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In one line
Actor Lee Yi-kyung joined a Busan International Film Festival open talk, responding to cheers from fans attending the festival.
⚡ Latest developments
- Oct 9 Actor Lee Yi-kyung joined a Busan International Film Festival open talk, responding to cheers from fans attending the festival.
- Oct 9 Vietnam’s Mockingbird launched a horror duo and the comedy drama ‘The Happiest Cell’ at Busan’s ACFM market.
What this means for viewers
- Check daily schedules and open-talk lineups before going — surprise appearances (Hyun Bin, Lee Jae-wook) have been happening without advance notice.
- If you wanted ‘The Assassin(s)’ events, note they were canceled; some viewers are divided over the controversy.
- Celebrity events reported so far include open talks, stage greetings and masterclasses — Cuarón, Na Hong-jin and Maggie Gyllenhaal appeared at festival events.
- No ticket prices or venue addresses are listed here; confirm those on official festival channels.
01 What happened
| Where | Busan, South Korea — venues, the outdoor stage-greeting spot and the ACFM market are named in coverage, but exact screening locations and addresses are not listed in the timeline. |
|---|---|
| What | The Busan International Film Festival opened with a star-studded red carpet and opening film ‘The Table: Day and Night.’ It was elevated to A-list status, while events for ‘The Assassin(s)’ were canceled after a controversy that divided viewers. |
02 Why it is happening
The festival elevated to A-list status this year, raising its international profile and drawing global figures like Alfonso Cuarón as Global Master and honorees Michelle Yeoh and Ann Hui. Separately, events for ‘The Assassin(s)’ were canceled, and Korean filmmakers urged politicians to let audiences judge amid the row.
03 How it has unfolded
- Oct 9 UpdateActor Lee Yi-kyung joined a Busan International Film Festival open talk, responding to cheers from fans attending the festival. — Chosunbiz
- Oct 9 NewVietnam’s Mockingbird launched a horror duo and the comedy drama ‘The Happiest Cell’ at Busan’s ACFM market. — Deadline
- Oct 8 UpdateDirector Alfonso Cuarón was welcomed as a Global Master at the 31st Busan International Film Festival, offering international visitors a chance to see him at festival events. — Korea JoongAng Daily, news.sbs.co.kr
- Oct 8 ResponseViewers at the festival were divided over the ‘The Assassin(s)’ controversy, following the cancellation of its events. — The Korea Times
- Oct 7 UpdateBedford Park held an outdoor stage greeting at the Busan International Film Festival, giving attendees an in-person appearance. — Chosunbiz
- Oct 7 UpdateDirector Lee Chang-dong greeted audiences at the festival for ‘Possible Love’, giving fans an in-person appearance. — Chosunbiz, news.sbs.co.kr
- Oct 7 UpdateSouth Korean actress Roh Jung-eui appeared at the Busan International Film Festival. — Yonhap News Agency
- Oct 7 UpdateSouth Korean actress Ryu Hyun-kyung appeared at the Busan International Film Festival. — Yonhap News Agency
Earlier (3)
- Oct 6 DatesThe Busan International Film Festival opened with a star-studded red carpet and opening film ‘The Table: Day and Night,’ attended by Kim Min-ha, Shim Eun-kyung and other cast members. — Korea JoongAng Daily, The Korea Herald
- Oct 6 UpdateBIFF elevated to A-list festival status, while events for ‘The Assassin(s)’ were canceled at the festival. — The Korea Times, SBS 뉴스
- Oct 6 UpdateMichelle Yeoh and Ann Hui were honored at the festival for their contributions to Asian cinema; Yeoh visited Busan for the first time in 15 years. — Deadline, 巴士的報
04 Who is reporting it
- [Photo] Lee Yi-kyung joins Busan International Film Festival open talk, responds to cheers – CHOSUNBIZ — Chosunbiz, Oct 9
- Vietnam’s Mockingbird Launches Horror Duo & Comedy Drama ‘The Happiest Cell’ At Busan’s ACFM — Deadline, Oct 9
- ‘Bedford Park’ director tells Korean American story she wanted to see — Yonhap News Agency, Oct 8
- Charlotte Gainsbourg on Listening to ‘Controversial’ Kanye West and Working With ‘Tortured’ Lars von Trier at Busan — Variety, Oct 8
- ‘About an Intimate Matter’: Sandeep Kumar Paul’s Bengali Queer Drama Premiering at Busan 2026 — The Hollywood Reporter India, Oct 8
- ‘The Assassin(s)’ controversy divides viewers at Busan film festival — The Korea Times, Oct 8
- Michelle Yeoh looks back on journey to Hollywood at Busan International Film Festival — The Straits Times, Oct 8
- Fan Bingbing becomes an old man’s sexual fantasy in her latest film. She knows it’s not for everyone — The Straits Times, Oct 8
- Korean filmmakers urge politicians to let audiences judge amid ‘The Assassin(s)’ row — The Korea Times, Oct 8
- Alfonso Cuarón & Jonás Cuarón On Future Of Cinema: “The Theatrical Experience Will Continue, But It Will Coexist With Many Different Forms” — Deadline, Oct 8
- Na Hong-Jin Traces ‘The Chaser,’ ‘The Wailing’ and ‘Hope’ to Bar Talk, Shamans and War Fears at Busan Masterclass — Variety, Oct 8
- Kim Doyeon buys Busan International Film Festival ticket herself – CHOSUNBIZ — Chosunbiz, Oct 8
91 more reports tracked.
05 Our guides on this
Questions people ask
Why were ‘The Assassin(s)’ events canceled at Busan?
The coverage reports the events were canceled amid a controversy over the film, which divided festival viewers. Korean filmmakers urged politicians to let audiences judge. The exact cause of the cancellation is not explained in the timeline.
Which celebrities are attending Busan International Film Festival 2026?
Reported appearances include Alfonso Cuarón (Global Master), Michelle Yeoh, Ann Hui, Kim Min-ha, Lee Yi-kyung, Roh Jung-eui, Ryu Hyun-kyung, Hyun Bin, Lee Jae-wook, Shuhua of (G)I-DLE, Fan Bingbing and Charlotte Gainsbourg.
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How this page works: we follow English-language reports on this issue every day and add a line when something new happens. Each timeline line is written by us from the cited reports — every number in it appears in the cited headline — and needs a major outlet or two different outlets; a line only one smaller outlet has reported so far is marked “Single report”. The summary is AI-written from the timeline. The bars count the news reports we track each day; issues are ordered by how much they are being reported now and how recently they moved. Always check the official source before you book or travel.