Chihwhaseon (2002) 

In addition to hosting the premieres of independent works from Korea and around the world, this year’s upcoming 23rd edition of the Jeonju International Film Festival will also stage an eight-film retrospective dedicated to the influential Taeheung Film Company, which has been responsible for many landmark Korean works.

In addition to shining a light on several Korean classics, the showcase will commemorate the late Lee Taewon, the influential producer who ran Taeheung before his passing last year.

Beginning life as Taechang Industries in the mid-1960s, the company was responsible for several early films by legendary filmmaker Im Kwontaek and ultimately collaborated with him 14 times. The retrospective will include Im’s Chihwhaseon (2002), which earned the Best Director Award at the Cannes Film Festival. 

The firm was reborn as the Taeheung Film Company in 1984, after which it was responsible for introducing several Hollywood blockbusters to the Korean market, but especially for leading the charge with homegrown Korean New Wave titles from major directors that would challenge the status quo.

Among the films to be shown in Jeonju this year will be Lee Dooyong’s drama The Oldest Son (1985), Bae Changho’s youth tale Our Joyful Young Days (1987), Lee Myungse’s energetic debut Gagman (1989), and Jang Sunwoo’s intellectual The Road to Race Track (1991). Also included in the program will be Kim Hongjun’s Rosy Life (1994), Kim Yoojin’s My Dear KeumHong (1995), and Song Neunghan’s Fin De Siecle (1999).

This year’s Jeonju International Film Festival is set to take place from April 28 to May 7.