'International AI Metaverse Film Festival' Opens at GumiCo... AI Companies and Experts Present Vision for Future Industries

Actors Jung Junho and Shin Hyunjun to Attend
Simultaneous Events in Pohang, Gyeongsan, and Cheongdo

The 2025 Gyeongbuk International AI Metaverse Film Festival (GAMFF) will open with a grand ceremony at GumiCo on September 12.

The festival will take place over three days, from September 12 to 14, across four cities and counties: Gumi (GumiCo), Pohang (Hyoja Art Hall), Gyeongsan (Kyungil University Gymnasium), and Cheongdo (Youth Training Center).

International AI Metaverse Film Festival Poster

This year’s festival is an innovative film event that combines artificial intelligence (AI) technology with the virtual convergence industry. It will feature a variety of programs, including an international competition awards ceremony, the AI Art Tech Awards for commercial works produced within the past year using AI and visual effects (VFX) technology, conferences with participation from global experts, and film screenings.

Through these programs, the festival aims to present new possibilities for the future of the film industry and serve as a global platform for exchange among domestic and international companies, professionals, and citizens. Building on its inaugural event in 2024, this year’s festival will also introduce programs designed to revitalize the industry and expand global networks.

In Gumi, where the opening ceremony will be held, the “GAMFF Conference” will provide a forum to share the latest trends in AI and the virtual convergence industry. Renowned experts from both domestic and international AI technology sectors will deliver presentations on “AI Technology Trends and the Future of Industry,” outlining visions and directions for the development of future industries.

In addition, the B2B exhibition will feature 23 leading Korean AI and virtual convergence companies, including Eastsoft, a leader in AI software, and Sinist, a company specializing in AI biometric authentication technology. The exhibition will showcase the latest technologies and is expected to generate new business opportunities through inter-company exchange and collaboration.

Furthermore, experts from nine associations and academic societies-including the Korean Association of Film Critics, the Korean Society of Film and Video Production Technology, the Korean Society of Publishing Studies, the Korean Society of Publishing Culture, the Korean Electronic Publishing Association, the Publishing Culture Contents Research Institute, the Korean Society for Digital Policy, the Korea Software Engineers Association, and the Korea Generative AI Research Society-will gather to present and discuss the future of the industrial ecosystem in the age of artificial intelligence.

The AI Film Competition Awards Ceremony, held alongside the opening ceremony, will recognize outstanding works selected from a total of 1,075 entries submitted from May to July, including submissions from 12 countries such as the United States, China, Japan, and Russia. The competition, which received an enthusiastic response, will award a total prize pool of 100 million won to the winners.

The awards stage will be further enlivened by a special event featuring actors Jung Junho and Shin Hyunjun, as well as celebratory performances by singer Park Hyewon and musical actor Enoch.

For general visitors, the festival will also offer a media art exhibition, AI robot experiences, and AI experience booths, providing attendees of all ages with the opportunity to see and experience cutting-edge technology firsthand.

The festival will present screenings of international competition winners, guest visits (GV) with audiences, a screening of “King of Kings,” which was a hit in the United States, and a special GV session with director Jang Seongho and journalist Lee Eunju, offering a diverse range of experiences for attendees.

There will also be a special lecture on AI video production. Kim Junhyeong, Vice President of M83 Studio, who worked on the visual effects for films such as “Space Sweepers,” “Hansan,” “Noryang,” and the Netflix series “Sweet Home” (Seasons 2 and 3), and Lee Juwon, VFX Director at Dexter Studio, who contributed to the “Along with the Gods” series, “Train to Busan,” “Alienoid,” Netflix’s “Gyeongseong Creature,” and “Parasyte: The Grey,” will share insights into the visual effects technologies used in films and behind-the-scenes production stories.

Additionally, on September 12, the opening ceremony for the Game Festa will be held at the Kyungil University Gymnasium in Gyeongsan. On September 13, the AI Art Tech Awards, which recognize commercial works produced within the past year using AI and VFX technology, will take place at Hyoja Art Hall in Pohang.

On September 13, a media art exhibition showcasing artworks created by local seniors and transformed using AI technology will be held at the Cheongdo Youth Training Center. This special event will bring together the local community and all generations, embodying the value of “AI for Everyone.”

The Gyeongbuk Provincial Government plans to use this festival as an opportunity to further strengthen systematic support for the virtual convergence industry as a future growth engine. To this end, the province will actively discover creative talent utilizing generative AI and virtual convergence technologies, expand infrastructure to support industry development, and enhance the competitiveness of the regional industrial ecosystem by increasing support for education and creative activities targeting young people.

Gyeongbuk Governor Lee Cheolwoo stated, “This festival will serve as a crucial opportunity for North Gyeongsang Province to lead the innovative development of AI and the virtual convergence industry and to grow as a hub for the future film industry,” adding, “Gyeongbuk Province will continue to provide strong policy support for the fostering of AI and the virtual convergence industry.”