After a long wait of four years, the Mise-en-scène Short Film Festival will be returning — and it will be returning in style. The 21st edition of Korea’s only short film festival focused on genre just revealed a full slate of honorary judges, with some of the biggest names in the game: Ju Ji-hoon, Kim Tae-ri, Jeon Jong-seo, Kim Da-mi, and Park Jung-min.
The festival is known as one of the best promotional platforms for up-and-coming filmmakers, and it has established its legacy by presenting new creative voices and recognizing the value of short films as a valid art form in the areas of drama, melodrama, comedy, horror, and action.
So now it’s awake from its slumber, let’s see how this year’s Mise-en-scène is more thrilling.
Official Announcement
On September 16, 2025, the Mise-en-scène Short Film Festival was confirmed for its return with a remarkable list of honorary judges. The festival’s organizing committee announced Ju Ji-hoon, Park Jung-min, Jeon Jong-seo, Kim Tae-ri, and Kim Da-mi will participate as jury members for its 21st edition across five categories of competitive screening.
In a public statement, the organizing committee said that this year’s festival will mark the highly anticipated return after a long four years and will advance its purpose of discovering the next generation of creative talent and shaping the next generation of Korean cinema.
Star-Studded Judges & Their Categories
This year’s honorary judges offer up star power, along with a diversity of acting experience. Each will be assigned a genre-specific category, a signature element of the Mise-en-scène Short Film Festival:
- Ju Ji-hoon → Drama (“Please Take Care of My Cat”) (Park Bo-gum and Kim Nam-gil)
- Park Jung-min → Melodrama (“Jealousy is My Strength”)
- Jeon Jong-seo → Comedy (“Conduct Zero”)
- Kim Tae-ri → Horror (“Strange Tales”)
- Kim Da-mi → Action (“Nothing to Lose”)
The star-based duo of some of Korea’s most versatile actors filled with unique categories is bound to create an interesting mix of talent, creativity, and a fresh perspective for film ontologists and filmmakers alike.
Actors’ Profiles & Highlights
The honorary judges for the festival include some of Korea’s most esteemed actors, each contributing their own star status and distinct filmography:
- Ju Ji-hoon → Renowned for Kingdom, Hyena
- Park Jung-min → Acclaimed for Dongju, Deliver Us From Evil
- Jeon Jong-seo → Emerged in Burning, exceptional in Call, Ballerina
- Kim Tae-ri → Celebrated for The Handmaiden, Mr. Sunshine, Twenty-Five Twenty-One
- Kim Da-mi → Gradually became famous for The Witch, Itaewon Class, Soulmate
Festival’s Legacy & Comeback
- The Mise-en-scène Short Film Festival is Korea’s only genre-based short film festival, established in 2002 to provide a unique opportunity for rising filmmakers to find and demonstrate their vision.
- It has been on hiatus since 2021 and is now coming back, bigger and bolder than before.
- In the past, it has continued to find and develop some of Korea’s great directors, including Kim Han-min (Roaring Currents), Na Hong-jin (The Wailing) and Yoon Jong-bin (Nameless Gangster).
This comeback is not a revival, but a return to look at how far the festival has come in the last two decades while retelling the story of the next generation filmmakers.
Executive Committee & Jury
- This year’s return is advancing through an extraordinary executive committee of seven notable directors, including Jang Jae-hyun (Exhuma), Han Jun-hee (D.P.), and Eom Tae-hwa (Concrete Utopia), and others.
- The main jury will be overseen by veteran director Kim Sung-soo and include distinguished directors Kim Sung-hoon, Byun Young-joo, Lee Jong-pil, Kang Hyung-chul, Yoo Jae-sun, and Lee Chung-hyun.
- Together they will shape the festival, both in support of new artistic impulses alongside consistently high standards of narrative.
Dates, Venue & Sponsors
- The 21st Mise-en-scène Short Film Festival will take place from October 16-20, 2025.
- All screenings will take place at CGV Yongsan I’Park Mall, though the closing ceremony will be held at Naver 1784 in Seoul.
- The festival is presented by Cine21 and is sponsored by Naver, a testament to the backing it has from the industry.
What to Expect
- The festival this year isn’t merely a comeback – it’s a new beginning for us after 4 years, making it one of the most anticipated editions we’ve ever had.
- With major star power as honorary judges and a terrific lineup of directors, the festival will showcase strong, creative voices from the next wave of Korean cinema.
- For cinema lovers, it’s also a great opportunity to see emerging talents before they arrive on the big screens – and that’s what makes this year feel even more special.
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Conclusion
After a four-year hiatus, The Mise-en-scène Short Film Festival returns with an exciting array of honorary judges and a lineup showcasing the best in genre cinema.
With screenings, emerging filmmakers, and industry legends, there’s no doubt this year’s festival will be an event film lovers can’t miss.
And the suspense goes even further because the award winners will be announced last on closing night, October 20.
