This month, the Gyeonggi Provincial Museum in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, will host Korea’s first museum film festival, a unique bridge connecting historic Korean films with the museum’s collection of artifacts.
Starting on January 10, Museum Cinefest will transform the entire museum into a film hub with film screenings and lectures. Screenings and lectures will take place every weekend until January 26 in the museum’s auditorium, exhibition hall, and outdoor courtyard.
The event will offer a chance to see artifacts used as props or themes in films and artifacts actually displayed in the museum in one place, and will also feature lectures by curators, directors, actors, and historians.
The opening film of the festival is the historical drama “The Face Reader” (2013), starring Song Kang-ho, about a Joseon Dynasty fortune-teller who gets caught up in a power struggle between King Danjong and Grand Prince Suyang.
Along with the film, the museum will also exhibit “Portrait of Song Si-yeol” (19th century). This portrait is not simply a depiction of the appearance, but a good example of traditional Korean art that seeks to capture the inner spirit of the subject. The portrait emphasizes his academic identity while also reflecting the neo-Confucian ideology of the time.
Another notable combination is the historical action film “Yeokrin” (2014) and the painting “Chaekgado” (18th century) by Joseon Dynasty painter Jang Han-jong. Chaekgado is a genre of still life paintings depicting old books, antiques, and stationery that was popular during the reign of King Jeongjo, and Jang Han-jong’s work is considered one of the important relics that provide a glimpse into the intellectual activities of that era.
Other films that will be screened at the festival include “The King and the Clown” (2005), “Assassination” (2015), “Becoming an Adult” (2021), “Malmoi” (2019), “Hwang Jini” (2007), and “Dongju” (2016).
All screenings are free and open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis. Detailed program and schedule of the Museum Cinefest can be found on the museum’s official website and social media.