Asia's biggest film festival is back with all the usual glitz and glamour you'd expect from a world-class event.
Now in its 24th year, Korean and international stars and starlets came out in droves on Thursday night for the Busan International Film Festival's grand opening ceremony.
Our Lee Min-sun reports from Busan.
The 24th Busan International Film Festival opened on Thursday bringing excitement to movie fans from around the world.
The country's southern port city of Busan is bustling with visitors... who have gathered to watch the international films and to enjoy various events on the sidelines.
Popular celebrities and film directors were seen on the red carpet including Korean actor Jung Woo-sung and actress Lee Ha-nui.
This year's event is being held under the theme of communication and sympathy.
Representing the festival's theme was a group of people from marginalized communities,... including a Thai refugee to South Korea and students from multicultural families who showcased musical performances at the opening ceremony.
This year's opening film is 'The Horse Thieves. Roads of Time' directed by Kazakh directors Yerlan Nurmukhambetov and Lisa Takeba. The film directed in a classic American Western style is about a breadwinner who gets killed while trying to sell his horse for food.
Starting this year, the Busan Cinema Center will host most of the major events including screening and sideline events as the typhoons had caused damages to outdoor event venues during the festival in recent years.
During the 10-day event, some 300 films from 85 countries will be screened at 6 theaters in Busan.
"At the festival, visitors will also have chance to share their thoughts about films with directors and actors at open talks and check out special exhibitions and outdoor screening prepared to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Korean film industry.
Lee Min-sun, Arirang News, Busan."