Busan Film Fest Wraps Today, Im Si-wan Hosting Solo

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As of October 15, 2026, the 31st Busan International Film Festival wraps up its 10-day run with a closing ceremony this evening. Actor Im Si-wan hosts solo, and winners of the Busan Awards, the festival's competition section, will be announced. The top prize-winning film becomes eligible for submission to the Oscars' international feature category.

10 daysLength of this year's festival

13 filmsEntries in the Busan Awards competition

5Busan Awards categories

50,000+Cumulative attendance at program events as of Oct. 10

Key points

The closing ceremony starts at 6 p.m. on Oct. 15 at the Busan Cinema Center in Haeundae.
Actor Im Si-wan is hosting the ceremony on his own.
Thirteen films in competition vied for prizes across five Busan Awards categories.
The top winner gains eligibility for Oscar submission in the international feature category and screens as the closing film.

The 31st Busan International Film Festival holds its final official event at 6 p.m. on the 15th at the Busan Cinema Center in Haeundae. The festival opened on Tuesday, Oct. 6, and ends today, Thursday. Actor Im Si-wan is running the show by himself.

The biggest draw tonight is the result of the Busan Awards, the festival's competition section. The awards debuted last year, so this is only the second edition. Prizes are split into five categories, going to films and individuals. The film that takes the top prize becomes eligible to be submitted to the Academy Awards in the international feature category, and it screens for audiences as the closing film right after the ceremony.

A total of 13 films are in competition. When the festival announced its host on Sept. 4, organizers said they admired Im's depth as an actor. He started acting in 2012 with the period drama 'The Moon Embracing the Sun,' has since moved between film and TV, and appeared in seasons 2 and 3 of the Netflix series 'Squid Game.'

This year also marked the first time in the festival's history that it opened on a Tuesday, stretching the schedule through the weekend. By the festival's count, more than 50,000 people had attended program events like Open Talks, outdoor stage greetings, Cine Classes and Actors' House by day five, on Oct. 10. Screening totals vary depending on how each outlet counts, so the exact number needs more confirmation, but multiple reports agree that a large number of international directors and actors came to Busan.

In Korea right nowKorea's film industry is watching this year's Busan Awards results closely. Because the top winner becomes eligible for Oscar submission, the prize is seen as a launchpad for Korean and other Asian films abroad. The new Tuesday opening was also a talking point, and people on the ground said turnout was higher than expected. Fans are curious to see how Im Si-wan handles hosting duties.

FAQ

When and where is the closing ceremony?

It's at 6 p.m. on Oct. 15, 2026, at the Busan Cinema Center in Haeundae, Busan. The top winner screens as the closing film right after the awards.

What does the top Busan Awards prize get you?

The winning film becomes eligible to be submitted to the Academy Awards in the international feature category. The Busan Awards is a competition section that launched last year.

What's different about this year's festival?

For the first time, it opened on a Tuesday and ran through the weekend. According to the festival, attendance at program events topped 50,000 as of Oct. 10.