The Korean Film Festival in Australia (KOFFIA) is set to make a grand return to Sydney in 2024, showcasing an impressive array of Korean cinematic masterpieces.
This year, KOFFIA introduces a new format with Sydney hosting the main festival, while four other cities will feature a curated selection of FREE screenings through the Korean Film Festival in Australia Touring Program. Taking place in Sydney from August 22 to August 27, KOFFIA will present ten Australian premiere screenings of Korean films. Meanwhile, the Touring Program will visit Canberra (August 31 – September 1), Burnside (September 10 – 13), Benalla (September 14 – 15), and Alice Springs (October 9 – 12), offering a taste of the festival with four selected films screening for free in each city.
KOFFIA Programmer Francis Lee stated, “We are thrilled to bring KOFFIA back to Sydney and to introduce the Touring Program, which allows us to share the beauty and diversity of Korean cinema with a wider audience across Australia. This year’s selection of films promises to captivate viewers with its rich storytelling and exceptional cinematography.”
Opening the festival across all locations is FAQ, a whimsical family comedy about an overburdened elementary student, Dong-chun, who discovers the secrets of the world through a talking bottle of rice wine.
In Sydney, KOFFIA will present a series of exclusive screenings that showcase the latest and greatest in Korean cinema.
Based on the hit Naver webtoon, Dr. Cheon and the Lost Talisman is a supernatural drama that delves into dark secrets, offering thrilling and chilling moments. Love Reset, a star-studded romantic comedy featuring KANG Ha-neul and JUNG So-min, tells the story of a couple on the brink of divorce who suffer amnesia from a car accident and hilariously fall in love again, complicating their separation plans.
Retelling of true stories features in the program. The Boys, starring SUL Kyung Gu and YU Jun Sang, follows a detective’s quest to exonerate three wrongfully convicted boys for a robbery-homicide. Citizen of a Kind is an action-comedy based on true events from 2016. Directed by PARK Young-ju, it tells the story of an ordinary woman who takes down a voice phishing scam operation after losing all her money. Lastly, Troll Factory, based on the novel by Chang Kang-myoung and inspired by the true story of the National Intelligence Service’s illegal election intervention case, follows a journalist uncovering a web of corruption involving an online opinion manipulation team.
Featuring popular stars LEE Dong-wook and LIM Soo-jung, rom-com Single in Seoul is about two people with opposing views on life and loneliness who find themselves drawn to each other while collaborating on a book about being single.
The KOFFIA Touring Program will feature four films, also screened as part of the main festival in Sydney, ensuring audiences across Australia can enjoy these standout selections.
Don’t Buy the Seller, featuring SHIN Hae-sun and KIM Sung-kyun, is a thrilling mystery about a woman who becomes the target of a psychopathic serial killer after buying a faulty washing machine, with tension and suspense in every scene. Dog Days is a heart-warming drama starring YOUN Yuh Jung, YOO Hai Jin, and KIM Yunjin, which explores the intertwined lives of people and their dogs, showcasing the profound connections and emotional bonds that transcend species. Lastly, Picnic is a touching indie drama featuring NA Moon-hee and KIM Yeong-ok. It tells the story of an elderly woman reconnecting with her past friends and finding new joy in life, highlighting themes of friendship and aging with grace.
The four Touring Program films will be screened for free in Canberra, Burnside, Benalla, and Alice Springs. The directors of FAQ (KIM Da-Min), Dog Days (KIM Deok-min), and Picnic (KIM Yong-gyun) will attend the Festival in Sydney to present their films and take part in post-screening Q&As.
Tickets for the Korean Film Festival in Australia and the touring program are available to book now at www.koffia.com.au. Don’t miss the chance to experience the best of Korean cinema.