[Busan = E-Daily Starin Reporter Choi Hee-jae ] Since its opening, the 31st Busan International Film Festival has been engaging audiences with a variety of topics both on and off the screen. From the controversy surrounding *The Assassin(s)* to visits by world-renowned stars, the festival has continued to draw attention from all corners.

The Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), which opened on the 6th at the Busan Cinema Center in Haeundae-gu, Busan, will run through the 15th, bringing films to audiences throughout the Busan area.

This year’s BIFF served as a platform to reaffirm the standing of Korean cinema, featuring visits from global stars—from Yang Zi-jing’s award win to director Alfonso Cuarón’s first visit to Korea. The red carpet production, which utilized artificial intelligence (AI), showcased a new look for the festival. With the added achievement of being selected as an A-list film festival, we take a look at the major topics that have been heating up Busan since the opening, as well as the challenges that remain.

◇ An “Assassin(s)” Event Without “Assassin(s)”
Although *The Assassin(s)* was not screened at this year’s Busan International Film Festival, it remained a hot topic throughout the event. Questions about the film arose at every gathering of filmmakers, and concerns and disappointment were expressed among festival-goers. Throughout the festival, *The Assassin(s)* remained at the center of attention despite its absence.

Recently, the film *Assassins*, which is based on the assassination of the late First Lady Yuk Young-soo, has faced allegations of historical distortion. Some have claimed that the film portrays former President Park Chung-hee as the mastermind behind the assassination.

Following the cancellation on the 1st of the talk show “Actors’ House,” which Lee Min-ho was scheduled to attend, the opening ceremony and outdoor stage greetings—which were to feature Director Hur Jin-ho, Yoo Hae-jin, Park Hae-il, and Lee Min-ho—were also canceled.

The controversy was also raised at official events following the festival’s opening. At the opening film press conference on the 6th, a question was posed regarding the Busan International Film Festival’s stance on “The Assassin(s),” but festival organizers responded, “Since this is a press conference for the opening film, we would like to focus on the film itself,” adding, “Our previously announced statement represents the festival’s position.” Previously, the Busan International Film Festival had stated regarding the cancellation of the schedule, “We respect the production company’s decision, which was made with the safety of the audience and guests and the smooth running of the event in mind.”

Director Zhang Yimou, a world-renowned master and this year’s Competition Section Jury President, addressed a question at the jury press conference on the 7th regarding the responsibility films should bear between historical facts and creative freedom. Acknowledging the controversy surrounding *The Assassin(s)*, he said, “I believe creativity is creativity,” adding, “I think there can be debate over whether what is called ‘historical truth’ is truly the truth in and of itself.” Director Jeong Ju-ri, who was also appointed as a jury member for the competition section, added, “As a filmmaker, I feel very discouraged.”

On the same day, at the 35th Buil Film Awards, Yoo Hae-jin, who won Best Actor for *The Man Who Lives with the King*, was unable to attend the ceremony, so Im Eun-jung, CEO of the production company Ondaworks, accepted the award on his behalf. Regarding the reason for Yoo Hae-jin’s absence, CEO Im stated, “He was unable to be here due to filming.”

On the 8th, film industry professionals held a press conference to state their position. With directors Jeong Ji-young and Lee Myung-se in attendance, the Film Industry Solidarity urged, regarding the controversy surrounding the film *The Assassin(s)*, “Do not use films as tools for political strife.”

That afternoon, Park Hae-il, the lead actor in *The Assassin(s)*, was the only cast member to travel to Busan. He appeared at the Community BIFF “Waikiki Brothers” Master Talk held at the Megabox Busan Theater in Nampo-dong, Busan, to meet with the audience.

Amid the ongoing controversy, the film *Assassins* continues to perform well at the box office. As the debate surrounding the film spreads both within and outside the film festival, discussions about freedom of expression and the responsibilities of creators are also continuing.

◇Global Stars Yang Zi-jing and Fan Bingbing Also Give a “Shout-out” to Director Lee Chang-dong
At the 31st Busan International Film Festival, which brought together countless stars and master filmmakers, one name was mentioned repeatedly: Director Lee Chang-dong, who attended the festival with his new film *Possible Love*.

Global star Yang Zi-jing, who returned to BIFF for the first time in 15 years after receiving the Asian Filmmaker of the Year Award, expressed her interest during the winners’ press conference, saying, “I’d like to work with Director Lee Chang-dong.”

Fan Bingbing also added her praise for “Possible Love.” She mentioned having seen the film at the Toronto International Film Festival, saying, “It was so good—it gave me a whole new kind of shock.”

Director Lee Chang-dong attended the Busan International Film Festival alongside the lead actors of the Netflix film *Possible Love*, set to be released this November: Jeon Do-yeon, Seol Kyung-gu, Jo In-sung, and Jo Yeo-jeong. The *Possible Love* team engaged with audiences through various events, including the opening ceremony, an open talk, official screenings, and Q&A sessions.

◇ Intense Interest in ‘The Empress’s Remarriage’
The Disney+ series “The Remarried Queen” was another hot topic at this year’s Busan International Film Festival. Ahead of its global release on the 4th of next month, the four lead actors—Shin Min-a, Joo Ji-hoon, Lee Jong-suk, and Lee Se-young—all visited Busan. They met with prospective viewers through a variety of programs, including screenings, Q&A sessions, and on-stage greetings.

