Memory, History, Choice: The Narrative Depth European Audiences Are Choosing

Six Korean films are among the 52 titles from 12 countries selected for the competition lineup of the 28th Udine Far East Film Festival (Far East Film Festival), running April 24 to May 2 in Udine, Italy. The Korean entries include The King's Warden — a period drama that has surpassed 16 million domestic admissions to rank third all-time at the Korean box office — the Jeju April 3 Uprising drama My Name, and the documentary The Seoul Guardians, which captures the frantic scene of South Korea's martial law declaration in December 2024.

What is particularly striking about this lineup is the thematic thread running through three of the six selected films. All three draw on pivotal moments in Korean history and translate them into narratives capable of resonating with broad audiences.

The King's Warden reconfigures the weighty history of King Danjong's dethronement and exile into a story that balances deep emotional resonance with popular appeal. My Name, which arrives in Udine following its premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival, approaches the history of state violence surrounding the Jeju April 3 Uprising through a mother-and-son narrative of identity and belonging. The Berlinale described it as "a sophisticated identity drama," while Udine programmers called it "a story told with balanced tone that can move audiences worldwide." The achievement of The Seoul Guardians — an MBC-produced documentary — also merits special attention: it is the first documentary in the festival's 28-year history to be selected for the competition section. Festival president Sabrina Baracetti introduced the film as "a movie everyone in the world must see."

The implications of this lineup are clear: European festivals' sense of Korean cinema's value is growing increasingly specific. Past Udine selections such as The Owl and The Man Standing Next were likewise rooted in modern and contemporary Korean history. Across this arc, Korean cinema appears to have repeatedly demonstrated to European markets a distinct capacity for what might be called the "narrative reconstruction of historical memory" — the ability to translate weighty subject matter into the grammar of popular cinema. That skill is emerging as a defining competitive strength.

Beyond the three films above, Number One (dir. Kim Tae-yong), Once We Were Us (dir. Kim Do-young), and The World of Love (dir. Yoon Ga-eun) also join the competition lineup.

Sources

• Kookmin Ilbo, "'My Name,' 'The Seoul Guardians' Among Six Films Heading to Udine Far East Film Festival Competition," 2026.04.03

• Hankook Ilbo, "'My Name' Invited to Udine Film Festival Following Berlin; Joins 'The King's Warden' in Competition," 2026.04.03

• The Korea Times, "'My Name' confronts trauma of Jeju April 3 Uprising," 2026.04.03