South Korea’s Jeonju International Film Festival has appointed two co-directors – veteran actor Jung Joonho and the festival’s former deputy director Min Sungwook.
Former festival director Lee Joondong’s three-year contract ended earlier this year after he wrapped the festival’s 23rd edition, which was the first to be held as a fully fledged event since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Organisers stated that Jeonju is aiming to build on its solid cinephile following for its independent and alternative cinema programming but also lower the barrier for wider mass audiences. The new co-directorship is meant to more firmly establish its identity while aiming for popularization.
Jung shot to fame in the early 2000s after starring in films including the hit My Boss, My Hero gangster comedy franchise as well as the Iris TV series and feature. He is also head of Owl Company, an online shopping mall, and Happy Angela, a wedding/convention hall with art gallery and buffet in Busan.
Min has worked with the festival since it first launched and has previously acted as its secretary general and vice festival director. He is also a professor at Paekche Institute of the Arts’ department of broadcasting and entertainment.
The festival’s organising committee elected to appoint Jung and Min at a meeting on December 14. The two are due to have an appointment ceremony with the organising committee chairman Woo Beom-ki, who has been mayor of Jeonju city since this summer. (Traditionally, Jeonju mayor is the de facto organising committee chairman of the festival.)
Together, Jung and Min are set to run three editions of the festival, beginning with the 24th edition that is set to run April 27-May 6, 2023.
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