The London East Asia Film Festival is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. Join them from 23rd October to 2nd November for an exciting lineup of films, events, and special programmes.
Here’s the schedule of Korean screenings in the festival, followed by synopses of the Korean screenings and finally the official press release.
| Date / time | Screening | Strand | Venue |
| Fri 24 Oct 5:00pm | Memories of Murder (Dir: Bong Joon-ho, 2003, 132mins) + Conversation with the Cinematographer Kim Hyung Koo | Masters of Cinema | V+A |
| Fri 24 Oct 8:30pm | The People Upstairs (Dir: Ha Jung-woo, 2025, 108mins) + Introduction and Q&A with Director Ha Jung-woo | Special gala | ODEON Luxe Leicester Square |
| Sat 25 Oct 1:00pm | First Summer (Dir: Heo Ga-young, 2025, 30mins) + Q&A with Director Heo Ga-young | Stories of Women | ODEON Luxe Leicester Square |
| Sat 25 Oct 5:00pm | Project Y (Dir: Lee Hwan, 2025, 110mins) + Introduction and Q&A with Director Lee Hwan | Stories of Women | ODEON Luxe Leicester Square |
| Sun 26 Oct 8:30pm | The Ugly (Dir: Yeon Sang-ho, 2025, 103mins) | Official Selection | ODEON Luxe Leicester Square |
| Mon 27 Oct 5:30pm | Taegukgi: the Brotherhood of War (Dir: Kang Je-gyu, 2004, 140mins) + Conversation with the Production Designer Shin Bo-kyeong | Masters of Cinema | Cinema Museum |
| Tue 28 Oct 6:00pm | The Widow (Dir: Park Nam-ok, 1955, 94mins) | Timeless Classics | Cinema Museum |
| Thu 30 Oct 8:00pm | Madame Freedom (Dir: Han Hyung-mo, 1956, 124mins) | Timeless Classics | Cinema Museum |
| Fri 31 Oct 6:00pm | A Flower in Hell (Dir: Shin Sang-ok, 1958, 86mins) | Timeless Classics | Cinema Museum |
| Sat 1 Nov 4:30pm | AI Cinema #1: Run To The West (Dir: Kang Yun-sung, 2025, 61mins) + Q&A with the Director Kang Yun-sung | Future Frames | Soho Hotel |
| Sat 1 Nov 6:15pm | AI Cinema #3: Various shorts (Dir: Various, 2025, 59mins) | Future Frames | Soho Hotel |
| Sat 1 Nov 7:20pm | AI Cinema #2: Various shorts (Dir: Various, 2025, 59mins) | Future Frames | Soho Hotel |
Memories of Murder
+ Q&A with cinematographer Kim Hyung Koo
Dir. Bong Joon-ho | Korea | 2003 | 131 mins | 15
Directed by Academy Award–winner Bong Joon-ho (Parasite), Memories of Murder is often regarded as one of the greatest Korean films of all time. Inspired by the true story of Korea’s first known serial murders, the film follows two detectives, one local and impulsive, the other from Seoul and methodical, as they grapple with mounting pressure, elusive suspects, and their own conflicting approaches to justice. Taut, atmospheric, and laced with Bong’s signature dark humour, the film is as much a haunting portrait of 1980s rural Korea as it is a gripping crime thriller.
Following the screening, Kim Hyung Koo will reflect on his collaboration with Bong and share insights into his distinct visual language and share a behind-the-camera perspective on the artistry of making a landmark moment in Korean cinema.
The People Upstairs
+ Introduction and Q&A with Director Ha Jung-woo
Dir. Ha Jung-woo | Korea | 2025 | 108 mins | 18
[International Premiere]
Jung-ah (Kong Hyo-jin) and her husband Hyeonsoo (Kim Dong-wook) suffer sleepless nights from the passionate couple upstairs, Sukyeong (Lee Honey) and Mr. Kim (Ha Jung-woo). Hoping to ease tensions, Jung-ah invites them to dinner — but polite chatter soon unravels into raw, boundary-breaking honesty, exposing hidden cracks in relationships with biting wit and emotional precision. The People Upstairs is actor Ha Jung-woo’s fourth film as director.
First Summer
+ Q&A with Director Heo Ga-young
Dir. Heo Ga-young | South Korea | 2025 | 30 mins | 18
[UK Premiere]
Yeongsun chooses to attend her late boyfriend Haksu’s 49th-day memorial instead of her granddaughter’s wedding.
