Guests arrived for the Opening Night red carpet ceremony at the inaugural Los Angeles Korean Film Festival (LAKFF), held on September 24, 2026, at Harmony Gold Preview House in Hollywood.
Opening Night viewers packed Harmony Gold Preview House in Hollywood during the first Los Angeles Korean Film Festival (LAKFF), September 24, 2026.
Across the three-day event, roughly 2,200 cumulative audience visits were recorded, uniting Korean filmmakers with Hollywood industry professionals.
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Film is more than just entertainment. It is an art that connects different cultures and people.”— Haedon Lee, Director, KCCLLOS ANGELES, CA, UNITED STATES, October 2, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — The debut Los Angeles Korean Film Festival (LAKFF), which unveiled a broad range of styles and emerging voices within Korean film, wrapped up its three-day program running from September 24 through 26. Organized and presented by the Korean Cultural Center Los Angeles (led by Director Haedon Lee), the festival drew close to 2,200 attendees across the event and showcased 19 films in total—including Korean independent and arthouse features, genre works, shorts from up-and-coming directors, and movies employing AI technology—giving local audiences and filmmakers a comprehensive look at the breadth and artistic complexity of Korean cinema.
Presented under the banner “New Waves, New Voices,” the festival was staged at Harmony Gold Preview House on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood as well as at the Korean Cultural Center Los Angeles. The 334-seat venue was at capacity for the Opening Night, and numerous key screenings and Q&A sessions during the three days reached their ticket limits ahead of time, once more underscoring the strong enthusiasm among local viewers.
The Opening Night red carpet drew Korean filmmakers and performers, among them Director Kim Jee-woon, actor Yoo Ji-tae, and Director Yoon Ga-eun together with actress Seo Su-bin from the opening film The World of Love. Additionally, Los Angeles‑based creators such as Director Maggie Kang of the Netflix animated feature KPop Demon Hunters, along with actors Kevin Woo, Ji-young Yoo, and Alicia Hannah-Kim, attended the event, highlighting active cross‑industry exchange between Korean and American film communities through Korean cinema.
During the Opening Night, actor Yoo Ji-tae remarked, “I’m glad to have the chance to present the potential of Korean cinema and the path it can take going forward.” Director Maggie Kang underscored the ongoing need for gatherings of this kind, stating, “It is deeply meaningful that a celebration of Korean cinema takes place in LA, the city where movies are made,” against a backdrop of rising worldwide interest in Korean film and storytelling.
Showcasing the Full Range of Korean Cinema
Director Yoon Ga-eun’s The World of Love, the opening film, had been selected for the Platform section of the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival and earned the FIPRESCI Prize at the Warsaw International Film Festival. Director Yoon Ga-eun and actress Seo Su-bin took part in a post‑screening audience Q&A, engaging in a detailed dialogue about the film’s themes and creative journey. Director Yoon described the LA screening as “feeling like I was inside the heart of cinema,” and continued an animated discussion with viewers regarding the violence and wounds depicted in the movie, as well as life after enduring such experiences.
The “Spotlight” segment, focusing on the work of Director Kim Jee-woon and actor Yoo Ji-tae, featured representative titles such as A Tale of Two Sisters and One Fine Spring Day, and gave audiences direct interaction with the director and actor. Following the September 25 screening of One Fine Spring Day, actor Yoo Ji-tae conversed with the crowd; after the September 26 closing‑day screening of A Tale of Two Sisters, Director Kim Jee-woon held a deep and reflective discussion on how Korean subjects and narratives resonate with global audiences through genre cinema.
Throughout the festival, programming highlighting emerging trends in Korean cinema continued. The Fin, an official selection of the 78th Locarno International Film Festival, had its North American premiere, with Director Park Se-young and actor Go Woo present to talk with viewers about the film.
The “Next Scene” category presented seven award‑winning works from the 2026 Mise‑en‑scène Short Film Festival. Among them, Directors Wi Eun‑kyung and Son Gwang‑min of My Aunt—a film that won Best Film and Best Actor, among other prizes—joined a Q&A and showcased the imaginative realms of Korean short films and emerging filmmakers.
The “AI & Cinema” program screened the Korean‑produced AI short films Sigumun and Fragment of Falling, and explored the influence of AI technology advancements on filmmaking, the creative landscape, and the role of artists. Co‑director of Sigumun, Jeon Ye‑rin, joined from Korea, while Hollywood screenwriter, producer, and AI content strategist Matt Allen, together with LA‑based producer, director, and VFX supervisor Erick Geisler, served as panelists and contributed viewpoints grounded in their own creative practices.
“It Was Wonderful to See Such a Range of Korean Films”
Local festival attendees expressed strong appreciation for the chance to encounter not only well‑known Korean films but also independent and arthouse works and pieces experimenting with new formats in a single venue, alongside their enthusiasm for Korean cinema.
One audience member commented, “It was a fantastic opportunity to take in a wide variety of Korean films in one place, beyond the major Korean movies that are typically easier to find,” adding, “I hope such valuable programs continue in the future.”
Director Haedon Lee of the Korean Cultural Center Los Angeles said at the Opening Night, “Film is more than just entertainment. It is an art that connects different cultures and people,” outlining the festival’s purpose and importance in bringing diverse Korean films and creators to LA audiences.
Building on the strong local audience interest and the connections forged between the Korean and LA film industries through this inaugural edition, the Korean Cultural Center Los Angeles intends to keep introducing a wide array of Korean films and filmmakers to LA viewers and to deepen ties with the U.S. film industry.
The festival was organized in partnership with the Korean Film Council (Chairman Han Sang‑jun), the Mise‑en‑scène Short Film Festival, the King Sejong Institute Foundation U.S. Office (Director Han Kwang‑hyun), and KALH. Programmer Kim Young‑woo handled the curation of all films presented at the festival. Urban Creator Inc. acted as the festival’s management agency.
Yunjun Cho
Urban Creator Inc
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