Busan 2025: The buzz titles from South Korea

Festival 

The Accordion Door
Dir. Son Kyeong-su
This drama, playing in the Vision Korea strand, centres on a writing-­obsessed student who becomes captivated by a football-loving girl, sparking vivid dreams that blur reality with something more mysterious. Moon Woo-jin, recently seen in Dark Nuns, and Lee Jae-in of box-office hit Hi-Five headline the cast. The feature debut of director Son is produced through the Korean Academy of Film Arts, with a local release due in Q3 2026.
Contact: M-Line Distribution

Audition 109
Dirs. Jung Woo, Oh Seong-ho
Drama Audition 109, which follows a man who moves to Seoul with dreams of becoming an actor, is the sequel to Busan 2009 premiere Wish and plays here in the Korean Cinema Today section. Actor Woo — who wrote the screenplay — reprises his starring role as Jiang-gu. He also makes his directing debut, co-helming with Oh, who won three awards at Busan in 2021 with Through My Midwinter. The cast includes Jung Soo-jung (Cobweb) and Shin Seung-ho (Omniscient Reader: The Prophecy) and a release is planned for early 2026.
Contact: Redice Entertainment 

Boss
Dir. Ra Hee-chan
This action comedy follows members of a gang during the search to appoint a new boss. But rather than fight for the title, the gangsters dream of escaping to a normal life. The cast is led by Jo Woo-jin (Harbin), Jung Kyung-ho (Men Of Plastic) and Park Ji-hwan (The Roundup franchise). Screening in the Korean Cinema Today strand, it is produced by Hive Media Corp, the company behind 12.12: The Day, Korea’s biggest box-office hit of 2023. Director Ra’s credits include Going By The Book and Mr Idol, and a local release is set for October.
Contact: Finecut 

Coming Of Age
Dir. Jeong Seung-o
When a father is diagnosed with terminal cancer, the news forces two long-divided families to confront their past issues. Ha Yoon-kyung of Extraordinary Attorney Woo stars as the man’s daughter, alongside Ki Joo-bong who won best actor at Locarno in 2018 for Hong Sang-soo’s Hotel By The River. Coming Of Age plays in the Vision Korea section, and marks the second feature of director Jeong, who debuted with Move The Grave in 2019. A local release for the Zoetrope production is due in the second half of 2026.
Contact: Indiestory 

En Route To
Dir. Yoo Jae-in
Playing in Competition, this drama centres on a high-school student who falls pregnant after an affair with her married teacher and attempts to terminate the pregnancy through illicit means. The cast is led by Sim Su-bin alongside Lee Ji-won (Hitman), and Jang Sun from Busan 2023 award ­winner Concerning My Daughter. En Route To marks the feature directorial debut of Yoo, who also penned the screenplay — her graduation project from the Korean Academy of Film Arts.
Contact: Hive Filmworks

Funky Freaky Freaks
Dir. Han Chang-lok
Three high-school kids find their fragile friendship is rocked when a charming transfer student causes feelings of love, envy and revenge. Joo Min-hyeong, Baek Ji-hye and Jeong Soo-hyun star. Screening in Competition, this is the debut feature of Han, who wrote the screenplay, and is produced by Korea National University of Arts. A release is expected in Q3 2026.
Contact: M-Line Distribution

People And Meat
Dir. Yang Jong-hyun
Three elderly friends facing financial hardship hatch a plan to eat at BBQ restaurants across Seoul without paying, and the dine-and-dash trio find a new passion for life in the process. The cast includes veteran actors Park Keun-hyong (Salut d’Amour), Jang Yong (My Husband Got A Family) and Ye Su-jeong (An Old Lady), and the film plays Busan in the Korean Cinema Today strand after premiering at Tribeca. Produced by Film Dorothy, it is the third feature of director Yang after Kill Me (2009) and The Pension (2017) and is set to open locally in October.
Contact: KT Studiogenie

Project Y
Dir. Lee Hwan
Two friends who make their money in the seedy underbelly of the city steal a stash of gold bars, making dangerous enemies in the process. The cast is led by Han So-hee of Netflix series Gyeongseong Creature and Jun Jong-seo of 2023 Netflix film Ballerina. Project Y marks the third feature of director Lee after 2018’s Park Hwa-young and 2020’s Young Adult Matters, which picked up awards after its premiere at Busan. Project Y bowed at Toronto and screens here in the Korean Cinema Today section.
Contact: Plus M Entertainment

Seven O’Clock Breakfast Club For The Brokenhearted
Dir. Lim Sun Ae
Playing in Competition, this romantic drama begins at a breakfast club where two lovelorn people stumble on mysterious ‘breakup souvenirs’, leading them to search for the owner. The cast is led by K-pop star Bae Suzy of romance Architecture 101 and Netflix series Doona! alongside Lee Jin Uk, most recently seen in the second season of Squid Game. Lim previously directed An Old Lady, which won the KNN award at Busan in 2019, and returned to the festival in 2023 with Ms. Apocalypse. Produced by W/A Studio, WYSIWYG Studios and Soop Entertainment, a release is due in early 2026.
Contact: KT Studiogenie

Market

Even If This Love Disappears From The World Tonight
Dir. Kim Hye-young
This poignant love story depicts the romance between an ordinary boy and a girl whose memory resets every morning. Starring Choo Young-woo and Shin Si-ah (The Old Woman With The Knife), the film is based on a 2020 novel by Ichijo Misaki, which was previously adapted as a Japanese feature in 2022 and proved a success at the Korean box office with 1.21 million admissions. Director Kim is known for coming-of-age drama It’s Okay!, which won the Crystal Bear at the 2024 Berlinale. A local release is planned in December.
Contact: Redice Entertainment

