"KT Opens Dedicated Independent Film Theater to Nurture the Next Bong Joon-ho"

[Asia Economy Reporter Koo Chae-eun] KT announced on the 16th that it has launched the Olleh tv independent film exclusive theater ‘Art Movie Salon’ and will showcase various independent and art films not only on IPTV but also offline. Olleh tv Art Movie Salon is an exclusive theater prepared by KT to expand the base of independent films so that the public can easily access various independent films every day.

In line with the ‘Theme of the Month,’ about 30 films will be provided each month, offering a total of around 200 diverse independent and art films by the end of the year. Among these, about 50 independent films selected by ‘Hidden Pictures’ are included, and KT is the only paid broadcasting operator to provide these films for free. Hidden Pictures is an online distribution support project for independent and art films run jointly by the Korean Film Council and Cine21, which discovers hidden gems and supports them to reach more audiences.

Additionally, KT opened an offline screening room at ‘Jeongdong 1928 Art Center’ located on Deoksugung-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul, where two independent films will be screened monthly until the end of the year. This screening room is open daily at 12 PM and 3 PM, free of charge, throughout the year. The films are provided by ‘CM Pictures,’ Korea’s leading independent and art film distributor. In April, to coincide with the cherry blossom season, the independent films ‘Donggyeong’ and ‘Ajik Jinaji Anneun Yeoreum’ will be screened to revive memories of love, and in May, two independent films themed around family will be available.

KT also conducts monthly ‘no-audience GV (Guest Visit)’ sessions on YouTube for viewers who have difficulty watching films offline due to COVID-19. In these no-audience screenings, directors and actors appear in person to share interesting stories about the film, including the director’s intentions and behind-the-scenes filming stories, which will be delivered to audiences through the Olleh tv YouTube channel.

Song Jae-ho, Executive Vice President and Head of KT Media Platform Business Division, said, “We hope that through Olleh tv Art Movie Salon, various genres of independent films with experimental themes will meet many film audiences,” and added, “As Korea’s leading media company, KT will continue to contribute to the development of the independent and art film ecosystem, which forms the foundation of Korean cinema.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.