By Baek Byung-yeul
People will be able to meet popular animation characters and their creators at Seoul's bustling Myeong-dong this week.
The 18th Seoul International Cartoon & Animation Festival (SICAF), Korea's largest cartoon and animated film festival, will begin its six-day run from Tuesday at venues in the Myeong-dong and Mt. Nam area of downtown Seoul.
"This year's festival is of great importance as it will take place in Myeong-dong, the so-called a birthplace of the country's modern culture," SICAF executive committee president Kim Kwang-han said at a news conference on July 8.
Various events will allow people to participate.
Japanese cartoonist Junji Ito, best known for his horror comics, will meet fans at an autograph event on July 23. Cartoonists Yang Jae-hyun and Jeon Geuk-jin, authors of "Yeolhyeolgangho," one of the best-selling comics here, will also appear.
For the first time, Myeong-dong shopping district's Jungang-ro will be decorated with Korean animation characters from Friday to Sunday.
As the city government has designated the area "the street of cartoon and animation," street vending will be prohibited during these days.
In a costume play event, participants will wear the costumes of characters from comics, animations, films or video games. Fans can also enjoy face painting, and artists drawing their caricatures.
During the animated film festival, 362 films from 43 countries will be screened at theaters in Myeong-dong and the Seoul Animation Center on Mt. Nam.
The festivity will begin with a screening of "The Road Called Life — Animation of Korean Literature Part 1." Co-directed by Ahn Jae-hun and Han Hye-jin, the animated film features three widely known Korean literary works from the early 1900s.
Among 38 short films in competition, Joung Yu-mi's award-winning piece, "Love Games" is noteworthy. The 15-minute film portrays romantic relations between premature couples. The film won the grand prize at this year's Animafest Zagreb, Europe's second-oldest animation festival.
Brazilian director Ale Abreu's "The Boy and the World" and Chang Hyung-yun's "The Satellite Girl and Milk Cow" are among five films recommended by the organizing committee.
Since 1995, SICAF has played a leading role in cultivating the country's cartoon and animation industry. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization are sponsoring the festival.
"Not only have we doubled in size, but have also made an effort to ensure the internal stability of the festival," SICAF president Kim told reporters. "With this festival gaining momentum, I hope more people will take more interest on cartoons and animations."
For more information, call (02) 3455-8435 or visit the official website at www.sicaf.org.
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| Poster for the 18th Seoul International Cartoon & Animation Festival |
The 18th Seoul International Cartoon & Animation Festival (SICAF), Korea's largest cartoon and animated film festival, will begin its six-day run from Tuesday at venues in the Myeong-dong and Mt. Nam area of downtown Seoul.
"This year's festival is of great importance as it will take place in Myeong-dong, the so-called a birthplace of the country's modern culture," SICAF executive committee president Kim Kwang-han said at a news conference on July 8.
Various events will allow people to participate.
Japanese cartoonist Junji Ito, best known for his horror comics, will meet fans at an autograph event on July 23. Cartoonists Yang Jae-hyun and Jeon Geuk-jin, authors of "Yeolhyeolgangho," one of the best-selling comics here, will also appear.
For the first time, Myeong-dong shopping district's Jungang-ro will be decorated with Korean animation characters from Friday to Sunday.
As the city government has designated the area "the street of cartoon and animation," street vending will be prohibited during these days.
In a costume play event, participants will wear the costumes of characters from comics, animations, films or video games. Fans can also enjoy face painting, and artists drawing their caricatures.
During the animated film festival, 362 films from 43 countries will be screened at theaters in Myeong-dong and the Seoul Animation Center on Mt. Nam.
The festivity will begin with a screening of "The Road Called Life — Animation of Korean Literature Part 1." Co-directed by Ahn Jae-hun and Han Hye-jin, the animated film features three widely known Korean literary works from the early 1900s.
Among 38 short films in competition, Joung Yu-mi's award-winning piece, "Love Games" is noteworthy. The 15-minute film portrays romantic relations between premature couples. The film won the grand prize at this year's Animafest Zagreb, Europe's second-oldest animation festival.
Brazilian director Ale Abreu's "The Boy and the World" and Chang Hyung-yun's "The Satellite Girl and Milk Cow" are among five films recommended by the organizing committee.
Since 1995, SICAF has played a leading role in cultivating the country's cartoon and animation industry. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization are sponsoring the festival.
"Not only have we doubled in size, but have also made an effort to ensure the internal stability of the festival," SICAF president Kim told reporters. "With this festival gaining momentum, I hope more people will take more interest on cartoons and animations."
For more information, call (02) 3455-8435 or visit the official website at www.sicaf.org.
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