On Thursday, October 15, 2026, I had the chance to watch the Korean film Hope during the opening night of the ASEAN Korea Film Festival (AKFF) 2026.

Before this screening, I honestly had no idea what the movie was about. I had only seen headlines and heard friends talking about how it had achieved impressive recognition internationally. Many of my peers were eagerly waiting for its release, but I didn’t know what to expect.

It wasn’t until I finally got the opportunity to watch it at AKFF that I started digging into some background information. At first, I assumed it would be a war or historical drama. To my surprise, it turned out to be a science fiction monster film! A genre I absolutely love.

That revelation alone made me even more excited.

The film Hope (2026) was screened on the opening day of the ASEAN Korea Film Festival (AKFF) 2026 on Thursday, October 15, 2026, at CGV Pacific Place.

On Thursday, October 15, 2026, the ROK Mission to ASEAN hosted the 2026 ASEAN Korea Film Festival (AKFF), an annual event that brings together Korean and ASEAN cultures through a curated selection of quality films.

Unlike previous years, this edition featured a special program titled “FLY Films Screening & Special Conversation with FLY Directors.” There’re five short films that were showcased, which are Laughing and Crying, Mey Long, Last Light, JIWO, and Kado (A Gift).

Among these, JIWO and Kado were directed by Indonesian filmmakers Luhki Herwanayogi and Aditya Ahmad, who joined the festival as special guests for the director’s talk session.

Visitors could receive an event brochure containing brief information about the films being screened, along with limited-edition souvenirs from the ASEAN Korea Film Festival 2026, namely a small pouch and a set of post-it notes.

When I think about shaping the vision of YouthFULL Tomorrow, some of words comes to mind, like fear, fascination, knowledge, technology, unity, sustainability, culture, wisdom, and hope.

In my creative process, I expressed complex emotions and modern realities like fear, fascination, knowledge, technology, and wisdom through video content.

Meanwhile, concepts rooted in connection and longevity, such as unity, sustainability, culture, and hope, found their natural home in photo and image-style posts, which include three things to do to shape the YouthFULL Tomorrow at the individual, regional, and global levels.

On Friday, August 7, 2026, the Mission of the Republic of Korea to ASEAN announced the three grand prize winners of the Your-K Your-ASEAN 2026 contest through its official Instagram account, @rokmissiontoasean.

This annual event, held from June 22 to July 29, 2026, was organized to strengthen friendship between Korea and ASEAN member countries, encouraging people from both regions to express the spirit of togetherness through creative works.

After previously joining the contest in 2023 with a K-pop cover song, this year I was motivated to participate again by presenting an original song and music video titled Side by Side (Korea and ASEAN).

When my work was announced as one of the grand prize winners, the achievement felt truly special because it gave me a valuable experience, showing that opportunities are always open for anyone who keeps trying to create.

Traveling to a country feels incomplete if we don’t explore the vibrant festivals that shape its culture. Festivals are not only about celebration, but they are windows into traditions, beliefs, and community spirit. While this article won’t cover every festival in the region (of course), here are six fascinating events from Korea and some of ASEAN countries that you should definitely know about.

Haman Nakhwa Nori Festival (Korea)

If you’ve watched the drama Perfect Crown starring IU and Byeon Wooseok, you might recall a breathtaking scene in episode 1 where glowing sparks cascade over water. That spectacle is none other than Nakhwa Nori, a traditional Korean firework ritual dating back over 400 years.

Photo by MBC | Source (1) Perfect Crown