KCC Philippines Launches “K-Story: Stories that Move Us” for the 2026 Korean Film Festival 

Presented by the Korean Cultural Center in the Philippines, in collaboration with the Korean Film Council, Film Development Council of the Philippines, Animation Council of the Philippines, Inc., Metropolitan Museum of Manila, and SM Cinema—the 2026 Korean Film Festival officially launches under the theme “K-Story: Stories that Move Us.”

The event expands its reach this year by celebrating storytelling across webtoons, literature, and cinema with a comprehensive three-part program. Attendees can look forward to Korean film adaptations of acclaimed literary works, cross-cultural exchanges between artists, and a spotlight on emerging local Filipino talent. 

Part I. Kwentong Korea: Student Short Film Competition

The Student Short Film Competition ran from January 12 to June 30, where Filipino student filmmakers were invited to create original short films under the theme “Kwentong Korea.”

When Love Met a Language was hailed as the Grand Winner among the 43 entries. Plus, the winning team will travel to South Korea to attend the 2026 Busan International Film Festival, one of Asia’s most prestigious film festivals, offering the students a valuable opportunity to experience the international film industry firsthand.

Part II. Meet the Mentor: Webtoon Artist

In this segment, the festival features works by leading Korean and Filipino graphic artists. It spotlights Lee Younchang, creator of the hit webtoon-turned-film My Daughter is a Zombie, alongside renowned Filipino graphic novelist Arnold Arre, acclaimed for The Mythology Class and The Children of Bathala. 

This August 6, two artists will take the stage at the Cinematheque Centre Manila for a joint talkback session, exploring the rising cross-cultural impact of graphic novels, webtoons, and visual narratives. 

Aspiring artists can learn directly from one of Korea’s top webtoon creators, Lee Younchang. He will host an exclusive Webtoon Workshop at the Metropolitan Museum of Manila on August 7. 

If you’re interested, you may register here: bit.ly/MeetTheMentorRegistration

Part III. Korean Film Screenings

The festival culminates with the 2026 Korean Film Festival Screenings, happening August 7 to 9 at participating SM Cinemas, including SM Mall of Asia, SM North EDSA, SM City Iloilo, and SM Lanang.

As part of the 2026 Korean Film Festival, catch Your Letter, Love in the Big City, My Daughter is a Zombie, Omniscient Reader, and Yumi’s Cells: The Movie. Screenings run from August 7 to 9 at participating SM Cinemas, including SM Mall of Asia, SM North EDSA, SM City Iloilo, and SM Lanang. 

The official screening schedule will be announced soon.

Through this year’s theme, “K-Story: Stories that Move Us,” the festival showcases the deep link between webtoons, books, and film while building stronger creative connections between Korean and Filipino artists. 

Movie lovers and creators, are you ready for KFF 2026? Stay updated by following @kccphil on Facebook and Instagram or checking out https://phil.korean-culture.org/en.

Press release from KCC Philippines