Busan International Film Festival 2026: Dates, Tickets and Tips for Visitors
Updated September 27, 2026
The 31st Busan International Film Festival (BIFF, 부산국제영화제) runs from Tuesday, October 6 to Thursday, October 15, 2026, with most screenings at the Busan Cinema Center in Haeundae’s Centum City area. Online sales for regular screenings opened on September 21, so popular titles are going fast — but box offices at the festival sell same-day and next-day tickets, which is how many visitors get in.
This guide covers what’s on, how tickets work, where the venues are, and how to fit the festival into a Busan trip.
Busan International Film Festival 2026 at a glance
| Dates | October 6–15, 2026 (opens on a Tuesday) |
|---|---|
| Main venue | Busan Cinema Center (영화의전당), Haeundae-gu |
| Program | About 246 invited films from 59 countries (as of September 2026) |
| Opening film | 낮과 밤은 서로에게, the new film by director Kim Jong-kwan, following four couples |
| Tickets | Official BIFF website; festival box offices for same-day and next-day seats |
BIFF is one of Asia’s biggest film festivals and a good chance to see new Korean and Asian films with English subtitles before they reach cinemas or streaming. This year’s lineup puts more weight on animation and on new work from established directors. Many screenings include a GV (guest visit, 관객과의 대화) — a Q&A with the director or cast after the film.
Tip: Check each film’s page for the subtitle language before you buy. Most non-Korean films have English and Korean subtitles, but not every Korean film shows English subtitles at every screening.
How to get tickets
- Online: tickets are sold on the official BIFF website. Opening and closing ceremonies and special programs went on sale on September 17, and regular screenings, Cine Class and Master Class sessions on September 21 (both at 2 p.m. Korea time).
- At the festival: all BIFF box offices sell tickets for the same day and the next day. On opening day, the outdoor box office sells next-day screenings only.
- Returns reappear. Sold-out screenings often free up seats as people cancel. Refresh the film’s page the evening before and on the morning of the screening.
Prices differ by program and seat, so check the ticket page when you book (as of September 2026).
Venues and getting there
The Busan International Film Festival’s center is the Busan Cinema Center in Centum City, a short walk from Centum City Station on Busan Metro Line 2. Several other screens are nearby — the CGV and Lotte Cinema multiplexes at Centum City and the KOFIC theater — so you can see two or three films a day without much travel.
- From Seoul: KTX to Busan Station takes roughly two and a half hours, then Metro Line 1 and Line 2 to Centum City. See our KTX booking guide — from October 1 you can book two months ahead.
- From Gimhae Airport: the light rail to Sasang, then Line 2 east to Centum City.
- Getting around: Busan’s subway, buses and many taxis take a T-money card.
Free and outdoor events
You don’t need a ticket for everything. Around the Busan Cinema Center and Haeundae there are outdoor stage greetings with actors and directors, and the festival’s Community BIFF program runs audience-friendly screenings and events. Schedules for stage greetings are posted on the official site and social channels a few days ahead — arrive early, because crowds build fast when a well-known actor is listed.
Planning a Busan trip around the festival
- Stay near Centum City or Haeundae if films are your priority; Seomyeon is a cheaper, central alternative on Line 2.
- Book rooms early for the opening weekend, when hotels near Haeundae fill up.
- Mix in the sea: Haeundae Beach and Gwangalli Beach are a few stops away on Line 2, and Gwangalli’s bridge lights up at night.
- Coming back in November? The Busan Fireworks Festival is on Saturday, November 7, 2026, around Gwangalli Beach.
Staying a few extra days? Our Busan 3-day itinerary covers Gamcheon, Haeundae, the temple by the sea and Gwangalli, and fits neatly around a couple of screenings.
Quick answers
When is the Busan International Film Festival 2026?
October 6–15, 2026. It opens on Tuesday, October 6.
Can foreigners buy BIFF tickets?
Yes. Buy online on the official BIFF website, or at festival box offices, which sell same-day and next-day tickets.
Do BIFF films have English subtitles?
Most international films do, and many Korean films are shown with English subtitles. Check each film’s page before booking.
Where is BIFF held?
Mainly at the Busan Cinema Center in Centum City, Haeundae-gu, plus nearby cinemas and venues around Busan.
Sources
Checked September 27, 2026. Details change — confirm dates and prices before you go.
- Busan International Film Festival — official website
- GetNews — BIFF 2026 ticketing schedule
- Kukmin Ilbo — 246 films from 59 countries at the 31st BIFF
- Money Today — Kim Jong-kwan’s film to open BIFF 2026
- Busan Fireworks Festival — official overview
Top photo: Busan Cinema Center during BIFF 2023, by 399scout, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
