[Edaily Starin Choi Hee-jae Reporter] The 52nd Seoul Independent Film Festival is on the hunt for the next Hong Kyung, Noh Jae-won, Oh Kyung-hwa, and Yoon Ga-i.

The 52nd Seoul Independent Film Festival is holding an open call for the “Actor Project – 60-Second Monologue Festival” to discover new actors for independent films. Applications will be accepted from the 14th until 6:00 p.m. on the 22nd.
The “60-Second Monologue Festival” began in 2018 at the suggestion of actors Kwon Hae-hyo and Jo Yoon-hee and was conceived to discover emerging actors in independent film and foster exchanges between filmmakers and actors. The number of applicants, which stood at 1,432 in its first year, increased more than fivefold to 7,757 last year, bringing the cumulative total over the past eight years to 23,490.
Now in its ninth year, the “60-Second Monologue Festival” accepts applications via the Seoul Independent Film Festival website, along with a video file of a self-chosen performance lasting no more than one minute (500 MB or less) that is easy to play. Twenty-four finalists will be selected through a preliminary round, and the final judging will take place during the 52nd Seoul Independent Film Festival.
In the finals, the final winners will be determined through public performances, and six winners will be awarded cash prizes and trophies. Detailed contest information can be found on the Seoul Independent Film Festival’s official website.
Notable actors who have participated in the “60-Second Monologue Festival” include Hong Kyung, Noh Jae-won, Oh Kyung-hwa, and Yoon Ga-i. At the 8th “60-Second Monologue Festival,” five actors—including Grand Prize winner Kwon Da-rim (one of whom won in two categories)—gained attention as rising stars, signaling the emergence of the next generation of leading actors.
Last year’s final judging panel included host actors Kwon Hae-hyo and Jo Yoon-hee, as well as director Byun Young-ju (a jury member for four consecutive years), known for the film *Hwacha* and the dramas *Death to Snow White—Black Out* and *The Mantis: A Killer’s Outing*; actress Jang Hye-jin, known for *Parasite*, *Master of the World*, and *I Was Completely Duped*; and actress Jo Jae-yoon from *The Great Lady of the 21st Century* “Death to Snow White – Black Out” and “Hwanhon”; and director Lee Ran-hee of “3rd Grade, 2nd Semester” and “Vacation.” Directors of films screened at the Seoul Independent Film Festival also participated in the judging and, through a vote, awarded the Director’s Choice Award to two recipients.
The 52nd Seoul Independent Film Festival, which is hosting the 9th “60-Second Monologue Festival,” will run for 10 days from November 25 to December 4. This year saw a record-high 1,917 entries, and the festival is set to present a diverse lineup of films to audiences.