1st Prize La Cinef (Cinefondation) 2025 at the Cannes International Film Festival
Project Y
+ Introduction and Q&A with Director Lee Hwan
Dir. Lee Hwan | South Korea | 2025 | 110 mins | 18
[UK Premiere]
A crime drama following Mi-sun and Do-kyung, bound only to each other, as they risk everything to steal stashed black money and gold bars in a desperate bid to break free from their bleak reality.
The Ugly
Dir. Yeon Sang-ho | Korea | 2025 | 103 mins | 18
The Ugly is an intimate mystery from Yeon Sang-ho about a man (Park Jeong-min) investigating his mother’s decades-old murder. As he uncovers her life as a social outcast for not fitting beauty standards, the film shifts from a simple whodunit to a poignant reflection on how appearance shapes identity and human connection.
Taegukgi: The Brotherhood of War
+ In Conversation with the Production Designer Shin Bo-kyeong
Dir. Kang Je-gyu | Korea | 2004 | 140 mins | 18
Directed by Kang Je-gyu, Taegukgi: The Brotherhood of War is a sweeping epic that redefined Korean cinema. Set against the harrowing backdrop of the Korean War, it follows two brothers — one reluctantly conscripted, the other fiercely protective — as their bond unravels under the brutality of combat and the shifting tides of ideology. Both intimate and grand in scale, the film pairs visceral battle sequences with a deeply human story of love, sacrifice, and survival, capturing the emotional scars of a nation divided.
Following the screening, acclaimed production designer Shin Bo-kyeong will discuss crafting the film’s powerful visual world — from war-torn landscapes to poignant details that ground the epic narrative — and offer a rare behind-the-scenes look at shaping one of Korea’s most iconic cinematic experiences.
The Widow
Dir. Park Nam-ok | Korea | 1955 | 94 mins | 18
A war widow struggles to raise her child alone while facing poverty and social judgment in post-war Korea. Her vulnerability draws the attention of men, but each encounter exposes the fragility of survival and female dignity. This pioneering film, directed by Korea’s first woman filmmaker, speaks to resilience in hardship.
Madame Freedom
Dir. Han Hyung-mo | Korea | 1956 | 124 mins | 18
A married woman in 1950s Seoul is swept into a world of jazz bars, secret trysts, and modern temptation. As she seeks personal liberation, her family life begins to unravel, revealing the tensions of a society in transition. This stylish melodrama shocked audiences and redefined Korean cinema’s portrayal of desire.
A Flower in Hell
Dir. Shin Sang-ok | Korea | 1958 | 86 mins | 18
In war-torn Seoul, two brothers clash when one falls for a cunning black-market femme fatale. Crime, survival, and forbidden passion entangle them in a bleak portrait of postwar moral decay. Shin Sang-ok’s noir-infused vision blends raw realism with haunting fatalism.
AI Cinema #1: Run to the West
Dir. Kang Yun-sung | Korea | 2025 | 61 mins | 18
[UK Premiere]
From the visionary director of The Outlaws and The Roundup, Kang Yun-sung returns with Run to the West, Korea’s first AI-produced feature — a high-octane chase between life and death. When four strangers collide at a funeral and awaken in a liminal “middle world,” they must outrun soul-reaping reapers in a desperate race for survival, culminating in a breathtaking showdown at Gwanghwamun Square. Crafted through countless AI simulations that learned actors’ movements, lighting, and camera work, the film pioneers a new era of “Augmented Creation,” where human emotion and machine intelligence merge to redefine cinematic possibility.
AI Cinema #2
These films are produced by the filmmakers of the Korean Academy of Film Arts – one of Korea’s most prestigious film schools, renowned for nurturing many of the nation’s leading filmmakers.
- Sigumun | Dir. You Hyeong-jun, Rolen Yealin Jeon, Hong Jin-wook | Korea | 2025 | 15 mins
- Fragment of the Fall | Dir. Kim Woon-ha | Korea | 2025 | 10 mins
- Beol-lae | Dir. Promptus | Korea | 2025 | 9 mins
- Fog Advisory | Dir. Park Seong-won, Kim Seon-jae | Korea | 2025 | 11 mins
- The Dream of Atlantis | Dir. Choi Young-min, Choi Eun-kyoung, Cho Hyung-rae | Korea | 2025 | 14 mins
AI Cinema #3
This selection of films is presented in partnership with the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFAN), Jeju AI Global Film Festival and SGAFF.
