After a long pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Korean Film Festival (KFF) is back in full swing with seven films. The festival is a  joint project of the Embassy of the Republic of Korea, the Korean Cultural Center (KCC) in the Philippines, and SM Cinema. It will run from August 10 to 14,  so mark your calendars! Can’t decide which one to watch first? Here’s a quick guide to all the movies gracing the big screens this year. Take a look!

Deliver Us From Evil (Dir. Hong Won-chan)

Directed by Hong Wonchan, Deliver Us From Evil follows the story of an assassin who goes to Thailand to solve a kidnapping case connected to him. However, he soon finds himself being hunted by a man whose sibling he killed. 

Snowball (Dir. Lee Woo-jung)

This youth drama film directed by Lee Woojung chronicles the life of Kang-Yi, an 18-year-old girl who runs away from home with her best friends. Together, the girls discover new sides of themselves that test their friendship. Can they survive and return home as one?

Escape from Mogadishu (Dir. Ryoo Seung-wan)

Escape from Mogadishu is based on the events during the Somali Civil War and the efforts of two Koreas to be part of the United Nations. The action-drama film follows the lives of Kang Dae-jin and Han Shin-Sung, who need to work together as one to get people out of the North and South Korean embassies in Somalia amidst escalating violence.

Miracle: Letters to the President (Dir. Lee Jang-hoon)

Starring Girls’ Generation vocalist Im Yoon-ah and actor Park Jeong-min, Miracle: Letters to the President is a heartwarming film based on the real-life story of a family living in a remote village in North Gyeongsang Province. Joon-Kyeong (played by Park Jeong-min) dreams of having a train station in their area, and he’s willing to do everything — even going as far as writing dozens of letters to the president.

The Novelist’s Film (Dir. Hong Sang-soo)

Novelist Joon Hee decides to make a film in hopes of curing her writer’s block. Shot in black and white, The Novelist’s Film highlights chance encounters, finding the truth, and a more profound glimpse into the life of an artist. 

The Day I Died: Unclosed Case (Dir. Park Jiwan)

Before officially returning to her job as a detective, Kim Hyun-Soo is tasked to solve the case of No Jung-Ui, a witness to her father’s crime who suddenly disappeared. As she seeks to uncover the truth, Hyun-Soo also meets the last person who saw Jung-Ui. 

Perhaps Love (Dir. Eun-ji Jo)

Perhaps Love is a hilarious rom-com that tells the story of a best-selling author and a university lecturer named Hyun, who’s suffering from a seven-year writer’s block. He then meets his student Yoo Jin and invites her to write a novel together after seeing her work. Can Hyun and Yoo Jin withstand the hurdles thrown in their blooming love story? 

Where can you watch these movies?

The films will be screened in five SM Cinemas in Metro Manila: SM Mall of Asia, SM Megamall, SM City North EDSA, SM City Grand Central, and SM Southmall. And get this: all screenings are free but on a first-come, first-served basis. You can check out the schedule for the different cinemas below:

As an extra treat for Pinoy cinephiles, watch out for directors Hong Wonchan (Deliver Us From Evil) and Lee Woojung (Snowball). They will both attend KFF’s opening ceremony on August 10 to meet with the audience and answer burning questions about their films.

You may visit KCC’s Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to reserve your slot for the opening ceremony on August 10 at SM Aura Premier Cinema 2. Viewers can also catch the Talk with the Filmmakers event on August 11 at the FDCP Cinematheque Centre Manila. 

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