Gyeongbuk International AI Metaverse Film Festival…

The APEC category Grand Prize of the video competition was awarded to “kkwaeng”At the AI Art Tech Awards, the Best Picture went to “When Life Gives You Tangerines,”the Best Music & Sound Effects Award to music director  "Jeongnyeon" Jang young-gyu,the Best Actor Award to Jung Yoon-ho for “low life”and the Best Actress Award to Uhm Ji-won for “When Life Gives You Tangerines,”The 2025 Gyeongbuk International AI Metaverse Film Festival (GAMFF) announced that the Grand Prize in the APEC category of its Generative AI Video Competition was awarded to “Kkwaeng” produced by So Hee-soo and Joo Woo-sung.In the AI Art Tech Awards, major prizes went to the following.The festival was held simultaneously from the 12th to the 14th in Gumi, Pohang, Gyeongsan, and Cheongdo, as well as on the virtual platform GAMFF World, attracting significant attention to the AI-convergence industry led by Gyeongsangbuk-do.Now in its second year since its inaugural event last year, the festival expanded its programs significantly, including conferences, academic joint seminars, and industry partnership agreements, evolving into a global festival encompassing both convergence industries and content creation.Declaration of Vision for the Development of the Gyeongbuk AI Convergence IndustryPrior to the opening ceremony, a reception attended by around 140 representatives from AI and metaverse-related companies, visual effects studios, and production companies was held. At the event, Gyeongsangbuk-do announced its vision for the development of the AI convergence industry and called for broad interest and cooperation.At the opening ceremony in Gumi on the 12th, audiences were drawn to demonstrations of two-legged walking robots and augmented-reality smart glasses (AR glasses) equipped with simultaneous interpretation functions.Actors Shin Hyun-joon and Jung Jun-ho also appeared on stage together with a digital recreation of the late actor Kim Soo-mi, drawing significant attention.At the awards ceremony, singer Park Hye-won (HYNN) and musical actor Yenok performed celebratory stages, energizing the atmosphere.Expansion of the Generative AI Video CompetitionStarting this year, the Generative AI Video Competition expanded into five categories:Creative VideoIP Character Content Advertising Video & ImageMusic VideoAPEC CategoryThe total prize pool increased to 100 million KRW, and 1,075 works from 12 countries including the United States, China, Japan, and Russia were submitted.The Grand Prize-winning APEC entry, “Kkwaeng” reinterprets 1,000 years of Gyeongju’s history in a hip music-video style. It uses AI to naturally reconstruct cultural heritage such as Cheomseongdae Observatory, presenting a unique narrative connecting the past and the future through AI.AI Art Tech AwardsAt the AI Art Tech Awards held the following day in Pohang, outstanding works utilizing AI and VFX technologies in film, drama, OTT content, and animation over the past year were selected and awardeRenowned Korean film director Lee Jang-ho, who served as jury chairman at the inaugural festival last year, received a Special Contribution Award for his role in the successful launch of the event.AI Video Industry Conference and Joint Academic SeminarOn the 12th, a conference attended by leading scholars and industry experts was held in Gumi.Speakers included:Edward Jung, former Microsoft Chief Technology Officer and CEO of Intellectual VenturesSon Jae-kwan, CEO of Silicon Valley media company The MilkSu Cheng, CEO of Chinese AR smart glasses company WigainYoo Cheol-gyun, President of the Gyeongbuk Research InstituteAttorney Hong Seung-gi, Chairman of the Copyright CommissionThey discussed the future vision of the AI industry from various perspectives.Key topics included:Prospects for the AI industryTrends in cutting-edge technologiesThe potential of physical AICopyright and ethical issues in video productionThe sessions received strong interest from attendees.On the 13th, a joint academic seminar involving nine academic societies from fields including film, publishing, digital policy, software, and AI research was held.Discussions focused on:The impact of generative AI on content productionPolicy responses and ethical issuesThe influence of AI adoption on publishing ecosystemsIndustrial Cooperation and International ExchangeThe festival also achieved significant results in industry cooperation and international exchange.At the B2B exhibition in Gumi, 23 major companies including Estsoft, NHN Cloud, and CineSys showcased their latest technologies and conducted active consultations with participating companies.In addition, Gyeongsangbuk-do and the four cities of Pohang, Gumi, Gyeongsan, and Cheongdo signed cooperation agreements with:The Korea Visual Effects AssociationThe Korea Metaverse Industry AssociationThe agreements include joint project development, technology exchange, talent training, and connections with international events, expected to activate the regional convergence-industry ecosystem. Another agreement was signed in Gyeongsan with the participation of Gyeongsangbuk-do, Gyeongsan City, and the Korea Computer Game Society, focusing on nurturing both the metaverse and game industries.Cooperation with France’s “AI Film Awards”International collaboration was also highlighted.The founder of France’s AI Film Awards, Jacques Durand, visited Gyeongbuk in person to sign a mutual cooperation agreement with GAMFF.The agreement includes:Exchange of award-winning worksJoint promotionExpansion of talent exchangeThis partnership is expected to serve as an important stepping stone for Gyeongbuk’s video content to enter overseas markets.Citizen Participation ProgramsOne notable feature of this year’s festival was its citizen-participatory programs.Through AI experience booths and AR device demonstrations such as “Metaverse E-3,” visitors were able to directly experience cutting-edge technologies.In Gyeongsan, a Game Festa introduced new titles from local game companies, universities, and research institutes.Meanwhile, in Cheongdo, a media art exhibition showcased AI-reinterpreted landscape paintings created by senior citizens in their 60s and 70s, presenting a model example of inclusive AI creativity under the theme “AI for Everyone.”Vision for the FutureGyeongsangbuk-do plans to use the festival as a starting point to position AI and convergence industries as new growth engines for the region.Future plans include:discovering talent in generative AI and convergence industriesexpanding production infrastructurestrengthening education programs for young creatorsbuilding global networks through international exchanges.Yang Geum-hee, Vice Governor for Economic Affairs of Gyeongsangbuk-do, stated:“The Gyeongbuk International AI Metaverse Film Festival (GAMFF) is not simply a festival, but an innovative convergence event created together by industry, arts, academia, and citizens. Based on this achievement, Gyeongbuk will actively foster AI and convergence industries and grow into a global hub for the video industry.”