The Korean Film Festival in Australia's 2023 Lineup Is Your Latest Chance to Embrace the Country's Screen Gems

Thirteen years ago, Korea's cinema standouts scored their own showcase Down Under, with the inaugural Korean Film Festival in Australia debuting in 2010. Since then, the festival has grown from a one-city event to a four-stop tour celebrating both the latest and greatest flicks that South Korea has to offer. It was playing Bong Joon-ho films before Parasite swept the Oscars. It was revelling in Korean thrillers prior to Squid Game becoming an international success, too. It loved Korean genre fare before Train to Busan as well. And, in its just-dropped 2023 lineup, KOFFIA keeps heroing the nation's must-see titles — this time via a 13-film program that'll hit Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne and Brisbane.

2023's KOFFIA has a date with Event Cinemas George Street from Thursday, August 24–Tuesday, August 29, before heading to Palace Electric from Friday, September 1–Sunday, September 3. Then, it's time for an ACMI stop across Thursday, September 7–Monday, September 11, before wrapping up at the Elizabeth Picture Theatre from Thursday, September 14–Sunday, September 17. In each location, it'll endeavour to give audiences a new Korean favourite, or several, from a selection that spans everything from murder-mysteries and detective dramas to revenge thrillers and musicals.

There's no such thing as a standard Korean film, which is true of every country's movie output; however, this national cinema is mighty fond of twisty tales. Accordingly, it should come as no surprise that Confession and Gentleman are both on the 2023 bill. The first is a locked-room mystery with an IT company CEO suddenly finding himself the prime suspect, while the second involves a private detective agency's head honcho being falsely accused of a crime.

Also on the lineup: The Devil's Deal, which sees a political candidate disqualified, then out for revenge; and The Night Owl, about an acupuncturist who is blind in daylight, can see clearly at night, and witnesses a tragic event one evening. The latter opens the festival, and the directors of both films — The Devil's Deal's Lee Won-tae and The Night Owl's An Tae-jin — are coming to Australia for KOFFIA.

Elsewhere, comedy 6/45 hits the Korean Film Festival after proving a box-office smash at home, focusing on soldiers from both North and South Korea finding a windfall; Hero heads back to 1900s Korea to hone in on independence activist Ahn Jung-geun's plight battling Japanese colonial rule; musical drama Life Is Beautiful sees a husband trying to locate his wife's childhood sweetheart; and Next Sohee, which played Cannes 2022, is all about an exploitative work situation.

Or, the standouts also include Switch, where a celebrity wakes up one morning to discover that he's living a completely different life — and romance Nothing Serious, about an aspiring novelist who writes a sex column.

If it seems like a diverse lineup, that's wholly the aim. "Our 2023 festival program is designed to appeal to a broad audience, offering something for everyone — be they casual viewers or diehard film enthusiasts, promising a vivid and enriching journey through the multi-faceted realm of human experiences," said KOFFIA Programmer Francis Lee.

"We hope that KOFFIA continues to facilitate the appreciation of Korean film artistry and culture in Australia, bringing audiences closer to the unique blend of storytelling, cinematography, and performances that have garnered global recognition."

KOREAN FILM FESTIVAL IN AUSTRALIA 2023 DATES:

Thursday, August 24–Tuesday, August 29: Event Cinemas George Street, Sydney
Friday, September 1–Sunday, September 3: Palace Electric, Canberra
Thursday, September 7–Monday, September 11: ACMI, Melbourne
Thursday, September 14–Sunday, September 17: Elizabeth Picture Theatre, Brisbane

The Korean Film Festival in Australia 2023 runs across August and September, touring to Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra and Brisbane. For more information or to buy tickets, head to the KOFFIA website.