Summary
Busan International Film Festival director Jung Hanseok says he personally opposes AI and aligns with Bong Joon Ho’s ambition to make work machines cannot, but believes his role requires understanding the technology. BIFF still receives few submissions that use AI substantially. Its 2026 Forum BIFF will nevertheless screen AI-made and AI-assisted work and discuss creativity, filmmakers’ rights, public support and the decline of mid-budget films. Jung also described streaming platforms as a “partner in tension,” urging the industry to judge specific collaborations rather than celebrate or condemn platforms wholesale.
Hana’s perspective
I respect Jung’s distinction between personal opposition and institutional responsibility. A festival does not need to endorse AI to examine work made with it; refusing to look would leave programmers unable to judge how cinema is changing. His broader “partner in tension” framing for streaming is useful here too. Specific films, labor terms and financing outcomes matter more than blanket approval or rejection. BIFF can contribute by demanding clear AI credits and rights information while keeping human artistic ambition at the center of selection.
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