Jeonju International Film Festival J Vision Award Winner Ki Joo-bong and Jung Ae-hwa Star in “Lovers of an Empty House” Opening Nationwide

A Jeonju Film School planning and production support project… GV at Jeonju Digital Independent Cinema on the 14th

An ensemble forged by heavyweights from South Korea’s independent film scene, ‘Ki Joo-bong’ and ‘Jung Ae-hwa’, the feature-length independent film ‘Lovers of an Empty House’ made an immediate splash in major theaters nationwide on the 12th.

The film traces the unexpected companionship between two characters with contrasting shades: the romantic empty-house burglar ‘Bok-bok’ and the sharp loner ‘Eun-ja’, cut off from the world. In a road-movie format, it reworks a weighty message of comfort with polish—no matter the twilight of life or the most isolated moment, ‘new connections’ can still take root again.

Director ‘Kim Tae-hwi’, who holds the megaphone, is an alum of the Jeonju Film School’s second cohort. Through all-location filming in North Jeolla Province, he captured the region’s scenery directly on screen. In particular, after winning the 26th ‘Jeonju International Film Festival’ ‘J Vision Award’ in the Korean Cinema feature category, the film was also repeatedly invited to European film festivals, including those in Paris and Frankfurt, showcasing its aesthetic achievements on an international stage.

This theatrical release goes beyond simply screening a film. It is a notable win that demonstrates the perfect virtuous cycle model of a ‘regional film support system’—one that connected the project seamlessly from the Jeonju Film School’s script planning to Jeonju City’s production, post-production, and marketing support.

The film is currently meeting audiences on screens nationwide, including in Seoul, Changwon, and Daejeon. On the 14th at 7:30 p.m., at ‘Jeonju Digital Independent Cinema’, a ‘Talk with the Audience (GV)’ will be held right after the screening, with the director and actors participating directly, as organizers look to share the film’s lingering aftertaste even more deeply.