Attendees walked the Opening Night red carpet at The 1st Los Angeles Korean Film Festival (LAKFF), held September 24, 2026, at Harmony Gold Preview House in Hollywood.
Opening Night crowds gathered at Harmony Gold Preview House in Hollywood during The 1st Los Angeles Korean Film Festival (LAKFF), September 24, 2026.
Approximately 2,200 cumulative audience visits were recorded over the three-day festival, which united Korean filmmakers with 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), which highlighted fresh trends and emerging voices within Korean cinema, wrapped up its three-day program running September 24 through 26. Organized and hosted by the Korean Cultural Center Los Angeles (Director Haedon Lee), the festival drew roughly 2,200 attendees across the event and featured 19 films in total. These included Korean independent and arthouse works, genre pieces, short films from up-and-coming directors, and projects employing AI technology, giving local audiences and filmmakers a look at the wide range and artistic richness of Korean cinema.
Themed “New Waves, New Voices,” the festival was held at Harmony Gold Preview House on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood as well as the Korean Cultural Center Los Angeles. The 334-seat venue sold out for Opening Night, and numerous major screenings and Q&A sessions throughout the three days reached full capacity ahead of time, reaffirming the strong enthusiasm among local viewers.
Korean filmmakers and actors, including Director Kim Jee-woon, actor Yoo Ji-tae, and Director Yoon Ga-eun and actress Seo Su-bin from the opening film The World of Love, walked the Opening Night red carpet. Also attending were LA-based filmmakers 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, showcasing 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 highlighted the ongoing need for events like this, stating, “It is very meaningful that an event celebrating Korean cinema is being held in LA, the city where films are made,” as worldwide interest in Korean cinema and storytelling continues to grow.
Showcasing the Full Range of Korean Cinema
The opening film, Director Yoon Ga-eun’s The World of Love, 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 Q&A after the screening, delving into the film’s themes and creative process. Director Yoon described the LA screening as “feeling like I was inside the heart of cinema,” and kept an engaging dialogue with the audience regarding the violence and wounds portrayed in the film, as well as life after such experiences.
The “Spotlight” segment, focusing on the work of Director Kim Jee-woon and actor Yoo Ji-tae, featured representative films like A Tale of Two Sisters and One Fine Spring Day, along with chances for audiences to meet the director and actor directly. Actor Yoo Ji-tae talked with attendees after the September 25 showing of One Fine Spring Day, while Director Kim Jee-woon, following the September 26 closing-day screening of A Tale of Two Sisters, had a thoughtful and in-depth conversation about how Korean themes and stories reach global audiences through genre cinema.
Programs showcasing new directions in Korean cinema continued across the festival. The Fin, an official selection from 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 viewers.
The “Next Scene” section featured seven award-winning films from the 2026 Mise-en-scène Short Film Festival. Among these, Directors Wi Eun-kyung and Son Gwang-min of My Aunt, which won awards including Best Film and Best Actor, joined a Q&A and highlighted the inventive worlds of Korean short films and emerging directors.
The “AI & Cinema” program presented the Korean-produced AI short films Sigumun and Fragment of Falling, and examined how advances in AI technology affect filmmaking and the creative landscape, as well as the role of creators. Director Jeon Ye-rin, co-director of Sigumun, participated remotely from Korea, while Hollywood screenwriter, producer, and AI content strategist Matt Allen, along with LA-based producer, director, and VFX supervisor Erick Geisler, served as panelists and offered varied viewpoints based on their creative experience in the field.
“It Was Great to Experience a Variety of Korean Films”
Local festival attendees expressed strong appreciation for the chance to see not only popular Korean movies but also independent and arthouse works and projects exploring new formats all in one venue, alongside their enthusiasm for 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.”
At Opening Night, Director Haedon Lee of the Korean Cultural Center Los Angeles stated, “Film is more than just entertainment. It is an art that connects different cultures and people,” explaining 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 exchanges with the Korean and LA film industries confirmed during this first event, the Korean Cultural Center Los Angeles intends to keep introducing diverse Korean films and creators to LA viewers and strengthen ties with the local U.S. film industry.
The festival was conducted 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 programming for all films shown at the festival. Urban Creator Inc. acted as the festival’s management agency.
Yunjun Cho
Urban Creator Inc
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