[Sportschosun] Reporter Jo Ji-young — Kim Dong-ho, former chairman of the Busan International Film Festival, has been selected as the recipient of the 2026 Korean Cinema Award at the 31st Busan International Film Festival, which will be held this year.
BIFF selected Kim Dong-ho as this year's Korean Cinema Award winner in recognition of his achievements in laying the foundation for the festival in what was once a barren ground for international film festivals and in helping Korean cinema reach the world. The Korean Cinema Award is presented every year to a person who has contributed to the development and globalization of Korean film.
Kim Dong-ho built the foundation of Korea's cultural administration by serving at the Ministry of Culture and Public Information, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, as president of the Motion Picture Promotion Corporation, as the first president of the Seoul Arts Center, and as vice minister of culture. He then took office in 1996 as the first executive chairman of BIFF and led its successful launch with strong drive.
In particular, his decision to defend freedom of expression and independence against the practice of prior review for screenings in the festival's early days played a decisive role in earning BIFF the trust of filmmakers around the world and establishing it as a hub of Asia's film network.
Even after stepping down as executive chairman, Kim Dong-ho continued to stay active. He served as dean of the Graduate School of Film Content at DanKook University, chairman of the Presidential Committee for Cultural Enrichment, and chairman of BIFF, continuing to contribute to the nurturing of future talent in Korean cinema and to cultural policy as a whole.
He also served as jury president and jury member at major film festivals at home and abroad, including Cannes Film Festival's Un Certain Regard section, the Rotterdam International Film Festival, and the Fukuoka International Film Festival. In doing so, he acted as a bridge that introduced Korean and Asian cinema to the world.
His work in film did not stop after retirement. Following the Cannes Classics invitation for the film "Walking in the Movies," which revisited his cinematic life, he set another milestone the following year by making his directorial debut with "Mr. Kim Goes to the Cinema," which he worked on with world-renowned masters such as Lee Chang-dong, Park Chan-wook, Bong Joon-ho, and Hirokazu Kore-eda. The film was invited to the special screening section of the 30th Busan International Film Festival. Even at the age of 88, he continued to travel to film sets with a camera in hand, showing that his love for cinema remains as strong as ever.
Kim said, "Above all, I feel deeply honored to receive such a great award. It is even more humbling to be recognized by the festival I founded and worked for over 15 years," adding, "I still travel to nearly 10 overseas film festivals every year to promote Korean films, and I intend to continue this role for as long as I can."
The 2026 Korean Cinema Award will be presented at the opening ceremony of the 31st Busan International Film Festival, which will be held at the Busan Cinema Center on Oct. 6. The 31st BIFF will run from Oct. 6 to 15 at the Busan Cinema Center and across Busan.
Reporter Jo Ji-young, soulhn1220@sportschosun.com
This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.
