About this festival
JIFF was founded in 2000 with a remit to champion independent, experimental, and under-distributed cinema from Korea and internationally. The 27th edition runs April 30 to May 9, 2026, with screenings in modern multiplex venues combined with outdoor events in the Jeonju Hanok Village. Unlike BIFF's coastal glamour, JIFF places forward-looking film against 600-year-old architecture. Industry professionals, critics, and general audiences mix freely at the public screenings, giving the festival an accessible, collegial atmosphere.
Getting there
Take the KTX from Seoul to Jeonju Station (about 1 hour 40 minutes). The main festival venues (Megabox Jeonju, Jeonju Digital Independent Cinema) are within 20 minutes by taxi from Jeonju Station. The Jeonju Hanok Village, which hosts outdoor screenings, is 15 minutes by taxi from the station.
Tips
Tickets for individual screenings (around 10,000 won) go on sale online and at the venue box office. Many films screen with English subtitles; check the programme notes, as international films at the festival are typically subtitled in Korean while Korean films at press screenings have English subtitles. The hanok village is the most scenic neighbourhood in Jeonju and worth an afternoon even without festival events.
Dates by year
- tentative
2026
April 30 – May 9, 2026
Source: Manual editorial. Last verified 2026-05-09.