Son Ye-jin named 'Actor in Focus' at Bucheon Film Festival
What's the story
The Bucheon International Fantastic Festival (BIFAN) has announced that South Korean actor Son Ye-jin will be the subject of this year's Actor Retrospective.
The news was revealed on Monday, setting Son as the highlight for the festival's 28th edition.
The event is set to kick off with an opening ceremony on July 4 at the Bucheon Art Center in Gyeonggi and will continue until July 14 across various city locations.
Retrospective event
Celebrating Son's diverse acting career
Son, known for her role in the popular TV series Crash Landing on You, has a diverse acting portfolio.
Her work includes films such as A Moment to Remember, The Art of Seduction, and My Wife Got Married.
The retrospective, titled "One and Only Son Ye-jin," will celebrate her 23-year career through various events including film screenings, a photo exhibition, and a talk session.
Awards galore
Son's remarkable achievements in acting
The 42-year-old actor's performances have earned her over 50 awards, including South Korea's prestigious Prime Minister's Commendation, three Grand Bell Awards, and six Baeksang Arts Awards.
She has also received five Blue Dragon Film Awards and two Korean Association of Film Critics Awards.
Additionally, she was named best actor at the Asia-Pacific Film Festival for her performance in the 2005 film April Snow.
Actor retrospective
BIFAN's tribute to modern Korean film industry icons
Since 2017, BIFAN has been honoring actors who epitomize the Korean film industry with its Actor Retrospective.
Previous honorees include Jeon Do-yeon (Kill Boksoon), Jung Woo-sung (12:12: The Day), Kim Hye-soo (Signal), Seol Kyung-gu (Kingmaker), and Choi Min-sik (Oldboy).
BIFAN programmer Mo Eun-young described Son as a standout performer of the 21st century with exceptional charm who has crafted unique characters across various genres in both film and TV.
AI influence
BIFAN's new focus on artificial intelligence (AI) in filmmaking
This year's BIFAN festival aims to address the influence of artificial intelligence (AI) in filmmaking.
Upholding its slogan "Stay Strange," the festival has introduced a competition category called Bucheon Choice AI Film.
It will also invite prominent AI film production experts to speak at a conference.
Festival director Shin Chul stated that BIFAN aims to provide a practical platform for creators struggling to secure funding for large productions by enabling them to use AI to create content on minimal budgets.