Jeonju Dome Was Filled with about 2,300 Audiences and 140 Cineastes

“Jeonju is…?” “A film!” More than 2,300 audiences filled Jeonju Dome responded enthusiastically to the lead of Kim Seungsoo, the chairperson of the organizing committee at the Jeonju International Film Festival. It was the opening declaration announcing the full recovery of the film festival after 3 years of the COVID-19 Pandemic. The Jeonju International Film Festival, which newly created the framework of the film festivals in the COVID-19 era, such as theater screenings without audiences and online GV, became the first film festival to overcome the Pandemic and declare the opening with the audiences on April 28, 2022. Lee Joondong, the chairperson of the Jeonju IFF, said, “We’re still cautious, but we’ve made a lot of efforts to restore the festive mood fully. I think the role of Jeonju International Film Festival is to take the lead in making the way.”

About 140 domestic and foreign cineastes, including Director Lee Changdong, Actor Na Moonhee, and Actor Park Haseon, attended the red-carpet event for the first time in two years, adding more heat to the festival. Also, many guests from abroad attended the opening ceremony. Hundreds of audiences lined up around the long red carpet from the outside to the opening ceremony stage inside Jeonju Dome. The cheers and applause of the audience continued in and out of the Dome. Especially, the audiences enthusiastically welcomed and cheered Justin H. Min, the rising Hollywood star and main actor of After Yang, the opening film of the 23rd Jeonju IFF. After receiving a bouquet of welcome flowers from the audience, Actor Justin H. Min expressed his expectation that ‘he would like to talk a lot about films with the audience during the film festival.’

The opening ceremony of the 23rd Jeonju International Film Festival, hosted by Actors Jang Hyunsung and Yoo Inna, was followed by the introduction of juries in major competition categories and the presentation of the Lifetime Achievement Award. The Lifetime Achievement Award was given to Lee Taewon, the late CEO of Taeheung Pictures, who contributed to the revival of Korean film production companies by producing the film Seopyeonje, the first Korean film that attracted 1 million viewers, and Chunhyang, the first Korean film that entered the Competition at Cannes. In addition, a special celebration performance drew favorable responses from the audience. The performance of ‘DoReMiFa,’ an a cappella group formed by Actors Oh Daehwan, Lee Joongok, Lee Hocheol, Kim Junbae, Hyun Bongsik, and Choi Youngwoo, who made strong impressions with the ‘villainous scene stealers’ in Korean films, was unveiled for the first time. They are going to unveil a TV variety show about the villains’ ‘A Cappella’ challenge. 

Most of the 2,300 audiences who filled the opening ceremony remained together to watch After Yang, the opening film. The cineastes who visited the opening ceremony said, “The film festival with the audience is touching.” The 23rd Jeonju International Film Festival will screen 217 films (143 features and 74 shorts) from 56 countries around Jeonju Film Street for 10 days until May 7.

In particular, on May 5th and 6th, the holiday for Children’s Day, Korean musicians such as 10cm, Kim Feel, and Sunwoo Jung-a will attend the music festival ‘Have A Nice Day X Jeonju International Film Festival’ to greet the audience who visit the film festival after a long time.