- Color Of My Garden | Dir. Roy Oh | Korea | 2025 | 25 mins
- Demons in the Heart | Dir. Zo Fan | Singapore, France, China | 2025 | 5 mins
- Boundaries | Zo Fan | Singapore | 1 min
- Grand Prix: The Beginning of the Legend | KRBC | Korea | 2025 | 15 mins
- Mold | Dir. Kim Woon-ha | Korea | 2025 | 6 mins
- Butterfly | Dir. Minshi Park | Korea | 2025 | 6 min
Press release
The London East Asia Film Festival (LEAFF) — the capital’s premier celebration of East Asian cinema and culture — proudly marks its 10th anniversary this year, returning from 23 October to 2 November 2025. Opening night will light up the iconic ODEON Luxe Leicester Square with a spectacular presentation of John Woo’s Hard Boiled (1992, Hong Kong), starring Chow Yun-fat and Tony Leung Chiu-wai, newly restored in 4K. The festival will close with the highly anticipated UK premiere of Kokuho, directed by Lee Sang-il (2025, Japan), bringing an unforgettable finale to this milestone edition.
This special anniversary programme celebrates a decade of bridging cultures through cinema, showcasing outstanding new voices and visionary masters from across Korea, Japan, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia. LEAFF invites audiences to reflect on the region’s cinematic heritage while exploring the future of storytelling through bold, thought-provoking narratives.
With over 30 UK and international premieres, this year’s festival presents recent award-winning releases at top-quality venues including the ODEON Luxe Leicester Square, and revisits pivotal works of the past at the London Cinema Museum. Audiences can expect an unparalleled big-screen experience enhanced by Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, honouring East Asia’s cinematic legacy while looking toward the future.
Galas
The Special Gala will feature the international premiere of The People Upstairs, directed by and starring acclaimed actor-filmmaker Ha Jung-woo. This sharply observed chamber drama comedy begins with a seemingly trivial late-night noise complaint and unfolds into a witty, tension-filled dinner where two married couples confront hidden resentments and unexpected truths. Following its debut at the 30th Busan International Film Festival, Ha Jung-woo will travel to London to present the film and engage audiences in an exclusive post-screening Q&A.
In our Spotlight Gala, we are proud to present Samsara, a haunting and visually poetic Indonesian drama by acclaimed director Garin Nugroho. Set in 1930s Bali, it follows a humble
man whose desperate bid to win his beloved’s wealthy family leads him into a dark pact with the Monkey King — unleashing tragedy on those he loves. The director will join the audience for a Q&A, providing insight into the immersive cinematic journey blending myth, ritual and human longing.
LEAFF’s Official Selection
The LEAFF Official Selection presents an extraordinary lineup of cinematic excellence — from festival sensations to daring arthouse works, celebrating the depth and range of contemporary East Asian cinema.
We are honoured to welcome back visionary Hong Kong director Yonfan with a rare double bill. Praying Mantis, co-directed with Joe Hsieh, is an 18-minute animated noir that follows a mutant praying mantis luring men along neon-lit streets in a desperate bid to save her child, only to uncover long-buried secrets. It screens alongside Yonfan’s reflective documentary Crossing Years, a meditative journey through memory and the passage of time that reveals his personal, cinematic world.
Behind the Shadows, a stylish Hong Kong noir starring Louis Koo will be shown as a UK premiere with the directors Jonathan Li (Dust to Dust) and Chou Man-yu attending for a Q&A after the screening.
From Japan, Naomi Kawase returns with the UK premiere of Yakushima’s Illusion. Set against the mist-shrouded landscapes of Yakushima Island, the film follows Corry, a French paediatric transplant coordinator navigating the ethical and cultural weight of organ donation in Japan. When her partner Jin disappears, Corry is forced into a deeply personal reckoning that blurs myth, grief, and healing — an intimate, visually poetic exploration of love and absence.
China’s offering, The Sun Rises on Us All by Cai Shangjun, recently premiered in the main competition at the Venice International Film Festival, where lead actress Xin Zhilei won the Volpi Cup for Best Actress. The film reunites former lovers Baoshu and Meiyun years after a tragedy that defined their past, unearthing hidden truths as they navigate the shifting light and shadows of memory.
Other highlights from this year’s LEAFF Official Selection include Green Wave, a sharp and witty comedy from China; and 96 Minutes, a taut Taiwanese drama featuring rising star Austin Lin. Also featured are The Ugly, the latest work from acclaimed director Yeon Sang-ho, and Family Matters, a tender exploration of love and generational bonds.
Masters of Cinema
In the strand Masters of Cinema, LEAFF celebrates the artistry and craft behind iconic films. The programme opens with a special screening of Bong Joon-ho’s acclaimed thriller Memories of Murder (2003), followed by an in-depth conversation with its celebrated cinematographer Kim Hyung-koo, offering rare insight into his visual storytelling and long-time collaboration with Bong.
