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Abstract

The Busan International Film Festival, held in Busan, South Korea, is known as Asia’s largest film event, drawing filmmakers and movie stars from all over the world. The 2017 festival witnessed a notable feat in which for the first time, the festival was bookended by films directed by women (Brasor). Though the filmmakers themselves argued that the lineup of their films was unintentional, nonetheless the event shows that female directors were gaining notice at the festival—an uncommon trend globally and in South Korea. Though conditions are improving, female film directors face unique social and economic challenges in South Korea, a society traditionally rooted in Confucian ideals and recovering from a violent recent history.

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