"Hope You Have Found Comfort" Late Lee Seon-gyun, Busan International Film Festival Lifetime Achievement Award [BIFF]

Memorial Video Shown at Opening Ceremony... Song Joong-gi in Tears

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Filmmakers gathered in Busan to commemorate the late Lee Seon-gyun. At the opening ceremony of the 29th Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) held on the afternoon of the 2nd at the Busan Cinema Center in U-dong, Haeundae-gu, actor Lee Seon-gyun, who passed away last year, received the Korean Film Contribution Award. This award is given to filmmakers who have elevated the status of Korean cinema and contributed to its global growth.

At the opening ceremony, a tribute video capturing Lee Seon-gyun’s passion for acting during his lifetime was screened. It featured his final works 'Land of Happiness' and 'Escape: Project Silence,' as well as appearances in films and dramas such as 'Parasite' (2019), 'My Mister' (2018), 'The King's Case Note' (2016), 'Our Sun-hee' (2013), and 'A Hard Day' (2013).

Also shown was a lifetime interview where he said, "If someone asks why I act, I would say 'because it makes me reflect on myself.' We continuously experience emotions indirectly. When given a task, it makes me look back and take action. I want to keep acting like this. I want to be an actor who faces each new task one by one and accomplishes them steadily." Actors Song Joong-ki and Lee Hee-joon, who were watching the tribute video in the audience, were moved to tears.

Host Park Bo-young said, "It was a heartbreaking farewell," and added, "I hope he has reached peace, like the final farewell in 'My Mister'." Ahn Jae-hong stated, "I will make sure the award is properly delivered to the bereaved family."

This year, the Busan Film Festival prepared a special program for Lee Seon-gyun titled 'A Gentle Person, Lee Seon-gyun.' During the festival, six of his works, including 'Parasite,' which was the first Korean film to win the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival, will be screened, followed by audience talks (GV). The event runs until the 11th around the Busan Cinema Center.