Busan International Film Festival opened with OTT... "Isn't it an independent movie?"

[Anchor]
The 29th Busan International Film Festival kicked off a 10-day battle with a spectacular curtain.

As OTT works were selected as the opening film and controversy arose, the festival said that independent films are still an important pillar and that nothing has changed.

Reporter Kim Seung-hwan reports.

[Reporter]
Actor Kang Dong-won and the main characters of the Busan International Film Festival's opening film "Jeon, Lan" will enter the red carpet.

We repay the audience who filled the opening ceremony with bright smiles and hand gestures.

Jang Dong-gun, Kim Hee-ae, and Soo-hyun, starring in the upcoming movie "The Ordinary Family,"
Top stars who are hard to see in one place, including Song Joong-ki, who returned to the new work
, embroidered the night of Busan.

The opening film, which is the symbol of the festival, is the movie "Jeon, Lan," starring Kang Dong-won, which will be released on Netflix on the 11th.

This is the first time in the history of the Busan International Film Festival that an OTT work has become an opening film.

[Kang Dong-won / Starring the movie 'Jeon, Lan' : I'm so happy to be at the Busan Film Festival because it's been a long time since I've been there. Since there are many scenes where I fight with various characters, I worked hard with (various) emotions.]

Director Yeon Sang-ho's popular OTT series 'Hell 2' will also be unveiled for the first time at this festival.

BTS leader RM's story is the first K-pop documentary to be invited to the open cinema section, showing a number of works that the general audience will like.

Therefore, there were concerns that the function of the Busan Film Festival, which has played a role in promoting independent and artistic films, might be fading, but the festival dismissed it.

[Park Do-shin / Vice President of Busan International Film Festival: You might think that (the Busan International Film Festival) is going to commercial or OTT movies, but independent films are the most important pillars leading the Busan International Film Festival, so the stance remains unchanged.]

Next year, the Busan International Film Festival will mark its 30th anniversary.

With interest in the festival not as much as before, we are interested in whether this choice, which puts OTT works and K-pop at the forefront, will serve as an opportunity for the festival to take a leap forward.

I'm Kim Seung Hwan of YTN in Busan.

Reporter Jeon Jae-young Park Jae-sang

Video editing Kim Hee-jung