In particular, “The Empress’s Second Marriage” premiered three episodes from its 10-episode series at the Busan International Film Festival. Tickets sold out immediately upon going on sale, demonstrating the intense interest in the series. Joo Ji-hoon and Shin Min-a also attended “Actors’ House” to share key highlights of the show.

The excitement was also evident at the outdoor events. The audience cheered continuously for the actors as they took the stage, and when Shin Min-ah appeared, exclamations such as “She’s so beautiful” and “She has a unique aura” erupted from the crowd.

Joo Ji-hoon said, “It’s going to be a dopamine rush,” while Lee Jong-suk expressed confidence, stating, “This is the first romance fantasy drama of its kind in Korean television—it might feel a bit unfamiliar, but it will definitely be entertaining.” Lee Se-young added, “I hope you’ll continue to follow the series with the same enthusiasm and excitement you’ve shown so far.”

◇Global OTT Services Use Busan as a Promotional Stage
At this year’s Busan International Film Festival, the aggressive promotional strategies of global online video streaming services (OTT) also drew attention. Disney+, in particular, went all out to promote *The Remarried Empress*. Its presence was so prominent both inside and outside the venue that insiders even joked, “Is this really Disney?”

Posters for *The Remarried Empress* were displayed repeatedly on the Media Wall at the Busan Cinema Center. The company also launched an advertising campaign to promote the film by placing ads on large digital billboards and building facades throughout downtown Busan, including Haeundae and Gwangalli.

A parade that seemed to bring the film’s world to life also took place on the streets. Aristocrats of the Dongdae Empire in lavish attire, figures delivering the imperial court newsletter, and a procession of knights carrying “The Remarried Empress” banners captured the audience’s attention. Promotional newspapers handed out while shouting “Special edition!” bore the headline, “Empress Navi Demands Approval for Remarriage Immediately Following Divorce.” It was a unique promotional approach that allowed people to experience the film’s setting in the real world.

Netflix also expanded its engagement with audiences by displaying posters for *Possible Love* at the Cinema Center. It transformed a café into a “love room” and set up a gallery and photo booth featuring works such as *Possible Love*, *Sweet Part-Time Job*, *The Blue Road*, *We, Like Waves*, and *Ray Gun*.

To mark the 10th anniversary of its entry into the Korean market, Netflix also held a parade featuring elements reminiscent of its flagship titles, such as “Squid Game,” “D.P.,” and “K-Pop Demon Hunters.”

◇Red Carpet: From Kim Hye-ja and Hwang Jung-min to AI Entrance Music
On the red carpet, where Asian stars gathered in full force, an AI-generated entrance song—a creative touch by Director Min Kyu-dong, the opening ceremony’s chief director—drew significant attention. The song introduced each guest by weaving their names, the titles of their works, and the mood of their projects into the lyrics and melody.

Kim Min-ha from the Netflix series *Sweet Part-Time Job* and Shim Eun-kyung from the film *Day and Night Are for Each Other* looked genuinely surprised, while Ryu Seung-ryong, Park Hae-joon, Ong Seong-wu, and Lee Sang-hee from the film *The Jeong Family* heated up the atmosphere by dancing. Director Hirokazu Kore-eda of *Look Back* smiled brightly, though he seemed a bit taken aback.

Kim Hye-ja, who returned to the big screen after nine years with the film *Still Shining*, also drew attention with her attendance. Kim Hye-ja appeared in a hanbok and greeted the audience with a wave and a smile. Although rumors about her health surfaced after she was seen being supported by others and coughing repeatedly, film officials dismissed them, saying it was “just a cold.”

Hwang Jung-min, who had been embroiled in rumors about his private life, also made an appearance at the official event. Hwang stood on the red carpet alongside *Hope* director Na Hong-jin, Jo In-sung, and Eum Moon-seok. He drew attention by greeting the crowd with a bright smile while wearing a gray suit.

◇Promoted to A-List: Who Will Take Home the Top Prize?
This year, the Busan International Film Festival was officially designated as an A-List film festival by the International Federation of Film Producers Associations (FIAPF), placing it on par with major global film festivals such as Cannes, Berlin, and Venice. The winner of the “Busan Award—Grand Prize,” the top prize in the competition section, is also eligible for submission to the Academy Awards’ Best International Feature Film category.

The films in the competition section are: △“Tae-ju of That Day” by Director Im Ha-yeon △“The Long, Long Night” by Director Yeom Gyu-bok △“Shave” by Director Kim Jeong-hoon △“Bread and Books” by Director Majid Majidi △Director Botir Abdurakhmanov’s “Hilol” △ Director Gu Yu’s “The Loneliness of First Encounters” △ Director Nanako Hirose’s “Between Two Lovers” △ Director Takuya Kato’s “The Day After Sunday” △Director Miki Tanaka’s *Silver Express* △ Director Shuichi Okita’s *Satoko Is Always There* △ Director Eddie Cha Hyo-no’s *My Mother* △ Director Joseph Angi Noen’s *A Name Engraved on the Sea* △ Director Li Yun-chan’s *To Be Ordinary*—a total of 13 films are in the running.

The 31st Busan International Film Festival will be held at the Busan Cinema Center and throughout Busan until the 15th. The closing ceremony will take place on the 15th, with Im Si-wan serving as the host.