The Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) has announced the addition of 18 international books, manga, and webtoons to its Busan Story Market. This update supplements the previously revealed 29 Korean IPs and 30 Asian film projects selected for the Asian Project Market (APM).
Among the new international IPs, ten are from Taiwan, featuring genres such as drama, romance, fantasy, thriller, and science fiction. Japan contributes six entries, including five books and one comic, spanning sci-fi, murder mystery, time travel, and stage magic. Additionally, two French works are included—one comedy and one historical romance—shifting focus from the French remakes emphasized in previous years.
This year’s Korean IP selection for the Busan Story Market features 11 books, eight webtoons, six web novels, and four stories, chosen from 237 submissions by 110 companies. Organizers noted a shift in focus from stories to a greater emphasis on books and web novels. The selected IPs showcase diverse genres, including human dramas, mystery period pieces, romance, film noir, horror, and psychological thrillers.
The Asian Project Market, formerly known as the Pusan Project Plan, received a record 441 submissions this year, from which 30 projects across 17 countries or territories were selected. The 2024 APM lineup features a broad array of genres, including crime thrillers, horror, queer cinema, and animated films, alongside traditional drama, comedy, and romance. Notable projects include Chan Tze-woon’s “Nothing Happened,” a debut fiction feature following his award-winning documentary, and Woo Ming Jin’s “The Camford Experiment,” a coming-of-age story with a Korean American protagonist.
Singaporean director Kirsten Tan presents “Crocodile Rock,” produced by Tan Si En, who also has “Levitating” by Wregas Bhanuteja in the APM lineup. Bhanuteja’s previous film “Photocopier” was featured in the New Currents section in 2021. Other returning filmmakers include Iqbal H. Chowdhury with “Dhakar Nagin” and Sotoyama Bunji with “Life Redo List.”
The APM selection includes seven Korean projects: “A Way to Étretat” by Shin Suwon, “Door-Frame” by Jeong Beom, “The Birds” by Sohn Hyun-lok, “Hellfire Club” by Shin Aga, “Ulaanbaatar” by Kang Donghun, “Strange Marriage” by Jung Wonhee, and “Do Bye, Nursing Hospital” by Oh Seyeon.
Both the Busan Story Market and the APM are key components of the Busan Asian Contents & Film Market, which will be held from October 5-8 at the Busan Exhibition and Convention Center (BEXCO). The 29th Busan International Film Festival is scheduled for October 2-11, taking place at the Busan Cinema Center and surrounding venues.
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