[Edaily Starin Choi Hee-jae Reporter] "The government needs to lay the groundwork so that new creators can be discovered and the Korean film industry can build its strength."

Director Jang Hang-jun, Executive Committee Chair, who successfully concluded the 22nd Jecheon International Music & Film Festival, made these remarks in an interview with E-Daily, stating, “The crisis in Korean cinema has accelerated as government support for low-budget independent films has dried up over the past few years.” He also emphasized, “For Korean cinema to make a comeback, continuous support for emerging creators and low-budget independent films is necessary.”
◇“Without a Generational Shift, Korean Cinema Will Wither Away”
This year’s Jecheon International Music & Film Festival attracted a total of 73,792 visitors, marking the highest attendance since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The number of domestic and international guests participating in the festival totaled 247 (204 from Korea and 43 from abroad), approximately three times the number from the previous year (88). The seat occupancy rate was 73%, a 12.3 percentage point increase from last year’s 60.7%.
Of particular note at this year’s festival were programs aimed at discovering new talent, such as “New Talent,” a competition for emerging film composers, and the Film Music Academy. This aligns with “discovering new talent,” which Director Jang identifies as the film industry’s greatest challenge. “In the past, groundbreaking new directors would emerge quite frequently, but recently that momentum has completely dried up,” he said, expressing concern that “without a generational shift, Korean cinema will wither away before long.”
Director Jang believes film festivals should play a role in discovering new creators and fresh works. He pointed out, “Cultural diversity must be ensured to build a solid audience base and stimulate private investment,” adding, “The film industry’s reach will expand only when a variety of works and creators can connect with audiences.”
The Korean film market, which had been stagnant since the COVID-19 pandemic, showed clear signs of a rebound this year. According to the Korean Film Council, revenue from Korean films in the first half of the year reached 370.2 billion won, and the number of moviegoers totaled 37.37 million—representing increases of 81.7% and 74.9%, respectively, compared to the same period last year.
Director Jang’s film *The Man Who Lives with the King* (Wangsa-nam) topped the all-time box office rankings as of the 16th, having drawn 16.92 million viewers and grossed 163.1 billion won. He remarked, “It’s significant that audiences are rediscovering the joy of watching movies together in theaters and are starting to return.”
Director Jang believes this year should mark the beginning of a resurgence for Korean cinema. “The most powerful weapon of Korean cinema is, ultimately, diversity,” he said, adding, “Various films must surpass the break-even point to support the market and steadily attract audiences.”

◇“Holdback Period Necessary to Restore the Theater Ecosystem”
According to the 2027 budget proposal announced by the government on the 1st, next year’s film support budget will be 172.6 billion won, an increase of 39.4 billion won from this year’s budget (133.2 billion won). While welcoming the budget increase, Director Jang emphasized the importance of support that actually leads to production.
“Private funding will only flow in once production gets underway, allowing us to move to the next stage,” he said, adding, “If the government doesn’t support independent films, no one else will. We need sustained expansion of support and continued attention.”
He expressed a positive stance on the voluntary agreement regarding “holdback” (the grace period between a film’s theatrical release and its release on other platforms, such as OTT services), a pressing issue in the film industry. While he acknowledged that this could burden the revenue of investment and distribution companies in the short term, he believes it is necessary to endure this for the long-term stability of the film industry.
Director Jang said, “If people can watch a movie at home one or two months after its release, they won’t go to theaters,” adding, “To restore the theater ecosystem, we urgently need a long-term perspective that views films not merely as commodities but as culture.”
When asked about his goal, he replied, “To survive as an active director for another 10 years.” Director Jang added, “I want to continue making films on set,” and laughed, saying, “If I can do this for just 10 more years, I’ll be grateful.”