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The 30th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFAN), which wrapped up on July 12, drew significant attention with the participation of prominent international guests, including actress Josie Ho (clockwise from top left), actress Isabelle Huppert, director Yuen Woo-ping, and actress Fan Bingbing. / Photo courtesy of BIFAN

The 30th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFAN), which closed on July 12, saw its total attendance increase by nearly 30 percent compared to last year, the festival's organizing committee announced on July 14.

According to the committee, the 30th BIFAN, held from July 2 to 12, attracted 66,128 viewers, a 27 percent increase from last year's figure of 52,024. Including this, over 137,000 visitors attended the festival during its 11-day run.

The festival organizers attributed this success to the record scale of screenings, participation of renowned domestic and international guests, and a diverse range of side events.

This year, a total of 321 films from 50 countries (170 feature films, 85 short films, 38 AI films, and 28 XR films) were screened, including 93 world premieres. Director Yuen Woo-ping, the godfather of Hong Kong martial arts films who directed the opening film "The Blades of the Guardians," and renowned French actress Isabelle Huppert, alongside actress Josie Ho, actress Fan Bingbing, and director Takashi Miike, met with local journalists and audiences through press conferences and masterclasses.

In addition, director Choi Dong-hoon and actor Yoo Hae-jin of "Tazza: The High Rollers"; actor Ryu Seung-ryong and actor Gong Myung of "Extreme Job"; director Yang Woo-seok and actors Kim Yun-seok, Kim Sung-ryung, and Lee Seung-gi of "About Family"; actors Kim Ha-neul and Yoo Ji-tae of "Ditto"; and director Chung Ji-young and actress Yeom Hye-ran of "My Name" joined Megatalk sessions, Guest Visits (GV), and community outreach screenings, boosting the festive atmosphere.

Furthermore, the newly established "AI Frontier" section, aimed at positioning BIFAN as a global business hub for the AI visual content industry, and the AI international conferences were completely sold out in advance, proving the immense success of the festival's AI-focused programs introduced since last year.

"The festival saw active participation from local residents, with some 30,000 people visiting the 'July Carnival' held around the lawn plaza of the Bucheon City Hall and Sohyeang-ro," said Lim Sung-kyu, head of BIFAN's public relations team. "With this year as a turning point, we plan to further solidify our position as Asia's premier genre film festival and a bridgehead for the domestic AI visual content industry."

                                                                                                       Cho Seong-joon