Guide to Korean Film Festival 2025 in Abu Dhabi and Dubai: Parasite, The Host and live concerts

This year's event is themed around music with two live concerts included in the programme

Parasite was the first non-English film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture in 2020. Photo: Curzon Artificial Eye / Kobal / Shutterstock

The Korean Film Festival is returning for its 9th iteration with screenings at Manarat Al Saadiyat in Abu Dhabi and the Mohammed Bin Rashid Library in Dubai.

This year’s event is themed around music, showcasing how sound and storytelling can come together to create powerful cinematic experiences. In addition to the film showings, there will also be two special K-Movie OST (original soundtrack) live concerts that feature memorable music from the films being screened at the festival.

As part of the event's commitment to cultural exchange and regional collaboration, the programme includes a special screening of six Arab Film Studio titles on Saturday in Abu Dhabi, presented in partnership with the Creative Media Authority.

The films set to be shown include Sound of Memories by Gargi Chakrabarti, The First Note by Laith AlRamahi and Laura Saab's I See a Woman.

“The Korean Film Festival has a long and meaningful history in the UAE, consistently showcasing Korean cinema and engaging with local audiences over the years," said Lee Yong-hee, director of the Korean Cultural Centre in the UAE.

"This year, we are proud to expand that engagement even further, by introducing a special Arab film showcase and hosting live K-Movie OST concerts for the first time. These additions reflect our commitment to deeper cultural exchange and creating shared experiences through film and music.

Parasite (2019)

Abu Dhabi: Thursday at 7pm

Dubai: June 27 at 4.30pm

The opening film is Bong Joon-ho's historic Oscar-winning Best Picture about a poor family that slowly infiltrates the lives of a wealthy household by posing as unrelated professionals – a tutor, art therapist, chauffeur and housekeeper. Soon, all of them find a way to work within the same household and start living a parasitic life.

C'est Si Bon (2015)

Abu Dhabi: Friday at 4pm

C'est Si Bon is inspired by true events. Photo: Korean Cultural Centre

Directed by Kim Hyun-seok, C'est Si Bon is set in the 1960s and inspired by real events. The film centres on the storied music lounge C’est Si Bon in Seoul. It follows two young men who team up to form a duo that would become part of the famous folk group Twin Folio. As they rise in the music scene, they both fall for the same woman, introducing a bittersweet love triangle amid a backdrop of political tension and creative passion.

Secret: Untold Melody (2025)

Won Jin-ah and Do Kyung-soo star in Secret: Untold Melody. Photo: Korean Cultural Centre

Abu Dhabi: Friday at 7pm

A police detective haunted by guilt after an affair and a hit-and-run accident is forced to investigate a murder that bears a suspicious connection to his wife. As he uncovers disturbing truths and hidden motives, he must confront his own past sins while grappling with a dangerous web of betrayal and secrecy. It is directed by Seo You-min.

My Beautiful Girl, Mari (2002)

Abu Dhabi: Saturday at 2pm

Dubai: June 28 at 5pm

Lee Seong-gang's animated fantasy film follows Nam-woo, a young boy coping with loneliness and the changes of adolescence. When he discovers a magical marble, he’s transported to a dreamlike world where he meets a mysterious and ethereal girl named Mari. The film blends imagination with reality to explore themes of growing up.

Jaurim, The Wonderland (2024)

Jaurim have been together as a band for more than 25 years. Photo: Korean Cultural Centre

Abu Dhabi: Saturday at 6pm, followed by a Q&A with the film’s director

Dubai: June 28 at 7pm

Kim Ji-hwan's documentary dives into the 25-year history of the South Korean rock band, Jaurim. Through interviews, behind-the-scenes footage and concert clips, the film captures the band's evolution, creative struggles and enduring connection with fans, while offering a closer look at the cost and joy of artistic pursuit in South Korea’s music industry. The director will also host a Q&A session after the film's screening in Abu Dhabi.

Dog Days (2024)

Daniel Henney in the comedy-drama Dog Days. Photo: Korea Cultural Centre

Abu Dhabi: Sunday at 2pm

This ensemble comedy-drama interweaves the stories of several people in Seoul who are brought together by their relationships with dogs. Each character – ranging from a vet to a lonely teenager – experiences growth, healing or change through their bond with a canine companion. The film is an exploration of the quiet ways pets shape human lives.

A Tale of Two Sisters (2003)

Moon Geun-young stars in A Tale of Two Sisters. Photo: Korean Cultural Centre

Abu Dhabi: Sunday at 4.30pm

Dubai: June 29 at 3pm

Based on a Korean folktale, Kim Jee-woon's psychological horror centres on two sisters, Su-mi and Su-yeon, who return home after a stay in a psychiatric hospital. Tension builds between them and their stepmother in a house filled with eerie presences and disturbing memories. As the narrative unfolds, it becomes unclear what is real and what is imagined, leading to a revelation about trauma, guilt and grief.

The Host (2006)

Kang-ho Sang and Go Ah-sung play father and daughter in The Host. Photo: Korean Cultural Centre

Dubai: June 29 at 5.30pm

When a mutated creature emerges from the Han River and begins attacking Seoul, it snatches a young girl named Hyun-seo, prompting her family to spring into action. Her dysfunctional relatives band together in a desperate, chaotic mission to rescue her.

K-Movie OST Live Concert

Abu Dhabi: Sunday at 7.30pm

Dubai: June 27 at 7.30 pm

Choi Yeowan Group is a crossover ensemble led by jeongga (traditional Korean vocal music) artist Choi Yeowan. The group brings together five musicians from both traditional and contemporary music scenes, offering a fresh reinterpretation of South Korean film music. Their performances blend famous soundtrack melodies with the unique aesthetics of traditional South Korean music.

The ensemble will present reimagined soundtracks from South Korean cinema classics such as Parasite, My Sassy Girl, 200 Pounds Beauty and The Host.