2025 Korean Film Festival official poster. Photograph courtesy of KCC
SHOW

2025 Korean Film Festival: Bigger and bolder celebration of cinema

Pauline Songco

Lights, camera, K-film! 

The Korean Cultural Center in the Philippines (KCC) proudly presents the 2025 Korean Film Festival: Scenes on Screen, a multi-layered celebration of Korean cinema unfolding across screenings, exhibits, talks, and competitions. 

This year marks KCC’s most extravagant edition yet — bridging cultures, igniting imaginations and spotlighting the creative forces behind Korea’s cinematic masterpieces.

‘Production Design: Scene Architects Build On-Screen Worlds.’

Production Design: Scene Architects Build On-Screen Worlds

Exhibit runs from 27 August to 21 November 21 at KCC | Free Admission

Co-hosted by the Korean Film Archive and the KCC, this special exhibit delves into the fascinating world of production design, shining a spotlight on the visual architects behind some of Korea’s most iconic films.

Get an up-close look at the creative processes and stunning visual concepts by leading production designers: Ryu Seong-hee (Decision to Leave, The Handmaiden), Cho Hwa-sung (Hansan: Rising Dragon) and Han Ah rum (Kill Boksoon, Kingmaker).

This immersive exhibit showcases how words on a page evolve into living, breathing cinematic worlds through design, construction, and storytelling.

‘Talkback Session.’

Talkback Session: Conversations Between Philippine and Korean Film Experts

27 August at Cine Adarna, UPFI Film Center, University of the Philippines Diliman

Explore the creative process behind film production design, storytelling, and the evolving film industries of Korea and the Philippines.

From Korea, joining the session will be acclaimed production designer Han Ah rum (Kill Boksoon, Kingmaker) with producer RuBi (team manager of 'ARTCOMPANY HAN') along with Park Hee Seong, senior researcher from the Korean Film Council (KOFIC). 

Representative from the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) and Filipino film makers will also take part in the discussion, with full panel details to be announced soon.

The event will also feature the screening and awarding of the winning entries from the “Reel Connections: Student Short Film Competition.” Meet the rising talents behind Seoul Sight as they gear up for their upcoming trip to the 2025 Busan International Film Festival.

Sign up: bit.ly/2025KoreanFilmFestivalTalkBackSession.

‘Scenes on Screen.’

Korean Film Screening

29 to 31 August at SM Mall of Asia, SM City Iloilo, and SM Lanang Premier

Don’t miss this year’s curated lineup of gripping, thought-provoking Korean films: I, The Executioner (2024), Concrete Utopia (2023) and Kingmaker (2022).

Tingin Southeast Asian Film Festival: Korea as Guest Country

26 to 27 September, Gateway Cineplex 18

Korea takes the spotlight as a guest country and the opening film at the Tingin Southeast Asian Film Festival hosted by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) with the theme, “Women’s Ways of Seeing.”

The “2025 Korean Film Festival: Scenes on Screen” is a proud collaboration among the Korean Cultural Center in the Philippines, Korean Film Council, Film Development Council of the Philippines, National Commission for Culture and the Arts, University of the Philippines Film Institute, SM Cinema and Gateway Cineplex 18.