Director Jang Hang-jun Promises a New Leap for the Jecheon International Music & Film Festival and Enhancing Its Status as a Film City

New Vision for the Jecheon International Music & Film Festival

Director Jang Hang-jun expressed his ambition to elevate Jecheon’s status as a film city while envisioning a bright future for the Jecheon International Music & Film Festival. In April, he took office as the executive chairman for a two-year term and stated during a press conference held at Jecheon City Hall, "When I received the proposal to be the executive chairman, opinions among my colleagues were divided, but over time, I decided to accept it."

Turning Challenges into Opportunities

Reflecting on the past 20 years, Director Jang mentioned various difficulties faced by the international music film festival. He emphasized, "I believe that the ups and downs themselves are rather an opportunity for both me and Jecheon to leap forward," stating that these challenges could serve as a catalyst for moving in a better direction. Director Jang vowed, "I will strive to rise up."

Jecheon, the Best Film City in the Country!

He promised to do his best to ensure that Jecheon can stand shoulder to shoulder with the best film cities in the country, such as Busan, Jeonju, and Bucheon, and is confident that his background and experience will positively impact the festival. The high-level directing skills demonstrated in his representative works, such as the films 'Turn on the Light' (2002), 'Night of Memories' (2017), and 'Rebound' (2023), are expected to be showcased in the upcoming festival.

A Festival Where Music and Film Come Together

The Jecheon International Music & Film Festival, the only music film festival in Asia, will be held from September 4 to 9 under the slogan 'Let's All Jimp'. This year, 134 films from 35 countries will be screened, and the number of participating countries and works may vary based on the results of the newly established music video awards.

Strengthening Communication with the Audience

Programmer Jo Myung-jin stated, "We plan to organize sections with films that have good music to approach the audience more familiarly." This shows the direction aimed at enhancing communication with the audience and providing a new experience in enjoying the festival.

Efforts to Resolve Screening Hall Issues

Secretary General Choi Il-jun appealed regarding the controversial screening hall issue from last year, saying, "I hope you understand that using the old Megabox cinema is an unavoidable choice for the growth of the international music film festival." Currently, Jecheon lacks large-scale cinemas suitable for hosting an international film festival. The closed Megabox Jecheon branch will be renovated for use as the main screening hall for the festival.

Opening Ceremony and Special Events of the Festival

This year’s festival opening ceremony will be held at Jecheon Mosan Airfield, and the secretariat plans to install a dome-shaped structure to prepare for adverse weather conditions such as heat waves or rain. Actor Kang Ha-neul will serve as the festival ambassador, and actors Lee Joon-hyuk and broadcaster Jang Do-yeon will host the opening ceremony to announce a splendid start.