Digital Nomads: A Survival Guide to Busan International Film Festival (2025)
Every year, Korea hosts the equivalent of the French Cannes Film Festival in Asia - the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF). But can anyone attend? Yes! And here’s how.
If you’re a movie and TV show lover, the best city for you in Korea is Busan. During the Busan International Film Festival (or BIFF), you can see movies (with English subtitles!) and meet the actors, directors, screenwriters, and other professionals involved in making them.
Here’s our guide explaining the festival’s features and how you can access them if you’re a digital nomad, with no previous experience of Korea and no connections in the film industry.
Festivals are always more fun when you’re with other people, so you can also join us. We’ll be going there during our Hoppin Busan 2025 Workation for the Film & Startup program!
When is the festival?
From the 17th to the 26th of September 2025.
Every year, sometime between mid-September and the beginning of October, the country’s superstars head south for ten days of festival: red carpets, premieres, screenings, open talks, conferences, special events, parties...
The continent’s film industry gathers in the hotels overlooking Haeundae beach, networks around the BEXCO business center, and relaxes at SpaLand (inside Centum City Shinsegae mall) in between movies.
The Festival’s Highlights
Movies and guests, of course!
Movies
BIFF’s movie selection is divided into sections: Gala Presentation, Icons, Vision, A Window on Asian Cinema, World Cinema, Flash Forward, and Wide Angle. They all highlight different stages of a filmmaker's career and various genres. Three special categories focus on horror (Midnight Passion), upcoming streaming platforms TV shows (On Screen), and movies that made Asian cinema history (Special Program in Focus).
Guests
In 2025, guests will include Park Chan-wook, Guillermo del Toro, Maggie Kang, Marco Bellocchio, Sean Baker, Michael Mann, Jafar Panahi, Lee Byung-hun, Juliette Binoche, Milla Jovovich, Kang Dong-won, Tony Leung, Ken Watanabe, and many more.
Where are the main events?
Nowadays, all events center around Busan Cinema Center - nearby theaters in the BEXCO exhibition hall area and the hotels close to Haeundae.
But don’t be surprised if you often see the ‘BIFF Square’ mentioned! Until 2011, this market area in Nampo-dong was where the festival’s main program took place. You can still visit Star Road there. Many famous movie stars and directors left their prints on the ground there - Korea’s very own Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Free events
Open Talks
The BIFF organises a surprising number of free and star-studded events. Chief among them, the Open Talk panels and Outdoor Stage Greetings.
Held under the surprising roof of the Busan Cinema Center, the Open Talk events feature the cast and crew of a few select movies. For an hour, they discuss the project and give behind-the-scenes exclusives to whoever feels like listening to it.
Outdoor Stage Greetings are a quick photo op for movies, in which the cast and crew are attending the festival.
Goodies Booths
Close by, also sheltered under this architectural wonder of a roof (it looks like it’s floating in the air, and lights up with thousands of LEDs at night!), many booths are open for the crowd to take some pictures, win some goodies, and participate in some events.
Haeundae Beach
If you walk around Haeundae beach during the weekend of the festival, chances are some special events will be happening! You can also admire the sand sculptures, eat hotteok (a Busan specialty - a pancake filled with nuts, seeds, and brown sugar) at the market, and check out the pocha tents (with plastic stools outside) for drinks and fresh seafood.
Booking tickets for movies
Getting tickets for the festival requires either a lot of preparation or absolute flexibility. Tickets tend to sell out fast, so it’s become quite difficult to reliably attend the movies you wish to see.
Online ticketing
If you want a chance to book your tickets, connect to the ticketing website at the start of sales. Your best bet: have your list at the ready, with the screening codes (the top-right 3 red numbers). Be fast.
It’s still worth trying after that initial rush - as you never know when a spot might suddenly free up. But your next best bet might be to show up 20 minutes before a screening and hope someone drops out so you can grab their seat.
Offline ticketing
If you are a cinema lover, our advice is to attend with a flexible schedule and an open mind. This way, you can simply book whatever has a spot at the BIFF ticket booths. (BIFF ticket booths are in every venue affiliated with the festival, as well as in front of the Busan Cinema Center.)
Guest Visits
Be on the lookout for the purple ‘GV’ tag, which means a Guest Visit could be happening at the end of the screening. Raise your hand when someone asks if an English translation is needed (you will probably need to head towards the last rows). Some Korean movies’ guest visits will not provide translation.
