion across various media formats. "Fantasy is a genre capable of diverse expansions fueled by a dedicated fandom, and its importance within the Ridi platform is growing rapidly," the company said. A prime example is "Solo Leveling," a meg

Jun 4, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul

Ridi sees surge in fantasy web novel transaction volume

Films

Can Korean cinema sustain its rebound?

After years of struggling to recover from the shock of the COVID-19 pandemic, Korea's film industry is finally showing signs of life again. Driven by a string of local box office successes led by the historical drama “The King's Warden,” Korean films have regained momentum in theaters this year, raising hopes that the industry may be emerging from one of the most difficult periods in its history. According to data from the Korean Film Council (KOFIC), the nation's theaters attracted 31.9 million admissions during the first quarter of 2026, up 53.2 percent from 20.82 million a year earlier. Total box office revenue rose 58.7 percent year-on-year to 318 billion won ($211.2 million). Korean films accounted for much of that recovery. Domestic films generated 233.3 billion won in ticket sales and drew 24.01 million viewers during the January-March period, more than double the previous year. The biggest contributor was “The King's Warden,” which became a rare phenomenon in the postpandemic era. The film, which opened on Feb. 4, attracted 15.73 million viewers in the first quarter alone

Jun 3, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul

People & Events

Indian star Priyanka Mohan named honorary ambassador for Korean tourism

Priyanka Mohan, a popular Indian actor, has been appointed an honorary ambassador for Korean tourism to attract more visitors from South Asia, the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) said Tuesday. Mohan, who debuted in 2019 and has built a solid career primarily in the South Indian film industry, recently gained international acclaim as the lead actor in the Netflix original film “Made in Korea,” released in March. The film topped Netflix's movie charts in India for two consecutive weeks and became a major hit in seven countries, including parts of the Middle East. Mohan, who boasts nearly 6 million followers on Instagram, has frequently expressed her deep affection and interest in Korean culture online. During her weeklong visit to Korea marking the appointment, Mohan will tour major tourist destinations, including Seoul Forest and Tongin Market in the capital, as well as Gyeongju Expo Solgeo Art Museum and Wooyang Art Museum in the historic city of Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province. Her itinerary includes experiential activities such as K-food cooking classes, wellness spa treatment

Jun 2, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul

Indian star Priyanka Mohan named honorary ambassador for Korean tourism

Shows & Dramas

Nvidia CEO to appear on Korean talk show during visit

Jensen Huang, the co-founder and CEO of global tech giant Nvidia, will make his first-ever appearance on a local variety show during his upcoming visit to Korea, local cable channel tvN said Tuesday. According to tvN, Huang is scheduled to be featured as a guest on "You Quiz on the Block," a highly popular talk show hosted by the nation's top comedian, Yoo Jae-suk. Huang, who transformed Nvidia from a graphics chipmaker into a global powerhouse of the artificial intelligence (AI) era, is widely recognized as an industry visionary who reshaped the global tech landscape. He is reportedly set to arrive on Thursday after finishing his schedule at the annual COMPUTEX tech show in Taipei, Taiwan. "We are thrilled to welcome Jensen Huang on 'You Quiz,'" said Nam Seung-yong, a business leader at CJ ENM, an operator of tvN. "We hope viewers will tune in to hear his life story, moving from a young dishwasher to the CEO of the world’s most valuable company, as well as his insights into navigating the AI era and the qualities needed for future leaders." The episode will be released later this mont

Jun 2, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul

Nvidia CEO to appear on Korean talk show during visit

Sports

Controversial Korea football body chief to step down after World Cup

Chung Mong-gyu, the long-standing president of the Korea Football Association (KFA), announced Friday that he will resign from his post after the FIFA World Cup. The KFA released an official statement from Chung, who has led the nation's football governing body for 13 years since taking office in 2013. He plans to officially submit his resignation after the World Cup, jointly hosted by Canada, Mexico and the U.S., concludes on July 19. The announcement of his sudden departure is widely seen as an attempt to protect the national team from public backlash before the tournament. The move is also seen as a way for Chung to escape direct responsibility for the ongoing scandals surrounding his leadership. "I intend to step down from the position of KFA president after this World Cup," Chung said in the statement. "I believe my final duty as president is to support the national team so that they can achieve meaningful results in the tournament, and I will do my utmost to fulfill this responsibility." Chung secured his fourth consecutive term in February last year with an 85.6 percent approval r

May 29, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul

Baek Byung-yeul

Read more

Bucheon Fantastic Film Festival leaps into AI-driven era for 30th anniv.

‘Toy Story 5’ returns to face challenge of smart devices

J-horror meets K-occult in spiritual thriller ‘The Shrine’

Rev. Billy Kim receives honorary doctorate from Soongsil University

Kore-eda explores human nature, imagination in 'Sheep in the Box'

Ridi sees surge in fantasy web novel transaction volume

Can Korean cinema sustain its rebound?

Indian star Priyanka Mohan named honorary ambassador for Korean tourism

Nvidia CEO to appear on Korean talk show during visit

Controversial Korea football body chief to step down after World Cup

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