Busan International Film Festival highlights rising stars and Japan-Korea collaborations

The 31st Busan International Film Festival has concluded, highlighting a growing trend of cross-border collaborations between Japan and South Korea. The festival featured numerous joint projects, including Japanese works such as ‘Kono Go ni Oyonde Ai nado’ and ‘Nanji, Hoshi no Gotoku’, alongside South Korean productions like ‘Dora’.

Rising South Korean actors in their 30s gained significant attention during the event. Notable figures include Kim Woo-gyeom, known for his roles in various dramas and independent films; Park Han-sol, who has built a steady career through popular series; and Ha Yun-gyeong, recognized for her work in ‘Extraordinary Attorney Woo’. Other emerging talents highlighted include Kang Yu-seok and Kang Hoon.

Japanese actors also made impactful appearances. Eita Nagayama drew praise for his fluent Korean during stage greetings for the Netflix drama ‘Prungil - Blue Road -’, a co-production with South Korean actor Sung So-rak. Sota Fukushi, who is expanding his career into Taiwanese and Korean productions, also attended. The two actors shared a chance encounter on their return flight, where they reportedly spent two hours discussing their international filming experiences.