Korean Film Festival KFFIA (Korean Film Festival In Australia)

Many people watch movies as movie enthusiasts, for a change of pace, or as a hobby.

There is hardly anyone who dislikes movies, and everyone will have their own masterpiece in their memory.

For some, a single film can become a turning point in life beyond simple enjoyment.

In this way, film is closely connected to our lives and conveys many things.

The Australian Korean Film Festival has opened in Melbourne.

Experience the Australian Korean Film Festival with All Your Senses

The Korean Film Festival in Australia (KOFFIA), held annually by the Korean Cultural Office Australia (Director Lee Dong-ok) and sponsored by Samsung Australia, finally took place in Melbourne on September 9, 2014, following events in Sydney, Canberra, and Brisbane.

Compared to 2013, when the festival was held in three cities, it has doubled its size, and this year the host cities are held in six cities across Australia (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Canberra, Adelaide, Perth), solidifying its position as the Australian Korean Film Festival.

By parodying Marilyn Monroe's work Some Like It Hot in an Eastern way, the film presents a unique and diverse range of Korean films to Australian audiences accustomed to Hollywood cinema under the theme of 'Some Like It Spicy.'

This year, the festival's city-specific opening order is first and first simultaneously held in Sydney and Canberra, followed by Brisbane, Perth, Melbourne, and Adelaide. In Melbourne , the festival will open on Tuesday, September 9, and close on Tuesday, September 16, for eight days at ACMI (Australian Centre for the Moving Image) in Federation Square, the heart of the festival.

▲ Some of the movie posters being shown

This year's festival will introduce 19 of the latest Korean films. It mainly features films that performed well at the box office from last year through the first half of this year, focusing on the latest works in various genres such as thrillers, horror, noir, and action.

The opening film will be directed by Jo Ui-seok / Kim Byung-seo and starring Sol Kyung-gu, Jung Woo-sung, and Han Hyo-joo, while the closing film will be 'Wish' directed by Lee Joon-ik and starring Sol Kyung-gu / Um Ji-won.

Other works included the Independent Film Dinner, which was selected as the closing film of the 2013 Busan International Film Festival; the documentary Norano, which reflects on the work and life of Norano, Korea's first fashion designer and creator of miniskirts; the Korean fantasy romance animation 'Our Star Ilho and Ilrookso,' which became a sensation with voice actors Yoo Ah-in and Jung Yu-mi; and Ha Jung-woo's directorial debut, Roller Coaster, all of which made their way to the Australian Korean Film Festival this year.

And the lead role of Big Bang's top student, who has gained worldwide popularity through K-Pop, includes Lee Jun (MBLAQ) from Actor Da, Jinyoung from Her Suspicious (B1A4), Junho from The Watchers (2PM), BoA from Law of Sensuality, and many other K-Pop singers appearing in numerous works. Recently, stars at the center of the Korean Wave have appeared, including Secretly Greatly (Kim Soo-hyun) and Boiling Youth.(Lee Jong-suk) and Elegant Lies (Yoo Ah-in) were also included in the program lineup.

Moreover, Hide and Seek, praised as the greatest thriller in Korean cinema, is even more thrilling thanks to its tense story based on real events and the strong acting of lead Son Hyun-joo.

Next, in the limited studio space, Ha Jung-woo's solid acting and thrilling The Terror Live from start to finish; Shinsegae, acclaimed as a new level of Korean-style noir and creating a box office sensation; Gong Gong-ho, whose top staff from various fields came together to deliver unprecedented action; and the realistic romantic comedy Love Temperature starring Lee Min-ki and Kim Min-hee.

More than 200 film festivals are held worldwide. Although it may not be as large and eventful as the Cannes, Venice, and Berlin Film Festivals, which are considered the world's top three film festivals, this year marks the fifth year of the festival, gradually developing and expanding, making it one of the events that can inspire pride as Koreans.

The Korean Cultural Center stated that the Korean Film Festival serves as a great opportunity to introduce Korean culture to Australian society and imprint Korea's development, asking for many local Australians to introduce and participate. Additionally, since this is a rare opportunity to experience many of the latest Korean films at large theaters in the heart of Australia, they asked for much interest and participation.

Tickets are priced at $16 for adults and $12.50 for Concession, and for more information and advance ticket reservations, please visit the official Korean Film Festival website (WWW.KOFFIA.COM.AU).