Busan

The 27th Busan International Film Festival to be held from October 5 to 14

The 27th Busan International Film Festival is held from October 5 to October 14 at 30 screens in 7 theaters including Busan Cinema Center. This year’s BIFF will be held at full capacity without social distancing, and with 100% seating available. During the festival, 353 films (242 films from 71 countries in official section and 111 films from Community BIFF) in total will be screened. Major Events: Open Talk, Special Talk, Outdoor Greeting, Actors' House, Master Class, Hand-Printing Ceremony, Talk-to-Talk, Short Film Long-Chat, 2022 Special Cinema Together The festival is waiting for you to come~! ☆ Opening Film: (2022, Hadi MOHAGHEGH) ★ Closing Film: (2022, ISHIKAWA Kei) ※ BIFF Website: https://www.biff.kr/eng/

Busan uses metaverse to promote bid to host 2030 World Expo

The Busan Metropolitan City is promoting through the metaverse the city's bid to host the 2030 World Expo. The city on Sept. 30 opened the virtual space "2030 World Expo X4 Entertainment World" on the metaverse platform Zepeto. The metaverse's theme is "an unprecedented virtual space similar to the maritime city of Busan," the city said, adding that it used the latest metaverse technology to promote the hosting bid and boost the participation and interest of millennials and Generation Z, two demographics with high access to such technology. This virtual space features a building shaped like the letter "X" symbolizing the agency X4 Entertainment set up by actor Lee Jung-jae and the agency's new K-pop group X4 composed of Zion.T, Arin, Jeon So-mi and Wonstein in a virtual worldview set in a television commercial. The metaverse allows users to become K-pop trainees and directly experience related activities and X4's worldview. Outside the building is a photo zone where users can take photos with the Busan publicity character Boogie and a history zone on the World Expo. Inside the building is a concept space reflecting the supernatural abilities of each X4 member. Users can experience such abilities to complete missions. The metaverse has a teleportation tunnel and recording room for Zion,T, who can travel through time and space; a subway and dance practice room for making flowers for Jeon, who can create eco-friendly materials; a studio and photo zone for Wonstein, who has the technology for manufacturing and maintenance; and an airfield for Arin, who can fly. Busan Mayor Park Heong-joon said, "We expect our promotional activities using the latest metaverse technology to gain a technological advantage over competing countries and stimulate the interest and participation of millennials and Generation Z through highly accessible and participatory content," adding, "We sincerely ask the entire population to unite in supporting Busan's bid to host the 2030 World Expo." So

Busan Becomes Friendly City with Almaty, Kazakhstan!

The City of Busan announced on September 14 that an amicable and cooperative city agreement was made with Almaty, Kazakhstan. The agreement is to commemorate the 30th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between Korea and Kazakhstan in addition to developing the northern region markets for Busan. The agreement is the first achievement of the Eurasian Expedition, a private diplomacy delegation consisting of 55 people, which was launched on the 13th, and includes college students, Expo promotion group, and entrepreneurs. At the agreement signing ceremony at Almaty City Hall on the same day, officials, including the Deputy Mayor for Economic Affairs of Busan Lee Sung-gwon, Busan City Council Chairman Ahn Sung-min, Deputy Mayor of Almaty City, and entrepreneurs, who participated in the Eurasian Expedition, attended. With the agreement, both cities agreed to the mutual, amicable and cooperative expansion of diverse fields, such as the economy, culture, tourism, film, digital industry, and medical care. The promotion of mutual prosperity, development and expansion of citizen exchanges were also mentioned. Almaty is the first Central Asian city to form an amicable and cooperative relationship with Busan. A Busan official remarked that the agreement is tremendously meaningful. In particular, the city’s effort to help local firms enter Almaty, the largest city in Kazakhstan. Busan has formed various sisterhood, amicable and cooperative relations with 38 cities in 28 countries around the globe, giving the city a vigorous diplomacy base to build off of. The trade delegation, launched after the Eurasian Expedition, signed an agreement within the commercial activity area with the Almaty Bureau of Corporate Investment to hold export conferences, stimulating contracts worth over 3.85 million USD to 65 local buyers. The trip ended with visits to Bishkek, Tashkent, Brussel, and Paris. Following the achievement, the Eurasian Expedition is expected to create exchanges w