The Opening & Closing Ceremony
In 2025, tickets will be sold for 30,000 wons (22 dollars). If you manage to grab a ticket, you get to see the red carpet, the opening ceremony, as well as the opening movie outdoor screening.
From this year on, the BIFF doesn’t have a closing movie anymore. It was replaced with a closing & award ceremony.
Events & conferences
The festival organises a bunch of different events with its guests. Those events also require booking in advance. Actor’s House highlights 4 actors who will be having a conversation with the audience. Masterclasses are usually focused on crew members (directors, screenwriters, etc).
Explore the Festival Event section to know more.
A bit of history
2025 is the 30th edition of BIFF!
Busan International Film Festival is not only one of the world’s largest film programs in the world. It is a beacon of independent cinema in Asia, where some form of censorship still controls many countries’ art productions.
Even in Korea, the festival has often played this role. During the Korean War, Busan was regarded as a cultural refuge, where foreign films were screened to lift the spirits of both soldiers and civilians. It was in Busan that the country’s first cinemas opened, laying the foundation for its rich film culture.
The launch of the Busan International Film Festival in 1996 marked a turning point for the city, transforming it into one of Asia’s first film festivals. BIFF has since become a vital platform for showcasing emerging filmmakers and independent cinema, particularly from Asian and Korean origins.
If it all sounds a bit difficult to navigate, or you’re worried you’ll feel alone, you can join our special Film & Startup program for the Hoppin Busan 2025 Workation.
Main Image Credits: Ophélie Surcouf, Bogota: City of the Lost’s guest visit with Song Joong-ki and other castmates in 2024.
Digital Nomads: A Survival Guide to Busan International Film Festival (2025)
Every year, Korea hosts the equivalent of the French Cannes Film Festival in Asia - the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF). But can anyone attend? Yes! And here’s how.
If you’re a movie and TV show lover, the best city for you in Korea is Busan. During the Busan International Film Festival (or BIFF), you can see movies (with English subtitles!) and meet the actors, directors, screenwriters, and other professionals involved in making them.
Here’s our guide explaining the festival’s features and how you can access them if you’re a digital nomad, with no previous experience of Korea and no connections in the film industry.
Festivals are always more fun when you’re with other people, so you can also join us. We’ll be going there during our Hoppin Busan 2025 Workation for the Film & Startup program!
When is the festival?
From the 17th to the 26th of September 2025.
Every year, sometime between mid-September and the beginning of October, the country’s superstars head south for ten days of festival: red carpets, premieres, screenings, open talks, conferences, special events, parties...
The continent’s film industry gathers in the hotels overlooking Haeundae beach, networks around the BEXCO business center, and relaxes at SpaLand (inside Centum City Shinsegae mall) in between movies.
The Festival’s Highlights
Movies and guests, of course!
Movies
BIFF’s movie selection is divided into sections: Gala Presentation, Icons, Vision, A Window on Asian Cinema, World Cinema, Flash Forward, and Wide Angle. They all highlight different stages of a filmmaker's career and various genres. Three special categories focus on horror (Midnight Passion), upcoming streaming platforms TV shows (On Screen), and movies that made Asian cinema history (Special Program in Focus).
Guests
In 2025, guests will include Park Chan-wook, Guillermo del Toro, Maggie Kang, Marco Bellocchio, Sean Baker, Michael Mann, Jafar Panahi, Lee Byung-hun, Juliette Binoche, Milla Jovovich, Kang Dong-won, Tony Leung, Ken Watanabe, and many more.
Where are the main events?
Nowadays, all events center around Busan Cinema Center - nearby theaters in the BEXCO exhibition hall area and the hotels close to Haeundae.
But don’t be surprised if you often see the ‘BIFF Square’ mentioned! Until 2011, this market area in Nampo-dong was where the festival’s main program took place. You can still visit Star Road there. Many famous movie stars and directors left their prints on the ground there - Korea’s very own Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Free events
Open Talks
The BIFF organises a surprising number of free and star-studded events. Chief among them, the Open Talk panels and Outdoor Stage Greetings.
Held under the surprising roof of the Busan Cinema Center, the Open Talk events feature the cast and crew of a few select movies. For an hour, they discuss the project and give behind-the-scenes exclusives to whoever feels like listening to it.
Outdoor Stage Greetings are a quick photo op for movies, in which the cast and crew are attending the festival.
Goodies Booths
Close by, also sheltered under this architectural wonder of a roof (it looks like it’s floating in the air, and lights up with thousands of LEDs at night!), many booths are open for the crowd to take some pictures, win some goodies, and participate in some events.
