• By: Chloë Hayes

Experience the best of Korean film at the 5th annual OKFF

This Fall, the Korean Cultural Centre (KCC) and the Embassy of the Republic of Korea are again gifting Canadian audiences the opportunity to immerse themselves in the best of Korean film.  

The 5th annual Ottawa Korean Film Festival (OKFF) is set to return for two weeks with both online and in-person screenings for the first time since the pandemic!  

With this year’s theme of ‘music & dance,’ feature-length and short films of various genres such as animation, comedy, and documentary will be introduced to film-lovers at Ottawa’s Korean Cultural Centre, the beloved Bytowne Cinema, and online through the KCC website.  

The KCC is known for its outstanding efforts to make the best Korean culture accessible to North American audiences. It was through a public screening hosted by the KCC at the National Gallery of Canada that Ottawa was introduced to the award-winning dark comedy film Parasite (2019). The movie went on to become one of the most popular in North America, with sold-out theatres across the continent.  

The OKFF kicks off on the evening of September 27th at the KCC in Centretown with a screening of three short films: The Blank by Si-Jeong Shin, The Recorder Exam by Bo-Ra Kim, and The Levers by Boyoung Kim. The screenings will continue with Juk-Ik Lee’s Sunset in My Hometown, Tae-Yong Kim’s Kokdu: A Story of Guardian Angels, and Love, Lies by Heung-Sik Park at the beloved Bytowne Cinema on September 28th & 29th, and October 2nd.   

For those who would prefer to enjoy their cinematic experiences in the safety and comfort of their own homes, online screenings of all films shown in-person and additional ones will be up for streaming October 1st-10th. Movies exclusive to the online event include Dance of Time by Il-Gon Song, God’s Daughter Dances by Sungbin Byun, The Box by Jung-Ung Yang, The Princess’ Fruit Stand by Jiwoon Chung, and Nocturne by director Gwanjo Jeong.  

The KCC will also host Director’s Talk to offer participants the chance to get to know the minds behind what they see. Directors Shin of The Blank, Chung of The Princess’ Fruit Stand, Kim of The Lever, Byun of God’s Daughter Dances, and Song of Dance of Time will be present to discuss their films with attendees and answer questions. 

Admission to OKFF is free of charge but requires RSVP. For more information about the event schedules and to register, refer to the Korean Cultural Centre’s official website: kccincanada.com 

Film has a way of impacting lives. Be sure to make the most of this incredible chance to witness new masterpieces and meet the masters behind them!