Ji Chang-wook in 'Suspicious Partner.' Photo courtesy of The Story Works

HÀ NỘI — South Korean actor Ji Chang-wook will attend the third Đà Nẵng Asian Film Festival (DANAFF III) in the coastal city from June 29 to July 5.

Born in 1987, Ji Chang-wook rose to international fame through his breakout roles in Empress Ki (2013) and Healer (2014), gaining widespread popularity, especially across Asia.

Since 2016, he has continued to captivate audiences with hit dramas such as The K2 (2016), Suspicious Partner (2017), Lovestruck in the City and The Worst of Evil (2023) on Disney+.

In addition to his success in television, Ji Chang-wook has proven his versatility in musical theatre and film. He received the Best Actor in Television award at the Asia Artist Awards for his role in Healer and has been nominated multiple times for Best Leading Actor at the prestigious Baeksang Arts Awards.

He has also been recognised at the KBS Drama Awards, MBC Drama Awards and Seoul International Drama Awards, winning Top Hallyu Star and Most Popular Actor.

The actor's influence reaches beyond South Korea, as he was honoured at the China TV Drama Awards, which recognises Korean actors and productions with significant impact in the Chinese market, confirming his pan-Asian appeal.

He consistently ranks in viewer-voted lists of 'Most Popular TV Actors' across South Korea, Japan and Southeast Asia, demonstrating his enduring popularity and influence within the global Hallyu wave.

Ji Chang-wook is set to attend DANAFF III alongside producer Jae Duk-han, who served as the line producer for Oldboy and the producer of The Spy Gone North.

They will participate in a series of official events, including a red carpet appearance, audience meet-and-greet sessions and a panel discussion on cinema — all as part of the 'Country in Focus' programme spotlighting South Korean cinema.

South Korean cinema masterpieces

A scene in 'The Housemaid' (1960) by South Korean director Kim Ki-young. Photo courtesy of the Korean Film Archive (KOFA)

As part of DANAFF III’s 'South Korean Cinema in Focus' initiative, 14 iconic films spanning from 1960 to 2024 will be screened for free.

The line-up includes two films ranked among the Top 10 Greatest South Korean Films of All Time by the Korean Film Archive (KOFA) in 2024, including The Housemaid (1960) by Kim Ki-young, which ranked first, and Aimless Bullet (1961) by Yu Hyun-mok, which ranked fourth.

The Housemaid follows the unravelling of a piano composer’s household after he hires a maid to assist his pregnant wife, leading to unforeseen tension and chaos within the family.

Screen Rant writes that Aimless Bullet "artfully blends expressionist and neorealist styles within a grimly introspective portrait of a nation left shattered by hatred and fear — touching on everything from military prostitution and economic inequality to the exploitations of the film industry itself."

Filmgoers will also have the rare chance to watch early works by some of South Korea’s most significant contemporary filmmakers, including The Day a Pig Fell Into the Well by Hong Sang-soo, The Gingko Bed by Kang Je-gyu and Barking Dogs Never Bite by Bong Joon-ho.

Other films to be screened include 3-Iron, A Bittersweet Life, Black Republic, Chunhyang, Painted Fire and Secret Sunshine.

A scene in 'Aimless Bullet' (1961) by Yu Hyun-mok. Photo courtesy of the Korean Film Archive (KOFA)

This special screening series is curated and presented by DANAFF III in collaboration with the Korean Cultural Centre in Việt Nam, the Korean Film Council (KOFIC) and the Korean Film Archive (KOFA).

In addition to film screenings, the festival will host a seminar titled South Korean Cinema: Lessons in International Success and Developing a Film Industry, providing a platform for in-depth discussions on creativity, management and operations in cinema, with valuable insights drawn from the South Korean film industry's global journey. — VNS