The Favor
Dir. Shin Joon
After a mysterious old man helps a family beset by tragedy, others in the village seek his miraculous help — but assistance comes with a curse. Kim Byong-chil (Doctor Cha), Song Ji-hyo (Intruder) and Kim Hieora (The Glory) headline Shin’s second feature after Yongsoon, which picked up an award at Busan in 2016. Produced by Mayday Holding, I Film and Studio Plum, The Favor is in post ahead of a planned release later this year.
Contact: Barunson E&A

The First Ride
Dir. Nam Dae-joong
This road-trip adventure reunites director Nam with actor Kang Ha-neul after scoring box-office success with Love Reset. The First Ride follows four childhood friends who set off on a long-awaited journey to Thailand, only to find themselves caught in a wild ride of chaotic mishaps and absurd misadventures. It is produced by Brainshower and TH Story. Kang is also known for his role in Squid Game while director Nam’s credits include 2019 comedy Homme Fatale and 2016’s The Last Ride.
Contact: Showbox

Home A Loan
Dir. Kim Tae-kyeong
This mystery thriller follows a mother who moves her family into a rundown apartment with hopes of a luxurious rebuild, but begins to lose her sanity as the plan fails. The cast is led by Yoo Seon (Black House), Lee Seo-yeon (Family Matters) and Lee Cheon-mu (When Life Gives You Tangerines). Director Kim is known for horror films Dead Friend, Muoi: The Legend Of A Portrait and Don’t Click. His latest feature, which is in post, is his first in 13 years.
Contact: Hive Filmworks

Hope
Dir. Na Hong-jin
Hwang Jung-min, Alicia Vikander and Michael Fassbender star in this sci-fi thriller set in a remote harbour town, where a mysterious discovery threatens the residents. Na is the director of 2016’s The Wailing as well as Cannes selections The Chaser (2008) and The Yellow Sea (2010). He is also jury president for Busan’s inaugural Competition section. Produced by Na’s Forged Films and Plus M Entertainment, Hope is in post-­production ahead of a summer 2026 release.
Contact: Plus M Entertainment

Humint
Dir. Ryoo Seung-wan
Director Ryoo, whose I, The Executioner played at Cannes in 2024, returns with this espionage action feature. The story depicts secret agents from North and South Korea clashing while uncovering crimes on the Vladivostok border. The starry cast is led by Zo In-sung, who starred in Ryoo’s 2023 box-office hit Smugglers, Park Jeong-min (Harbin) and Park Hae-joon (Yadang: The Snitch). Produced by Filmmaker R&K and now in post-production, a release is expected in 2026.
Contact: Contents Panda

No Kids (working title)
Dir. Choi Won-sub
After scoring success together with Hitman: Agent Jun and Hitman 2, director Choi reunites with star Kwon Sang-woo for comedy No Kids. The story follows a father who must keep the existence of his daughter a secret to avoid losing his first love, who he meets again by chance. The cast also includes award-winning actress Moon Chae-won of TV series The Princess’ Man and 2018 feature Feng Shui. No Kids is a remake of Ariel Winograd’s 2015 Argentinian film of the same name, and is in post-­production.
Contact: Lotte Entertainment

Pig Village
Dir. Lee Sang-yong
This gritty thriller, billed as the biggest English-language film ever made through the Korean studio system, reunites star Don Lee with the director behind two instalments of blockbuster franchise The Roundup. Set on the US-Mexico border, Lee plays a bare-knuckle boxer caught in a web of corruption after botching a fixed fight. The ensemble cast includes Michael Rooker (Guardians Of The Galaxy), Ali Ahn (Agatha All Along) and Abraham Popoola (The Marvels). Lee produces Pig Village through Big Punch Pictures alongside Nova Film and B&C Content; the film is jointly presented by ABO Entertainment. Plus M Entertainment has worldwide sales, with WME Independent repping North America and K-Movie Entertainment for Asia (except Japan, China, Turkey, CIS, inflight).
Contact: Plus M Entertainment (worldwide) 

The Roundup 5 (working title)
Dir. TBA
The latest in the blockbuster action franchise starring Don Lee is due to shoot in the first half of 2026 ahead of an anticipated release in 2027. Plot details are under wraps but the film will again star Lee as Detective Ma Seok-do, aka the Beast Cop, who faces a new villain. Produced by Lee’s Big Punch Pictures, Hong Film and BA Entertainment, it is presented by ABO Entertainment. Last year, The Roundup: Punishment premiered at the Berlinale and made more than $80m from 11.5 million admissions to rank as the second biggest film of 2024 in South Korea.
Contact: K-Movie Entertainment

The Ultimate Duo
Dir. Park Chul-hwan
A down-on-his-luck rural detective teams up with his social-media savvy rookie partner to solve a murder case, leading them to Seoul. The cast is led by Bae Seong-woo and Jung Ga-ram, both stars of acclaimed 2020 crime drama Beasts Clawing At Straws, and Esom, whose credits include Escape and Kill Boksoon. The feature-directing debut of Park, known for TV series Blood Free and Grid, is produced by Generation Blue Films. It is in post ahead of a release later this year.
Contact: Contents Panda

Wrangler
Dir. Seo Eun-sun
Choi Seung-yoon, who won awards for her role in Toronto 2022 title Riceboy Sleeps, plays a dog trainer visited by her sister, who has a criminal record for murder. The bizarre behaviour of the sibling (played by Kim Seung-hwa, whose credits include Disney+ series Seoul Busters) starts to reveal hidden truths. The thriller is the feature-directing debut of Seo and is produced by the Korean Academy of Film Arts.
Contact: Finecut

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