The Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) has appointed Program Director Karen Park as its new Deputy Director.

Strengthening festival operations and internal–external collaboration based on 17 years of extensive on-site experience

Karen Park joined the Busan International Film Festival in 2009 and has since worked across multiple departments, including the Public Relations, Program, and Guest Service. Over the past 17 years, she has served in key roles such as Head of Program, World Cinema Programmer, and Program Director, building a long-standing career with the festival.

Before joining BIFF, Park worked in corporate strategy and marketing at CJ Entertainment. She studied Aesthetics at Seoul National University and completed graduate coursework in Arts Management at Chung-Ang University.

She is widely recognized as a veteran professional with comprehensive experience across the festival’s core operations—from film selection and guest invitations to event planning and publicity. Drawing on her extensive experience in the field, Park is expected to help coordinate internal and external matters with flexibility while enhancing organizational efficiency and serving as a vital communication bridge within the festival.

With this appointment, BIFF further reinforces the operational capacity of its secretariat and continues to strengthen a framework that enables the festival to be run steadily amid a changing environment. As Deputy Director, Park will focus on fostering thoughtful collaboration with partners both inside and outside the organization while contributing to the solid and sustainable management of the festival.

The 31st Busan International Film Festival will be held for ten days from October 6 (Tue) to October 15 (Thu) around the Busan Cinema Center.

*31st Busan International Film Festival: October 6 (Tue) – October 15 (Thu)

*21st Asian Contents & Film Market: October 10 (Sat) – October 13 (Tue)