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20th Busan International Kids & Youth Film Festival expands to western Busan as a ‘mobile festival’
Haps Magazine Korea
June 23, 2025
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The Busan International Kids & Youth Film Festival (BIKY), celebrating in its 20th year, is broadening its reach with a new “mobile festival” concept that extends programming beyond its traditional Haeundae base into western Busan for the first time.
The newly introduced “West BIKY” will follow the main festival, which runs July 8–14 in Haeundae, with screenings and events taking place from July 15–19 at sites across western Busan, including Saha-gu Office, Dadaepo Beach, and Lotte Cinema in Myeongji.
Around 20 films, including award-winning works from the ‘Ready~Action!’ section, will be shown, alongside exhibitions of past BIKY posters and youth-focused media art.
This year’s BIKY will screen 173 films from 44 countries, a significant increase from last year’s 113 films from 34 countries. The opening film will be the Canadian animation Space Girl and Robot, a story about friendship between a grieving girl and an AI caretaker.
The ‘Ready~Action!’ competition section, dedicated to films made by children and youth, features 38 selections from 10 countries, chosen from 281 entries by the festival’s youth jury, the BIKYs.
A new division has been added to the ‘Starlight of the Heart Award’ category. This year, it will include a separate ‘New Starlight Award’ for short films, reflecting a growing number of independent short productions focused on youth themes.
To commemorate the 20th anniversary, BIKY is also organizing special programs, including:
The Current State of Korean Family Cinema, showcasing five domestic family films
Quebec Children and Youth Film Special Exhibition, marking the Year of Korea-Canada Cultural Exchange
Future Lab Youth AI Cinema Special Exhibition, featuring seven AI-generated short films created by high school students
Outdoor screenings at the ‘Moonlight Theater’ will offer nine Pororo films free to the public, aiming to create lasting memories for younger audiences.
Educational components will include three themed sessions:
‘Special Class’ with guests such as musician Kid Koala, translator Darcy Paquet, and physicist Jeong Jae-seung
‘Cinema Class’ with director Yoon Ga-eun and actors Kim Su-an and Lee Ji-won
‘Classic Class’ with in-depth commentary from programmer Lee Sang-yong
The full screening schedule will be released, and ticket sales will begin on June 24 at www.biky.or.kr.