A promotional poster for the film “Night Fishing” (Courtesy of CJ CGV)

Amid the popularity of short-form video content on TikTok and other online platforms, a “short-form movie” will be shown in theaters for the first time in Korea, with tickets priced at just KRW 1,000 (USD 0.7). 

The movie is called “Night Fishing” and stars actor Son Sukku, who has made a name for himself with roles in television dramas and movies. Film theater company CGV announced that the thriller, which runs about 13 minutes, will be shown exclusively on screens starting June 14. 

“Night Fishing” is a gripping story that unfolds at an electric vehicle charging station during the evening. The film is directed by Moon Byoung-gon, known for his Palme d'Or winning short film “Safe” at the 66th Cannes Film Festival in 2013.

Scenes from “Night Fishing” (Courtesy of Hyundai Motor Group)

Though it is only 12 minutes and 59 seconds long, the movie strives to provide a quick and enjoyable experience. What sets “Night Fishing” apart is its unique cinematography, which captures every angle from the front, rear and side cameras of a car. Cho Hyung-rae, known for his work on films such as “The Merciless” and “Concrete Utopia,” lent his expertise to the cinematography. This movie is a collaboration between Son Sukku’s production company, Stanum, and Hyundai Motor.

Before its premiere, a preview of the film was held at the CGV theater at Seoul’s Hyundai I’PARK Mall in Yongsan on Tuesday, June 11.

With more short films likely to hit the big screen in the future, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly making an appearance in filmmaking after the industry was swept up in the excitement of AI technology at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show, held in Las Vegas in January. 

A promotional poster for the AI-based short film, “One More Pumpkin” (Courtesy of the Gyeonggi Content Agency)

In Korea, the film “One More Pumpkin,” which was produced with generative AI technology by Studio Freewillusion and supported by the Gyeonggi Creative Content Agency, has garnered significant attention after recently being nominated for the AI Film Festival by Expo City Dubai.

The short film is a mystery that explores the secret of an elderly Korean couple who managed to live more than two centuries. Korean rural scenes and Western Halloween elements were combined with generative AI to create a fresh yet spooky atmosphere. All the screens and voices in the movie were created with pure generative AI. This work is the first in Korea and the only one in East Asia to be nominated for the festival.

A promotional poster for the 2024 Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFAN) (Courtesy of BIFAN)

Meanwhile, 15 finalists have been announced for the 28th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFAN)’s international AI film competition “Bucheon Choice: AI Films.”

BIFAN is the first Korean film festival to organize an international competition for AI films this year. A total of 114 works utilizing AI technology in screenplays, audio and video were submitted. Of these, 15 films were selected based on their “workmanship, originality, artistry and utilization of AI technology.”

The finalists came from all over the world, including France, the United States, Japan and Singapore, and featured works by young filmmakers who have stood out at film festivals specializing in AI. Four Korean films were selected: “One More Pumpkin,” which won the Grand Prize and Audience Award at the AI Film Festival by Expo City Dubai; “Under the Sign of the Moon,” directed by Seong-won; “Snowfall,” directed by Bae Jun-won; and “Final Scene,” directed by Cha Se-hwan.

Korea now offers a variety of experiences for movie-goers, from short-form films to AI-based movies that provide glimpses into new worlds of creativity.