Attention All Hong Kong Movie Fans! The Hong Kong Film Festival is Coming to the Korean Film Archive and Cinecube

In October, two Hong Kong film festivals will be held simultaneously. If you are a Hong Kong movie enthusiast, you might have to go back and forth between the Korean Film Archive in Sangam-dong and Cinecube in Gwanghwamun. First, the ‘Emotional Journey – Crossing Borders with Hong Kong Cinema’, co-planned by the Korean Film Archive and the Hong Kong Film Archive, and sponsored by the Cultural and Sports Department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, will be held at the Cinematheque KOFA from October 15 (Wednesday) to 25 (Saturday) as part of the ‘Hong Kong Week 2025@Seoul’ project (9.26~10.25). This special screening will feature four classic Hong Kong films produced from the 1960s to the 1980s and two Korean-Hong Kong co-productions, including the world premiere of the 4K restored version of the original 〈A Better Tomorrow〉 (1967), directed by John Woo, a legend of the Hong Kong noir genre, and starring Chow Yun-fat and Leslie Cheung, which has given countless memories to movie fans.

Additionally, the 4K digital version of 〈The Heroic Trio〉, directed by Johnnie To, which brought the first female martial arts actress, Cheng Pei-pei, to stardom, and the action-packed 〈Chungnyeoldo〉 will be screened. Along with these, the Korean version of the 007 spy film 〈Moments Are Forever〉, filmed by the godfather of Korean action films, Jeong Chang-hwa, and 〈The Great Battle 509〉 directed by Kim Dong-hak will also be available. To enhance understanding of the films, a special discussion and commentary will be provided after the screening of 〈A Better Tomorrow〉 (1967) by Hong Kong film researcher and critic Sam Ho, Joyce Yang, and film critic Joo Seong-cheol.

Opening Ceremony

October 15 (Wednesday) 19:00 Screening of 〈Chungnyeoldo〉

Closing Ceremony

October 25 (Saturday) 15:30 Screening of 〈A Better Tomorrow〉 (1967)

Film Introduction and Discussion

October 15 (Wednesday) 19:00 Introduction after the screening of 〈Chungnyeoldo〉

October 16 (Thursday) 19:00 Introduction before the screening of 〈The Heroic Trio〉

October 17 (Friday) 16:00 Introduction before the screening of 〈Moments Are Forever〉

October 17 (Friday) 19:00 Introduction before the screening of 〈The Great Battle 509〉

October 18 (Saturday) 13:00 Introduction before the screening of 〈A Better Tomorrow〉 (1986)

October 18 (Saturday) 15:30 Discussion after the screening of 〈A Better Tomorrow〉 (1967), with film critics Sam Ho, Joyce Yang, and Joo Seong-cheol

* Film introductions and discussions will be conducted with Cantonese-Korean simultaneous interpretation.

Mini Exhibition @ Cinematheque KOFA Lobby

Meanwhile, the ‘Making Waves: The New Wave of Hong Kong Cinema’ film festival will also be held from October 17 (Friday) to 20 (Monday) at Cinecube Gwanghwamun. This event is also part of the ‘Hong Kong Week 2025@Seoul’, hosted by the Hong Kong International Film Festival Society (HKIFFS) and sponsored by the Cultural Creative Industry Development Bureau (CCIDA) of the Cultural, Sports and Tourism Bureau of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government. ‘Making Waves’ will screen a total of 10 films from the heyday of Hong Kong cinema in the 1980s and 90s to recent works. The screenings will include various genres such as classic movies, emotional music films, action, documentaries, horror thrillers, family dramas, and true story films, and the genres and atmospheres of the works can be checked through the official poster. This four-day film festival will provide a platform for cultural exchange between Korea and Hong Kong. It will explore the past and present of Hong Kong cinema, and there will be opportunities for Hong Kong directors and actors visiting Korea to meet with Korean audiences, providing a chance to communicate directly with key figures in the Hong Kong film industry.

This year’s closing film of the Jecheon International Music & Film Festival, starring Jung Yi-gun, 〈Last Song for You〉, has been selected as the opening film, along with the warm family drama 〈Papa〉 starring Kwon Sang-woo, the record-breaking box office hit of last year, 〈Last Dance: The Rite of Rest〉, and 〈Stuntman〉 featuring legendary martial arts director Donnie Yen. The restored version of 〈The Underground World〉 starring Andy Lau and the early work of Wong Kar-wai, 〈Shanghai Blues〉, will also be screened, totaling 10 films for the audience. ‘Making Waves’ has been touring 24 cities worldwide since its inception in 2022. This Seoul event is a festival to introduce remarkable works by emerging Hong Kong filmmakers and representative classic films to the international stage, allowing audiences to experience the new wave of Hong Kong cinema.