Haeundae Beach
If you walk around Haeundae beach during the weekend of the festival, chances are some special events will be happening! You can also admire the sand sculptures, eat hotteok (a Busan specialty - a pancake filled with nuts, seeds, and brown sugar) at the market, and check out the pocha tents (with plastic stools outside) for drinks and fresh seafood.
Booking tickets for movies
Getting tickets for the festival requires either a lot of preparation or absolute flexibility. Tickets tend to sell out fast, so it’s become quite difficult to reliably attend the movies you wish to see.
Online ticketing
If you want a chance to book your tickets, connect to the ticketing website at the start of sales. Your best bet: have your list at the ready, with the screening codes (the top-right 3 red numbers). Be fast.
It’s still worth trying after that initial rush - as you never know when a spot might suddenly free up. But your next best bet might be to show up 20 minutes before a screening and hope someone drops out so you can grab their seat.
Offline ticketing
If you are a cinema lover, our advice is to attend with a flexible schedule and an open mind. This way, you can simply book whatever has a spot at the BIFF ticket booths. (BIFF ticket booths are in every venue affiliated with the festival, as well as in front of the Busan Cinema Center.)
Guest Visits
Be on the lookout for the purple ‘GV’ tag, which means a Guest Visit could be happening at the end of the screening. Raise your hand when someone asks if an English translation is needed (you will probably need to head towards the last rows). Some Korean movies’ guest visits will not provide translation.
The Opening & Closing Ceremony
In 2025, tickets will be sold for 30,000 wons (22 dollars). If you manage to grab a ticket, you get to see the red carpet, the opening ceremony, as well as the opening movie outdoor screening.
From this year on, the BIFF doesn’t have a closing movie anymore. It was replaced with a closing & award ceremony.
Events & conferences
The festival organises a bunch of different events with its guests. Those events also require booking in advance. Actor’s House highlights 4 actors who will be having a conversation with the audience. Masterclasses are usually focused on crew members (directors, screenwriters, etc).
Explore the Festival Event section to know more.
A bit of history
2025 is the 30th edition of BIFF!
Busan International Film Festival is not only one of the world’s largest film programs in the world. It is a beacon of independent cinema in Asia, where some form of censorship still controls many countries’ art productions.
Even in Korea, the festival has often played this role. During the Korean War, Busan was regarded as a cultural refuge, where foreign films were screened to lift the spirits of both soldiers and civilians. It was in Busan that the country’s first cinemas opened, laying the foundation for its rich film culture.
The launch of the Busan International Film Festival in 1996 marked a turning point for the city, transforming it into one of Asia’s first film festivals. BIFF has since become a vital platform for showcasing emerging filmmakers and independent cinema, particularly from Asian and Korean origins.
If it all sounds a bit difficult to navigate, or you’re worried you’ll feel alone, you can join our special Film & Startup program for the Hoppin Busan 2025 Workation.
Main Image Credits: Ophélie Surcouf, Bogota: City of the Lost’s guest visit with Song Joong-ki and other castmates in 2024.
Digital Nomads: A Survival Guide to Busan International Film Festival (2025)
Every year, Korea hosts the equivalent of the French Cannes Film Festival in Asia - the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF). But can anyone attend? Yes! And here’s how.
If you’re a movie and TV show lover, the best city for you in Korea is Busan. During the Busan International Film Festival (or BIFF), you can see movies (with English subtitles!) and meet the actors, directors, screenwriters, and other professionals involved in making them.
Here’s our guide explaining the festival’s features and how you can access them if you’re a digital nomad, with no previous experience of Korea and no connections in the film industry.
Festivals are always more fun when you’re with other people, so you can also join us. We’ll be going there during our Hoppin Busan 2025 Workation for the Film & Startup program!
When is the festival?
From the 17th to the 26th of September 2025.
Every year, sometime between mid-September and the beginning of October, the country’s superstars head south for ten days of festival: red carpets, premieres, screenings, open talks, conferences, special events, parties...
The continent’s film industry gathers in the hotels overlooking Haeundae beach, networks around the BEXCO business center, and relaxes at SpaLand (inside Centum City Shinsegae mall) in between movies.
The Festival’s Highlights
Movies and guests, of course!
Movies
BIFF’s movie selection is divided into sections: Gala Presentation, Icons, Vision, A Window on Asian Cinema, World Cinema, Flash Forward, and Wide Angle. They all highlight different stages of a filmmaker's career and various genres. Three special categories focus on horror (Midnight Passion), upcoming streaming platforms TV shows (On Screen), and movies that made Asian cinema history (Special Program in Focus).
