[Edaily Starin Choi Hee-jae Reporter] The government is providing its largest-ever subsidy to revitalize Korean film production. Notably, half of the supported projects are by first-time directors, reflecting a strong emphasis on discovering the next generation of filmmakers.

The Korean Film Council (KOFIC) announced on the 11th, “We have finalized the selection of 16 Korean film production projects to be supported under the 2026 supplementary budget, providing a total of 25.77 billion won.”
Following its launch in 2025 with a budget of 10 billion won and its expansion to 19.86 billion won in the 2026 regular budget, the support scale has been further expanded through this supplementary budget.
According to the Korean Film Council (KOFIC), the medium-budget Korean film production support program is an initiative launched by KOFIC in 2025. It aims to promote the production of medium-budget films, which play a central role in the Korean film industry, and to establish a virtuous cycle within the industry by stimulating private investment.
The 16 films selected this time are divided into three categories based on production budget: △Group A (net production cost of 2 billion won or more but less than 3 billion won) with 5 films, △Group B (net production cost of 3 billion won or more but less than 6 billion won) with 6 films, and △Group C (net production cost of 6 billion won or more but less than 10 billion won) with 3 films △Group D (net production budget of 10 billion won or more but less than 15 billion won), comprising 2 films.
Group A includes a total of five films: △“Ten Birthdays” directed by Lee Seok-geun, △“Women in a Jar” directed by Baek Seung-bin, △“The Ghost of Bongcheon-dong” directed by Han Dong-seok, △“Nam Eun-jeong” directed by Kim Dong-hoon, and △“Thank Goodness” directed by Koji Fukada.
“Ten Birthdays” is directed by Lee Seok-geun, who gained attention for “Your Wedding,” starring Park Bo-young. “Women in a Jar” is directed by Baek Seung-bin, a graduate of the Korean Academy of Film Arts (KAFA). Director Han Dong-seok’s *The Ghost of Bongcheon-dong* is a Korean horror film based on the webtoon of the same name, while Director Kim Dong-hoon’s *Nam Eun-jeong* is generating anticipation with the confirmed casting of Yeom Jung-ah and Park Eun-bin as mother and daughter. *Thank Goodness* is directed by Koji Fukada, who has received critical acclaim at international film festivals for films such as *Harmonium* and *Nagi’s Notebook*.
In Category B, a total of six films were selected: △ “Da Capo” by Director Lee Eon-hee △ “Sato Oh Hoeng-mook” by Director Ko Do-won △ “Korean-Style Apartment Murder” by Director Woo In-beom △ “My Left Arm” by Director Jo Jin-mo △ “Let’s Shake Our Sun” by Director Park Dan-hee △ and “Ghoul: Workshop of Horror” by Director Woo Moon-ki.
“Da Capo” is a new film directed by Lee Eun-hee, who previously directed “How to Love in a Big City,” starring Kim Go-eun and Noh Sang-hyun. “Sato Oh Hong-mook” is a detective drama set in the Joseon Dynasty, while “Korean-Style Apartment Murder” is a film that combines thriller and black comedy elements set in a confined space.
“My Left Arm” offers a fresh perspective on disability, while “Let’s Shake Our Sun” stars Lee Do-hyun and Kim Min-ha. “Gangshi: Workshop of Horror” reunites director Woo Moon-ki of “Jokgu King” with actor Ahn Jae-hong.
Group D includes three films: △ “Typhoon” directed by Lee Jeong-ho, △ “Cartel” directed by Eom Yu-na, and △ “I Am a Firefly” directed by Lee Jun-ik.
“I Am a Firefly,” the new film by Director Lee Jun-ik starring Park Hae-il and Park Seo-joon, deals with a tragic event in South Korea’s modern history. “Cartel,” directed by Eom Yu-na, is a Korean-style noir that questions the nature of the power and absurdity that have taken control of society. Director Lee Jung-ho’s *Typhoon* features Han Ji-min and Koo Kyo-hwan as a married couple, depicting their journey to confront the essence of their relationship amid the disaster of a massive typhoon.
Through this supplementary budget, two films were selected for the “Lagoon” program—a temporary initiative established to address the crisis facing the Korean film industry: △ Director Eom Tae-hwa’s *A Good Place to Live* (working title) and △ Director Park Jong-hyun’s *Modum*. Each film will receive 3 billion won in production funding.
“A Good Place to Live” (working title) is the new film by Director Eom Tae-hwa, who previously depicted a cross-section of human life within an apartment complex during a disaster in *Concrete Utopia*. It stars Hwang Jung-min, Ko Min-si, and Eum Moon-seok. “Modum” is director Park Jong-hyun’s feature film debut, combining indigenous shamanism with an immersive adventure, starring Yoo Hae-jin, Im Si-wan, and Kim So-hyun. Each film will receive 3 billion won in production funding.
Among the 16 selected films, 8 were directed by first-time directors, accounting for 50% of the total. This result significantly exceeds the minimum selection rate of 30% for first-time directors stipulated in the program guidelines established by the Korean Film Council (KOFIC) to discover new talent. With talented first-time directors selected evenly across various categories, a foundation has been laid for new creators to grow into leading figures in Korean cinema.
The Final Selection Committee (chaired by Kim Do-su) commented, “If these projects—which aim to offer fresh takes on diverse genres and themes—proceed to actual production and release, allowing them to reach audiences, they will serve as a catalyst to breathe new life into the stagnant Korean film industry.”
Existing mid-budget Korean films that have received production support are also preparing to be released to audiences in sequence. Among these, *Dora* (directed by Jung Ju-ri) was invited to the Directors’ Fortnight section at the 79th Cannes Film Festival and the Gala Presentation at the 31st Busan International Film Festival, while *The Final Interview* (directed by Kim Jeong-hoon) was invited to the “Korean Cinema Today: Panorama” section at the 31st Busan International Film Festival. Including these, films completed with support from the mid-budget production support program are set to be released domestically one after another.
As films completed through the Korean Film Council’s (KOFIC) mid-budget production support program continue to make their way to domestic and international film festivals and theaters, all eyes are on whether these supported films will breathe new life into the stagnant Korean film market.