With director Park Chan-wook making history as Jury President, here are the must-watch Korean films competing for the Palme d’Or and more.
Hwang Jung-min appears in a still from the film ‘Hope.’ Photo: courtesy of Han Cinema.
Korean cinema is back at the 79th Cannes Film Festival (May 12–23, 2026). After a quiet 2025, the “K-Wave” has returned to the French Riviera with some of the biggest names in the industry. This year is, in fact, legendary because the man behind Oldboy, the iconic Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook, is serving as the Jury President — the first Korean to hold the festival’s most powerful seat.
Cannes and South Korea have a storied romance, from Park Chan-wook’s Grand Prix for Oldboy in 2004 to Bong Joon-ho’s Palme d’Or for Parasite in 2019. With Park now holding the gavel, the Croisette is buzzing with the spirit of Seoul. Here are five Korean films taking the spotlight at Cannes 2026:
Hope (In Competition)
Director Na Hong-jin’s Hope takes place in a quiet, isolated village right near the DMZ (the demilitarized zone). What begins as a local cop’s investigation into a tiger sighting quickly takes a dark turn, uncovering a much bigger threat. Screening in the main competition at Cannes, the film is a top contender for the Palme d’Or. Hope blends sci-fi themes with a visceral tone, bringing together an international cast, from Hwang Jung-min and Zo In-sung to Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander.
Colony (Midnight Screenings)
In a high-rise cut off by a sweeping viral outbreak, a group of survivors must find their way out in this new thriller directed by Yeon Sang-ho. Selected for the Midnight Screenings, the film joins a category known for polished, exciting genre movies that balance outstanding filmmaking with broader appeal. Ever since Train to Busan (2016) became a global hit, Yeon has been among the best makers of horror thrillers. So, it’s safe to say that Colony with its claustrophobic rollercoaster ride, and a cast with the likes of Jun Ji-hyun and Ji Chang-wook will be no exception.
Dora (Directors’ Fortnight)
Dora is a co-production between Korea, France, and Luxembourg directed by Jung Joo-ri. It stars singer and actor Kim Do-yeon (popularly Doyeon) and Japanese actress Sakura Ando as two women who cross paths in a coastal village to help each other heal. The film is being showcased in the Directors’ Fortnight, a special independent part of Cannes that prioritizes artistic freedom, “the spirit of creation,” and noncommercial filmmaking.
Bird Rhapsody (La Cinef)
Hongik University student Choi Won-jung’s six-minute animated short has gone into La Cinef, the festival’s official competition for student films from around the globe. Bird Rhapsody is about the trap of ambition, following a group of people climbing toward an unreachable peak and their ultimate realization that real success isn’t about catching the goal but freeing yourself from the chase.
Silent Voices (La Cinef)
Columbia University’s Nadine Misong Jin’s short film Silent Voices explores the quiet, fractured lives of a Korean immigrant family in New York. This one’s also a part of La Cinef and highlights the category’s focus on diverse perspectives and new talent.
