BIFF Square - BIFF 광장 (구, PIFF 광장)

Introduction

Busan's modern movie district was originally little more than a pair of cinemas that were built following's Korea liberation from Japanese colonial rule over half a century ago. However, major renovations took place ahead of the first Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) in 1996, and the newly transformed district was named BIFF Square on August 14, 1996.

Having been remade as a cultural tourist attraction promoting the advancement of Korea's film industry, the BIFF Square has contributed to Busan's newfound status as an international cultural tourist city. The 428 meter-long street stretching from the Buyeong Theater in Nampo-dong to the overpass in Chungmu-dong was divided into "Star Street" and "Festival Street", and on the eve of the festival each year the "Ground Opening the BIFF Square" is held on the street. During the ceremony events such as the hand printing of famous movie celebrities and Nunggot Jeomdeung (snow flower lighting) take place. A district as BIFF Square, crowded with first-run theaters in a city is rare not only in Asia but Europe as well, and for this reason it holds great potential. In recent years, the square has grown into a more complex area featuring not only movie theaters but also shops and leisure facilities, attracting growing numbers of young visitors and tourists.

Hand Printed Movie Celebrities

• In 1997 - Wayne Wang (director, China), Jeremy Irons (Actor, England), Xie Jin (director, China), Kitano Takeshi (director, Japan), Abbas Kiarostami (director, Iran), Kim Ki Young (director, Korea)
• In 1998, Imamura Shohei (director, Japan), Fernando E. Solanas (director, Argentina), the late Yoo Young Kil (director of photography, Korea, represented by his wife)
• In 1999, Zhang Yimou (director, China), Hwang Jung Soon (actress, Korea), Yu Hyun Mok (director, Korea)
• In 2000, Wim Wenders (director, Germany), Krzysztof Zanussi (director, Poland), Mohsen Makhmalbaf (director, Iran)
• In 2001, Hou Hsiao Hsien (director, Taiwan), Shin Sang Ok (director Korea), Choi Eun Hee (actress, Korea), Jeanne Moreau (actress, France)
• In 2002, Kim Su Yong (director, Korea)
• In 2003, Jan Troell (director, Sweden), Lucian Pintilie (director, Romania), Chung Chang Wha (director, Korea)
• In 2004, Theo Angelopoulos (director, Greece)
• In 2005, the late Lee Man Hee (director, Korea, represented by his daughter actress Lee Hye Yeong), Seijun Suzuki (director, Japan)
• In 2006, Istvan Szabo (director, Hungary)
• In 2007, the late Edward Yang (director, Taiwan, represented by his son Sean Yang), Volker Schlondorff (director, Germany), Claude Lelouch (director, France), the late Kim Seung Ho (director, Korea, represented by his son Kim Hee Ra), Dariush Mehrjui (director, Iran), Enrio Morricone (composer, Italy), Peter Greenaway (director, England)
• In 2008, Hark Tsu (China), Paolo Taviani (Italy), Anna Karina (Denmark)

Capacity

Busan Theater Cinema 1 1,011 seats
Busan Theater Cinema 2 312 seats
Busan Theater Cinema 3 207 seats

Daeyeong Theater Cinema 1 946 seats
Daeyeong Theater CInema 2 379 seats
Daeyeong Theater Cinema 3 719 seats
Daeyeong Theater Cinema 4 276 seats
Daeyeong Theater Cinema 5 275 seats
Daeyeong Theater Cinema 6 203 seats
Daeyeong Theater Cinema 7 270 seats

Homepage
www.biff.kr

Address

Nampo-dong, Jung-gu, Busan-si / 부산 중구 비프광장로

Directions

Jagalchi Station, Line 1, Exit 7,
5min walk from the station (walk straight and turn left)

Video

Source: Visit Korea, Video: DynamicBusan, Images: Ari Simulation,