Continuing this exploration of cinematic craft, we present the epic war drama Taegukgi: Brotherhood of War (2004) — one of Korea’s highest-grossing and most beloved films —
followed by a talk with award-winning production designer Shin Bo-kyeong, renowned not only for her evocative work on Taegukgi but also for shaping the richly detailed worlds of global projects including Apple TV+’s Pachinko (2022).
Stories of Women
Stories of Women celebrates female-centered narratives across borders and generations, portraying resilience, identity, and change. This year’s line-up includes Project Y, a gripping noir by Lee Hwan about two women bound only to each other, whose desperate theft of hidden cash and gold to escape poverty spirals into betrayal and survival. The First Summer by Heo Ga-young, winner of the First Prize in Cannes’ La Cinef, follows a woman in her seventies torn between mourning her late lover and attending her granddaughter’s wedding, quietly exploring love, grief, and personal choice.
From Taiwan, Girl by Shu Qi captures the raw vulnerability and resilience of young womanhood in a society caught between modern desire and traditional expectation. From Malaysia, Pavane for an Infant by Chong Keat Aun confronts reproductive justice and cultural stigma through interwoven stories of women connected to baby hatch facilities. From Thailand, Human Resources by Nawapol Thamrongrattanarit offers an intimate portrait of Fren, an HR officer facing an unjust workplace and an unplanned pregnancy — weighing the cost of raising a child in an unforgiving world.
Timeless Classics
Highlights from this strand include the newly restored 4K edition of Johnnie To’s iconic urban noir PTU (2003). A masterclass in tension and style, the film follows a single, nerve-wracking night in Hong Kong’s underworld and features powerhouse performances from legendary stars Simon Yam, Lam Suet, and Maggie Shiu. With its razor-sharp cinematography and brooding atmosphere, this restoration invites audiences to experience one of Hong Kong cinema’s most acclaimed modern thrillers as never before.
In collaboration with the Taiwan Film and Audiovisual Institute, LEAFF proudly presents a trio of newly restored Taiwanese cinematic treasures — Lonely Seventeen (1967), Good bye! Darling (1970), and The Story of a Small Town (1979). Together, these films trace Taiwan’s shifting cultural landscape across decades: from Lonely Seventeen’s coming-of-age portrait of youthful longing and rebellion, to Goodbye, Darling’s bittersweet exploration of love and moral compromise, and The Story of a Small Town’s tender reflection on family, resilience, and community. Restored to their original brilliance, these works illuminate the emotional depth and evolving identity of Taiwanese cinema.
From the Korean Film Archive, LEAFF presents three newly restored post-war masterpieces — The Widow (1955), Madame Freedom (1956), and A Flower in Hell (1958). Curated by Kim Hong-jun, these works offer a rare lens into the rapidly changing social fabric of Korea in the 1950s, a decade marked by the aftermath of the Korean War and a surge of urban modernity. Through complex female protagonists, they explore shifting gender roles, class mobility, and the evolving ideals of love and independence, while capturing vivid details of everyday Korean life and aspirations at a time of profound transformation.
Future Frames
Launching this year, LEAFF’s new AI Cinema strand opens with Run to the West, directed by Kang Yun-sung — Korea’s first AI-produced feature film. This high-octane action thriller follows souls trapped between the living world and the afterlife, pursued by relentless grim reapers intent on erasing their existence.
In partnership with the Korean Academy of Film Arts, LEAFF also presents a curated selection of pioneering AI-generated shorts that explore the intersection of technology and creativity. In a special collaborative showcase with MBC, the Jeju AI International Film Festival, and the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFAN), audiences will experience an additional lineup of AI-generated short films. Filmmaker Zo Fan will attend the screenings to share insights into their process and engage in conversation with the audience.
Competition
From this year’s Competition strand, eight titles have been chosen, spotlighting filmmakers who have directed four feature films or fewer. The LEAFF Committee will select the winner, to be announced during the Closing Gala.
- 96 Minutes — Dir. Hung Tzu-Hsuan
- Behind the Shadows — Dirs. Jonathan Li, Chow Man-yu
- Family Matters — Dir. Pan Ke-Yin
- Girl — Dir. Shu Qi
- Green Wave — Dir. Lei Xu
- Pavane for an Infant — Dir. Chong Keat Aun
- Project Y — Dir. Lee Hwan
- The People Upstairs — Dir. Ha Jung-woo