Busan International Film Festival Opens Today, No Ticket Required to Join the Fun

Tonight at 6 p.m., the lights go up at Busan Cinema Center in Centum City as the 31st Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) opens. Widely regarded as Asia's largest film festival, it runs for ten days through October 15, and is just a 2-hour-40-minute KTX ride from Seoul, close enough for a day trip.

At a glance: October 6 (Tue)-15 (Thu), 2026 · Busan Cinema Center (120 Suyeonggangbyeon-daero, Haeundae-gu, Busan) and BIFF Square in Nampo-dong · Opening ceremony October 6 at 6 p.m., livestreamed online · Regular screening tickets 8,000 won each, bookable at ticket.biff.kr · Free events "Outdoor Stage Greeting" (Oct 7-11) and "Open Talk" (Oct 7-13) held at the Cinema Center's rooftop theater · Inquiries: BIFF Call Center 1666-9177 (weekdays 10:00-17:00, closed weekends and holidays)

Busan Cinema Center is a 5-minute walk from Exits 6, 8, 10 or 12 of Centum City Station on subway Line 2. By bus, get off at the stop in front of Shinsegae Centum City and take route 5-1, 39, 40, 63, 141, 155 or 2029. A ticket isn't required to enjoy the festival: the "Outdoor Stage Greeting" at the rooftop theater, where directors and actors take the stage after a screening to greet the audience, is free to attend, and the "Open Talk" sessions that follow cost nothing either.

A regular screening ticket is just 8,000 won, and foreign visitors can book directly at ticket.biff.kr using their passport details. Popular titles often sell out within minutes of booking opening, so it helps to check the exact booking time in advance if there's a film you want to see. Even without a ticket, the area around BIFF Square in Nampo-dong stays lively throughout the festival, so simply walking around is enough to catch the festive mood.