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Established in 1999, the Udine Far East Film Festival (FEFF) located in Northeast Italy about 100km from Venice has long been an enthusiastic supporter of Korean cinema. Its growth as one of the leading festivals dedicated to East Asian cinema in Europe and beyond correlates with the rise of Hong Kong and then Korean cinema in Europe in the late 1990s and 2000s. Led by the festival co-founders Sabrina Baracetti and Thomas Bertacche, the event has become a must-attended festival for fans of Korean cinema in Italy and across Europe, while its strong reputation among those in the Korean film industry means it attracts some of the biggest names working in the sector.

The King's Warden (provided by Udine Festival)

Before a screening of the gargantuan box office hit The King's Warden (2025) at the festival's main venue – a stunning theater (Teatro Nuovo Giovanni da Udine) situated in the heart of Udine - the director Jang Hang-jun said with much vigor "this is a festival that I really love. In Korea everybody talks about this festival, and it has such enthusiasm and passion when describing this festival and so I am really happy to have been able to make another film and then come back here and present it to you." Jang had attended the festival several times.

The film's producer Lim Eun-jung who was attending the festival for the first time concurred. "I have only heard about this festival up until this point but it's a festival that Korean directors always talk about saying you have to go. Being here seeing this kind of response from you, I have decided that I need to come back every year."

The film's star Yoo Hae-jin was similarly taken aback by the reception in Udine. "Being here feels like being a big success."

Coming towards the end of the festival the screening was an idyllic setting for a film that has experienced tremendous popularity domestically accruing a whopping 16 million admissions giving the industry a much-needed boost.

This Year's Edition

For its 28th Edition the festival invited a total of 75 films from 12 countries. From Korea there were 9 films, which included the aforementioned The King's Warden, its international Festival Premiere. The other titles were a range of films that have been released in Korea over the last twelve months – along with restored classics and two documentaries.

The World of Love (2025)

Yoon Ga-eun was in Udine to present her latest film The World of Love (2025) together with one of the film's stars Jang Hye-jin. The title that centers on high school student played by Seo Su-bin has been warmly received by Korean and international audiences since its world premiere in Toronto in 2025 and sold over 200,000 tickets locally. Festival goers in Udine were similarly moved by the film giving it a long-standing ovation at the fully attended Giovanni Udine Theater in what was clearly a special occasion for the director and actor.

Jang Hye-jin was also in town for another screening, Number One (2025) directed by Kim Tae-yong that follows a young man (Choi Woo-shik) who sees numbers when his mother (Jang Hye-jin) cooks and they decrease by one with each meal.

The pair attended a talk at the festival moderated by Korean cinema specialist and translator Darcy Paquet, a consultant for the festival. The director said given that the industry is experiencing such a hard time he was wondering whether he should continue as a director. However, "being here at the festival made me realize I wanted to be a filmmaker."

Both Jang and Kim spoke about making a film set in Busan, a city where they are from. "Much of the film is based in Busan and I am from the city, and I can very much relate to being a Busan mother" Jang said. The actor also revealed that both her and the director attended the same elementary school.

Once We Were Us (2025)

The festival also screened the melodrama Once We Were Us (2025) directed by Kim Doyoung that akin to the other Korean films invited to the festival received a passionate applause after the screening with Kim there to experience what must be an unforgettable moment. The film was a hit locally and features Koo Kyo-hwan and Moon Ga-young as a couple as they grow further apart. It's one of three titles distributed by local studio Showbox in 2026 that have proved successful, the company also backed The King's Warden.

Korea's turbulent past was the subject of Chung Ji-young's My Name (2026) that featured as part of the festival's lineup. The film turns to the Jeju Massacre of the 1940s and 1950s and how the trauma of it – along with subsequent events in latter decades – would affect a woman acted by Yeom Hye-ran. The film premiered at Berlinale in February, and was released in Korea in April. The director together with his son (Jeong Sang-min), the film's producer attended the festival.

Other films to screen this year included Kim Dong-ho's documentary Mr. Kim Goes to the Cinema and the restorations: Chilsu and Mansu (1988) and Push! Push! (1997). Before the screening of Chilsu and Mansu at the festival's other location (Cinema Visionario) about twenty minutes by foot from its main theater, Darcy Paquet spoke about the significance of Ahn Sung-ki who starred in the film and passed away earlier this year. Often referred to as the "National Actor", Paquet said "losing him was a big loss for the industry. He had many iconic roles, but this film ( Chilsu and Mansu) is one of the most memorable." "He brings a lot to every movie he appears in" Paquet added.

Building on its already strong reputation, the festival this year attracted 70,000 attendees as they embraced Asian Cinema in all its different forms with Korean cinema continuing to play an integral role in the festival's lineup.

Written by Jason Bechervaise
Edited by kofic