▲(Left to Right) Dead-End Job ©Netflix, The Remarried Empress ©2026 Disney and its related entities

▲Blue Road ©Netflix

Launched in 2021, the ‘On Screen’ section showcases the year’s most anticipated new drama series, reflecting cinema’s expanding forms and values while offering audiences the chance to experience them on the big screen ahead of their official releases.

Dead-End Job draws attention with an ensemble cast including Lee Jae-wook, Ko Min-si, Kim Min-ha, and Lee Hee-jun. Directed by Kim Da-min, whose FAQ (2024) won the Aurora Media Award at BIFF 2023, the series centered on a suspicious part-time job, exploring real-life stories through inventive imagination and mystery. The Remarried Empress—an adaptation of a globally popular IP that has already drawn widespread attention for its star-studded cast—will premiere in Busan. Featuring Shin Mina, Ju Jihoon, Lee Jongsuk, and Lee Seyoung, the series brings a sweeping romantic fantasy to life. It is helmed by Cho Suwon, known for his nuanced handling of emotional dynamics and storytelling in I Can Hear Your Voice (2013) and Still 17 (2018). Blue Road is the latest thriller from director Han Jun-hee, whose Coin Locker Girl (2015) was selected for Critics’ Week at the Cannes Film Festival and whose series D.P. (2021) won Best Drama in the TV category at the 2022 Baeksang Arts Awards. Son Suk-ku (The Roundup, 2022), Nagayama Eita, and Kim Shin-rok star in a cross-border serial murder mystery.

▲(Left to Right) Sapiens, The Sorry Generation ©stonevstudio

▲Cattle Run

‘Korean Cinema Today - Special Premiere’ showcases the latest and most prominent contemporary Korean commercial films, distinguished by their broad appeal and significance. All three films selected this year will make their world premieres.

Sapiens stars Jung Sung-il (The Glory, 2022; Made in Korea, 2025) and You Chea-myung (Harbin, 2024) as a suspect and an attorney in the kidnapping of a third-generation heir to a conglomerate. Centered on one suspect and multiple conflicting testimonies, the two must work together to identify the true culprit. The suspense thriller marks the feature film debut of Lee Hu-bin, who previously co-directed the series No Way Out: The Roulette (2024).

The Sorry Generation, directed by Kim Sung-yoon, whose Fragment (2023) won the CGV Award and Chorokbaem Media Award at BIFF 2024, follows the comic clash between a father trying to appease an ancestral spirit and a son attempting an exorcism. Jung Jae-young and Lee Yi-kyung bring lively comic chemistry to the father-son duo, with Kim Joo-ryoung and Kim Ah-young rounding out the family as mother and daughter.

Cattle Run brings together Ryu Seung-ryong and Park Hae-jun (When Life Gives You Tangerines, 2025; We Are All Trying Here, 2026) in a farcical comedy about two estranged brothers who have lived like enemies without speaking to each other for thirty years, only to join forces to protect a newborn calf amid a crisis threatening their village. The film marks the feature directorial debut of Kim Ji-hyun, whose previous credits include the fan-favorite drama series Splash Splash Love (2015).

▲(Left to Right) Ugly Duckling Ms. Maeng ©Barunson E&A

Still Shining ©Copyright 2026. Page One Film & Mooah Film. All rights reserved.

▲(Left to Right) SINNER ©BLUEFIRE STUDIO CO., LTD., The World Before

▲(Left to Right) Final Interview ©2026 NEXT ENTERTAINMENT WORLD. All Rights Reserved.
HOPE ©2026 PLUS M ENTERTAINMENT, FORGED FILMS CO LTD, AND NA HONG-JIN. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

‘Korean Cinema Today - Panorama’ presents a diverse selection of the year’s Korean films, ranging from commercial blockbusters to arthouse gems and capturing the breadth and direction of contemporary Korean cinema. This year’s lineup consists of six titles, including four world premieres.

Ugly Duckling Ms. Maeng pairs Lee Sun-bin (Work Later, Drink Now, 2021) with veteran actor You Chea-myung in a lively comedy about a Korean language teacher who, due to an administrative error, finds herself trapped in a camp tasked with writing questions for the national college entrance exam. The film marks the feature directorial debut of Lee Yong-jae, screenwriter of Secret Zoo (2020) and In Our Prime (2022).

Still Shining marks legendary actor Kim Hye-ja’s return to the big screen after nine years. The film follows two seventeen-year-old best friends in 1942 who promise each other forever, before meeting again sixty years later. It is the latest film from Song Il-gon, who has built a distinctive cinematic world through works including Spider Forest (2004), The Magicians (2006), and the BIFF 2011 Opening Film Always (2011).

Starring Jung Sung-il and Park Ji-hyun (You and Everything Else, 2025), SINNER follows a Minister of Justice nominee drawn into a battle over the truth surrounding allegations of coercive interrogation in his past. The film marks the feature directorial debut of Hong Sung-min, whose screenplay was recognized at the 2023 Screenplay Contest for Korean Films organized by the Korean Film Council (KOFIC).

The World Before marks director Yoon Dan-bi’s return to BIFF with her second feature, which will make its world premiere at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival before screening in Busan as its Asian premiere. Her acclaimed debut feature, Moving On (2020), announced the arrival of a remarkable new filmmaker by winning four awards at BIFF 2019, including the NETPAC Award. The World Before follows seventeen-year-old Jin, who has spent her entire life on an island, as she encounters unfamiliar feelings over the course of a summer.

Final Interview stars an ensemble of rising talents, including Cho Yi-hyun (All of Us Are Dead, 2022), Kim Jae-won (Yumi’s Cells Season 3, 2026), Shin Seung-ho (Alchemy of Souls, 2022), Kang You-seok (Resident Playbook, 2025), Kwak Dong-yeon (The East Palace, 2026), and Bae Gang-hee (The Glory, 2022). The film unfolds during the final round of a corporate job interview when a mysterious envelope exposing each candidate’s secrets is discovered. It is directed by Kim Joung-hoon, best known for The Accidental Detective (2015) and The Pirates: The Last Royal Treasure (2022).

HOPE, the latest film from director Na Hong-jin, drew global attention even before its release with its large-scale production and powerhouse cast featuring Hwang Jung-min, Zo In-sung, Hoyeon, Taylor Russell, Cameron Britton, with Alicia Vikander and Michael Fassbender. The film was selected for Competition at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, drawing international attention to one of the year’s most anticipated Korean films.

With a wide-ranging lineup showcasing the breadth of contemporary Korean cinema, the 31st Busan International Film Festival will be held for 10 days from Oct 6 (Tue) to Oct 15 (Thu) in and around the Busan Cinema Center.

 [‘On Screen’ Section Selections]

 [‘Korean Cinema Today - Special Premiere’ Selections]

*Title in alphabetical order

 [‘Korean Cinema Today - Panorama’ Selections]

*Title in alphabetical order