Actors Ryu Hyunkyung and Park Jonghwan will take on an unusual role at this year’s Busan International Film Festival, stepping away from the screen to work alongside festival volunteers and interact directly with moviegoers.
The two actors will participate in BIFF’s “Surprise Volunteer” program, which sees actors make unannounced appearances at festival venues to help with duties including ticket checking, audience guidance and event announcements.
Ryu Hyunkyung will volunteer on October 8 from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Busan Cinema Center.
She will check tickets for audiences attending the Open Cinema screening of In the Clear Moonlit Dusk at the Busan Cinema Center Roof Theater before helping festival staff usher moviegoers into the venue from 6:30 p.m.
Ryu, who began her career as a child actor in 1996, is attending BIFF this year in several capacities. She appears in Sapiens, which is part of the Korean Cinema Today – Special Premiere section, while her directorial project Dog Fight has been selected for the Asia Project Market.
Park Jonghwan will serve as a Surprise Volunteer on October 12 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
He will begin by delivering the opening announcement for the Talk-to-Talk Scene Stealers: Steal the Spotlight program at HANMAC SMOOOOOTH LOUNGE.
Park will then assist with audience entry for the Competition screening of The Sea Speaks His Name at the Busan Cinema Center Cinematheque at 3:05 p.m., followed by the World Cinema screening of Queen at Sea at the Haneulyeon Theatre at 3:40 p.m.
The actor is appearing at BIFF this year with two films, Space and Some Detective, both selected for the festival’s Vision – Korea section.
The Surprise Volunteer program is designed to create unexpected encounters between actors and festivalgoers while highlighting the work of the volunteers who help operate BIFF each year.
The 31st Busan International Film Festival runs from October 6 to 15 at the Busan Cinema Center and other venues across Busan.
