Jecheon film festival opens next month with record 189 films

South Korea's Jecheon International Music and Film Festival will commence on 3 September with the largest selection in its history. The 22nd edition, running through 8 September in Jecheon, a city roughly 120 kilometres southeast of Seoul, will showcase 189 films alongside live performance programming, according to organisers announced on 6 August.

The festival opens with "Congo Boy", a 2026 musical feature. Festival executive committee chair Chang Hang-jun, who recently directed the historical drama "The King's Warden", described the programme as a convergence of "good movies, good music and good people".

Two of South Korea's most acclaimed auteurs will grace the opening ceremony: filmmaker Bong Joon-ho, whose works include the Oscar-winning "Parasite", and director Park Chan-wook. Bong will also participate in a dedicated programme for festival attendees. Actor Ahn Jae-hong has been appointed as festival ambassador.

The record film count signals the festival's expansion as a destination for cinephiles across Asia. The nine-film increase from the previous edition reflects growing submission numbers from independent distributors and emerging filmmakers across the region. By pairing auteur retrospectives with contemporary selections, Jecheon positions itself as a mid-tier alternative to larger festivals like Busan, which often prioritises premiere premieres and market activity over programming breadth.

The festival runs from 3–8 September in Jecheon, South Korea.