Guests
In 2025, guests will include Park Chan-wook, Guillermo del Toro, Maggie Kang, Marco Bellocchio, Sean Baker, Michael Mann, Jafar Panahi, Lee Byung-hun, Juliette Binoche, Milla Jovovich, Kang Dong-won, Tony Leung, Ken Watanabe, and many more.
Where are the main events?
Nowadays, all events center around Busan Cinema Center - nearby theaters in the BEXCO exhibition hall area and the hotels close to Haeundae.
But don’t be surprised if you often see the ‘BIFF Square’ mentioned! Until 2011, this market area in Nampo-dong was where the festival’s main program took place. You can still visit Star Road there. Many famous movie stars and directors left their prints on the ground there - Korea’s very own Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Free events
Open Talks
The BIFF organises a surprising number of free and star-studded events. Chief among them, the Open Talk panels and Outdoor Stage Greetings.
Held under the surprising roof of the Busan Cinema Center, the Open Talk events feature the cast and crew of a few select movies. For an hour, they discuss the project and give behind-the-scenes exclusives to whoever feels like listening to it.
Outdoor Stage Greetings are a quick photo op for movies, in which the cast and crew are attending the festival.
Goodies Booths
Close by, also sheltered under this architectural wonder of a roof (it looks like it’s floating in the air, and lights up with thousands of LEDs at night!), many booths are open for the crowd to take some pictures, win some goodies, and participate in some events.
Haeundae Beach
If you walk around Haeundae beach during the weekend of the festival, chances are some special events will be happening! You can also admire the sand sculptures, eat hotteok (a Busan specialty - a pancake filled with nuts, seeds, and brown sugar) at the market, and check out the pocha tents (with plastic stools outside) for drinks and fresh seafood.
Booking tickets for movies
Getting tickets for the festival requires either a lot of preparation or absolute flexibility. Tickets tend to sell out fast, so it’s become quite difficult to reliably attend the movies you wish to see.
Online ticketing
If you want a chance to book your tickets, connect to the ticketing website at the start of sales. Your best bet: have your list at the ready, with the screening codes (the top-right 3 red numbers). Be fast.
It’s still worth trying after that initial rush - as you never know when a spot might suddenly free up. But your next best bet might be to show up 20 minutes before a screening and hope someone drops out so you can grab their seat.
Offline ticketing
If you are a cinema lover, our advice is to attend with a flexible schedule and an open mind. This way, you can simply book whatever has a spot at the BIFF ticket booths. (BIFF ticket booths are in every venue affiliated with the festival, as well as in front of the Busan Cinema Center.)
Guest Visits
Be on the lookout for the purple ‘GV’ tag, which means a Guest Visit could be happening at the end of the screening. Raise your hand when someone asks if an English translation is needed (you will probably need to head towards the last rows). Some Korean movies’ guest visits will not provide translation.
The Opening & Closing Ceremony
In 2025, tickets will be sold for 30,000 wons (22 dollars). If you manage to grab a ticket, you get to see the red carpet, the opening ceremony, as well as the opening movie outdoor screening.
From this year on, the BIFF doesn’t have a closing movie anymore. It was replaced with a closing & award ceremony.
Events & conferences
The festival organises a bunch of different events with its guests. Those events also require booking in advance. Actor’s House highlights 4 actors who will be having a conversation with the audience. Masterclasses are usually focused on crew members (directors, screenwriters, etc).
Explore the Festival Event section to know more.
A bit of history
2025 is the 30th edition of BIFF!
Busan International Film Festival is not only one of the world’s largest film programs in the world. It is a beacon of independent cinema in Asia, where some form of censorship still controls many countries’ art productions.
Even in Korea, the festival has often played this role. During the Korean War, Busan was regarded as a cultural refuge, where foreign films were screened to lift the spirits of both soldiers and civilians. It was in Busan that the country’s first cinemas opened, laying the foundation for its rich film culture.
The launch of the Busan International Film Festival in 1996 marked a turning point for the city, transforming it into one of Asia’s first film festivals. BIFF has since become a vital platform for showcasing emerging filmmakers and independent cinema, particularly from Asian and Korean origins.
If it all sounds a bit difficult to navigate, or you’re worried you’ll feel alone, you can join our special Film & Startup program for the Hoppin Busan 2025 Workation.
Main Image Credits: Ophélie Surcouf, Bogota: City of the Lost’s guest visit with Song Joong-ki and other castmates in 2024.
