These are our twenty recommended short films from the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival, which will take place from July 4 – 14, 2024, in Bucheon, Korea.

To see the first part of this article please go HERE

4000BPM by Hwang Jiwan – Korea | 2023 – 6 minutes | World Premiere

Sang-hoon needs to complete 4000 skips to enter his home, but his pedometer breaks at 3999. Set in a parking lot, the characters include a boy, a girl, and a mother, with props like skipping ropes and a pedometer. And with a short runtime, it doesn’t take much to create a captivating film. Is there a better way to describe this movie? “This is exactly what a short film is all about!” (HYUNG Seulwoo)

Addiction by Peng Tzu-hsuan – Taiwan | 2023 – 20 minutes | International Premiere

On an empty road, a woman runs a small, shabby container shop, making and selling something. A police officer who patrols the road finds her suspicious and decides to keep an eye on her. Eventually, he becomes deeply infatuated with her. One day, he gets injured in a hit-and-run accident on the road he patrols, and becomes her fresh sacrifice. Although it features vampires, this short film is equipped with a lively charm like typical Taiwanese youth films, without any eeriness. Despite having different intentions toward each other, they become “addicted” to one another, creating a bloody yet adorable flirtation. (Kani KIM)

Trailer:

Around the Corner by Heo Yun – Korea | 2023 – 7 minutes | World Premiere

Ji Yoo, an acting major, is filming a vlog in the middle of the night, steps out to retrieve some props from the locker when a friend, who hadn’t come along, suddenly passes by without noticing her. Seizing the opportunity to play a prank, she hides around the corner, waiting, only to receive a call from the friend who just disappeared. Confusion ensues for her. The tension she feels in the dimly lit corridor evokes an illusion akin to watching a live broadcast. This short beautifully captures the allure of suspense, showcasing the director’s imaginative flair. Anticipation builds for the director’s next work. (KIM Hye Na)

Bad Blood by Song Hyeon-beom – Korea | 2024 – 20 minutes | World Premiere

Korea is facing a population decline crisis, compounded by the emergence of a new virus called PT3 that destroys red blood cells. The only treatment is transfusion of young blood, but with only 11 million elderly patients eligible for donation and a mere 900,000 young donors, the price of blood has skyrocketed. This movie weaves a richly imaginative and genre-filled narrative about population decline, presenting a story that is masterfully executed. (HA Myungmi)

Blind by Choi Min-goo – Korea | 2024 – 22 minutes | World Premiere

On the day his girlfriend decides to leave, Jaejin loses his sight. Though she stays to help Jaejin, who is a writer, he becomes suspicious of everything that flickers beyond his blurry vision. His small doubts begin to grow, and Jaejin becomes consumed by a sinister voice that fuels his suspicions. Perhaps it is not his physical sight but his inner vision that has gone blind. What is the end of the doubts he has nurtured? (MO Eun-young)

Bring Me the Head of a Smiling Pig by Chang Wooje – Korea | 2024 – 23 minutes | World Premiere

Today is a crucial day for the opening of the art museum. All preparations are complete, and the staff are awaiting approval from the director. However, the director insists on having a laughing pig’s head, not just any pig’s head. Daeho, in charge of the pig’s head, searches every room to find a laughing pig’s head. Will he be able to find one amidst the absurdities of social life? This film, portrayed with comedic and suspenseful tones, shines even brighter with the performances of actors such as YOON Kyung Ho, KIM Eui-sung, and MIN Sang-chul. (KIM Hye Na)

Trailer:

Circle by Joung Yumi – Korea | 2024 – 7 minutes | Korean Premiere

Is the circle that a child drew carelessly a representation of a club, or society, just like the title Circle? Are the people gathered inside trying not to step outside a reflection of rules? Is the way they move slightly to make space for one another an example of interaction? Are they all looking in the same direction a sign of a common goal? Are they a community? Can we call this circle an institution? If so, who created this institution? Director JOUNG Yumi thus proposes a new form of play to us. (NAH Ho-won)

Trailer:

Driving Lesson by Hwang Yeo-kyung – Korea | 2024 – 17 minutes | World Premiere

Heesu, who has a driver’s license she rarely uses, reconnects with her ex-boyfriend, Younghoon, under the pretext of taking driving lessons. However, due to her inexperience, she loses control of the car and ends up in a ditch. For Heesu, love is awkward and breakups are tough. But as long as she’s behind the wheel, she must keep moving forward. Look forward to the moment when Heesu’s car finally makes it out of the ditch. (HA Myungmi)

MIDORI by Kim Dohyun – Korea | 2023 – 13 minutes

A pair of white flower shoes is the only keepsake left to a crippled young woman by her mistress. The housemaid, Midori, longs to keep those beautiful shoes. She is drawn into a cruel fairy tale world of horror, reminiscent of the chilling and beautiful atmosphere of the film The Handmaiden (HA Myungmi)

Muni by Kim Soo-in – Korea | 2024 – 35 minutes | World Premiere

It all began with a small act of kindness, perhaps even a sort of pity. San-ha recalls her first meeting with Muni when she is interrogated by a detective at school as the last witness of the ‘mother-daughter murder case.’ What did San-ha face on that fateful day? The eerie sounds that linger like a spell, the ominous signs—just as San-ha cannot escape from that day, the film is suffused with a creeping, oppressive atmosphere that gradually tightens its grip on the viewer. (MO Eun-young)

To see the first part of this article please go HERE

For more information, please visit: https://www.bifan.kr/eng/