"Bugonia", an official selection in the Icons section at the 30th Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), will host a special talk with director Jang Joon-hwan and actor Lee Je-hoon.
The film follows two young true believers in an alien-invasion conspiracy who kidnap a powerful conglomerate CEO named Michelle, convinced he’s an extraterrestrial intent on destroying Earth―and chaos ensues.
After the "Bugonia" screening on Sunday, September 21, at Dongseo University’s Sohyang Theater, Shinhan Card Hall, a special conversation titled “Bugonia x Jang Joon-hwan x Lee Je-hoon: Watch Together, Talk Together” will take the stage. Joining the discussion are Jang―who wrote and directed the cult classic "Save the Green Planet!"―Lee Je-hoon, a devoted cinephile who runs the YouTube channel “Jehoon’s Cine” spotlighting indie theaters and films and counts "Save the Green Planet!" among his all-time favorite Korean movies, and CJ ENM’s Global Projects lead Ko Kyung-bum.
Having been involved with "Bugonia" from the earliest development stages, Jang is uniquely positioned to speak to both the world he created in "Save the Green Planet!" (his 2003 feature debut) and Yorgos Lanthimos’ 2025 remake, stoking curiosity about the stories and insights he’ll share.
Lee recently selected "Save the Green Planet!" for “A Very Personal Cinema,” a special program hosted by Cine21 and the Korean Film Archive, where he led a post-screening Q&A. “The freshness I felt and the shock that dominated the screen when I first saw it still hold up 20 years later,” he said. “I’m jealous of anyone discovering it for the first time.” Fans are eager to see how his onstage conversation with Jang deepens after experiencing "Bugonia"―and what sparks when they open the floor to the audience.
"Bugonia" screens three times at BIFF: the Asia premiere on Friday, September 19, at 5 p.m. at CGV Centum City; Sunday, September 21, at 12 p.m. at Dongseo University’s Sohyang Theater, Shinhan Card Hall; and Wednesday, September 24, at 12 p.m. at the Busan Cinema Center’s Haneulyeon Theater.
Backed and co-produced by CJ ENM―the original investor-distributor of 2003’s "Save the Green Planet!"―"Bugonia" continues the company’s global push for Korean cinema following "Past Lives." CJ ENM spearheaded development from the English-language remake screenplay to packaging the director, cast, and production partners, and will handle domestic distribution.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kim Ji-hye)