On September 24, 2026, the red carpet at Harmony Gold Preview House in Hollywood saw guests arriving for the opening night of the inaugural Los Angeles Korean Film Festival (LAKFF).
Opening night audiences filled Harmony Gold Preview House in Hollywood during the first Los Angeles Korean Film Festival (LAKFF) on September 24, 2026.
Roughly 2,200 cumulative audience visits were recorded over the three-day event, which brought together Korean filmmakers and Hollywood talent.
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Film is more than just entertainment. It is an art that connects different cultures and people.”— Haedon Lee, Director, KCCLALOS ANGELES, CA, UNITED STATES, October 2, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — The inaugural Los Angeles Korean Film Festival (LAKFF) successfully wrapped up its three-day run from September 24 to 26, offering a wide range of trends and emerging voices in Korean cinema. Organized and hosted by the Korean Cultural Center Los Angeles (Director Haedon Lee), the festival drew approximately 2,200 audience members across the three days and featured 19 films in total, including Korean independent and arthouse works, genre films, short films from up-and-coming directors, and projects that employed AI technology, giving local viewers and filmmakers a look at the full breadth and artistic richness of Korean cinema.
Running under the theme “New Waves, New Voices,” the festival was held at Harmony Gold Preview House on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood and at the Korean Cultural Center Los Angeles. The 334-seat theater was completely packed on opening night, and many key screenings and Q&A sessions throughout the three days sold out in advance, once more confirming the strong enthusiasm among local audiences.
The opening night red carpet was graced by Korean filmmakers and actors, including director Kim Jee-woon, actor Yoo Ji-tae, along with director Yoon Ga-eun and actress Seo Su-bin from the opening film The World of Love. Additionally, LA-based filmmakers such as director Maggie Kang of the Netflix animated film KPop Demon Hunters, as well as actors Kevin Woo, Ji-young Yoo, and Alicia Hannah-Kim, attended the event, highlighting active collaboration between the Korean and American film industries through Korean cinema.
During opening night, actor Yoo Ji-tae remarked, “I am happy to have the opportunity to share the potential of Korean cinema and the direction in which it can develop.” Director Maggie Kang stressed the ongoing need for events like this, saying, “It is very meaningful that an event celebrating Korean cinema is being held in LA, the city where films are made,” against the backdrop of rising global interest in Korean cinema and Korean storytelling.
Introducing the Broad Spectrum of Korean Cinema
Director Yoon Ga-eun’s The World of Love, which served as the opening film, was selected for the Platform section of the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival and earned the FIPRESCI Award at the Warsaw International Film Festival. Director Yoon Ga-eun and actress Seo Su-bin took part in a post-screening Q&A with the audience, delving into an in-depth discussion about the film’s themes and its production. Director Yoon described the LA screening as “feeling like I was inside the heart of cinema,” and continued a lively dialogue with attendees concerning the violence and wounds portrayed in the film, as well as life after enduring such experiences.
The “Spotlight” section, which showcased the works of director Kim Jee-woon and actor Yoo Ji-tae, featured representative films such as A Tale of Two Sisters and One Fine Spring Day, and offered audiences chances to meet directly with the director and actor. Actor Yoo Ji-tae spoke with viewers after the September 25 screening of One Fine Spring Day, while director Kim Jee-woon, following the September 26 closing-day screening of A Tale of Two Sisters, took part in a rich and thoughtful conversation about how Korean themes and stories connect with audiences worldwide through genre cinema.
Programs highlighting new trends in Korean cinema continued throughout the festival. 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 discuss the film with audiences.
The “Next Scene” section presented seven award-winning films from the 2026 Mise-en-scène Short Film Festival. Among them, directors Wi Eun-kyung and Son Gwang-min of My Aunt, which earned accolades including Best Film and Best Actor, participated in a Q&A and showcased the creative worlds of Korean short films and emerging filmmakers.
The “AI & Cinema” program screened the Korean-produced AI short films Sigumun and Fragment of Falling and examined how advances in AI technology are influencing filmmaking and the creative environment, as well as the role of creators. Director Jeon Ye-rin, co-director of Sigumun, joined from Korea, while Hollywood screenwriter, producer, and AI content strategist Matt Allen and LA-based producer, director, and VFX supervisor Erick Geisler served as panelists, offering diverse viewpoints based on their hands-on experience in the field.
“It Was Great to Experience a Variety of Korean Films”
Local attendees at the festival expressed strong appreciation for the chance to see not only popular Korean films but also independent and arthouse works and projects exploring new forms all in one location, along with their interest in Korean cinema.
One audience member commented, “It was a very good opportunity to experience a variety of Korean cinema in one place, beyond major Korean films that are usually more accessible,” adding, “I hope such meaningful programs will continue in the future.”
Director Haedon Lee of the Korean Cultural Center Los Angeles said during opening night, “Film is more than just entertainment. It is an art that connects different cultures and people,” explaining the purpose and importance of the festival in bringing diverse Korean films and creators to LA audiences.
Building on the strong local audience interest and the exchanges with the Korean and LA film industries confirmed through this first edition, the Korean Cultural Center Los Angeles intends to keep introducing a variety of Korean films and creators to LA audiences and to strengthen ties with the local 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 programming for all films shown at the festival. Urban Creator Inc. acted as the management agency for the event.
Yunjun Cho
Urban Creator Inc
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