Events
Busan International Film Festival 2026 (Oct. 6–15): Tickets, Prices, Free Screenings and Getting There
AT A GLANCE
- Dates
- Tuesday, October 6 – Thursday, October 15, 2026
- Place
- Busan Cinema Center (Centum City, Haeundae-gu) and other venues around Busan
- Price
- Regular screenings ₩10,000, opening and closing ceremonies ₩30,000
- Booking
- Regular seats online only; leftover and returned tickets at the festival box office
- Free
- Outdoor Neighborhood BIFF screenings (check the official site for the schedule)
- Getting there
- About 5 minutes on foot from Centum City Station (Busan Metro Line 2)
The 31st Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) runs from Tuesday, October 6 to Thursday, October 15, 2026, centered on the Busan Cinema Center in Centum City, Haeundae, with venues around Busan. A regular screening costs ₩10,000, and regular seats are sold online only. If a film sells out, leftover and returned tickets go on sale at the festival box office during the festival. Free outdoor screenings let you enjoy the festival mood without a ticket.
The hero image is AI-generated. It is not a photo of the real festival.
This year at a glance
- Opening film: Day and Night for Each Other (낮과 밤은 서로에게) by Kim Jong-kwan, a world premiere at this festival.
- Size: 247 films from 59 countries were officially invited, and 316 films screen in total.
- Competition: 14 Asian feature films compete for the Busan Award.
- Opening ceremony: October 6 at the Busan Cinema Center outdoor theater (per Wikipedia, so check the official notice).
Newspim, Sept. 30, Seoul Shinmun (in Korean). Theaters cluster around Centum City, so watching two or three films a day is easy.
How do I book tickets?
Online booking is already open. It opened on September 17 for the ceremonies and main programs, and on September 21 at 2 p.m. for regular screenings. Wikitree (in Korean).
| Program | Price |
|---|---|
| Regular screenings | ₩10,000 |
| Actors’ House, Master Class | ₩15,000 |
| Midnight Passion (late-night screenings) | ₩20,000 |
| Opening and closing ceremonies | ₩30,000 |
- Regular seats are sold online only. You can buy up to 2 tickets per screening code (one showing of one film).
- Tickets that stay unsold or get returned go on sale at the festival box office during the festival. On opening day, October 6, the outdoor box office sells only tickets for next-day screenings.
- Cancellation is free until 6 days before the screening, with fees rising after that.
Sold out? Watch for returned tickets. Check the booking page often, and visit the box office during the festival.
Free programs without a ticket
Neighborhood BIFF (동네방네비프) takes outdoor screenings into local spaces. It runs from October 3 to 15, spreading from Busan to areas such as Yangsan and Seoul, and is listed as free. Times and places change daily, so check the Neighborhood BIFF official site.
Community BIFF is a festival-within-the-festival where audiences help build the program. It is listed for October 8 (Thu) to 11 (Sun) around Nampo-dong. Check the Community BIFF official site for prices and booking. Nampo-dong is Busan’s old downtown, close to Gukje Market and Jagalchi Fish Market.
Getting to the Busan Cinema Center
- Subway: Get off at Centum City Station on Busan Metro Line 2 and walk about 5 minutes. Busan Cinema Center directions (in Korean).
- From Seoul by KTX: Train tickets open two months before departure from October. Our guide to the two-month booking change.
- Visiting from abroad? See our K-Tour Pass guide for discounted trips to Busan.
Who it suits, and who it does not
A good fit
- You want to see new films before they reach theaters
- You want festival-only experiences like talks with directors and actors
- You want one special plan on an autumn trip to Busan
Not a great fit
- You are set on one film that is already sold out, since you will have to wait for returns
- You want a quiet trip, because Centum City and hotels get busy during the festival
FAQ
Are there still tickets? It depends on the film. Sold-out films can have returns, and leftover tickets sell at the box office during the festival.
Is there anything to enjoy without a ticket? Yes, the free outdoor Neighborhood BIFF screenings. Check the official site for the schedule.
How much is one film? ₩10,000 for a regular screening, ₩30,000 for the ceremonies and ₩20,000 for late-night screenings.
How many tickets can I buy at once? Up to 2 per screening code.
Checked on October 2, 2026. Schedules and remaining seats can change, so check the BIFF official site.