Friendship is the core of all relationships and the films at this year’s Korean Film Festival celebrate that

Still waiting for the new episode of your favorite K-dramas? Or just looking for a new story to latch your heart onto? We all know by now how masterful Koreans are at presenting relationships on the big screen, and if you can’t get enough of these connections (inyun or not!), you’re in luck.

The Korean Cultural Center in the Philippines has just announced its lineup for this year’s Korean Film Festival. To celebrate 75 years of friendship between the Philippines and Korea, this year’s film fest also revolves around the theme of friendship in all its forms.

Cheekily entitled “Chingu Kita!” the film festival will feature five Korean films that spotlight various relationships between siblings, parents, or lovers. At the core of all these is exploring the power and boundaries of friendship.

The film festival will run from Sept. 25 to 29 at select cinemas across the country, including Davao, Baguio, and Cebu. In Manila, the five films will screen at SM Mall of Asia in Pasay, the Cinematheque Centre in Manila, and the University of the Philippines Film Institute Videotheque in Quezon City.

The best part? The films are free!

Here are the five featured films at this year’s Korean Film Festival:

“Love Reset” (2023)

A married couple who has fallen out of love (and into hate) because of differences in personality decide to get a divorce. But just as the divorce is about to be finalized, they get into an accident that wipes their memories. Not recognizing or remembering each other (and their differences!) they fall in love again.

The twist? Their families are trying to restore their memories so they can finalize the divorce.

“Our Season” (2023)

“Our Season” is a fantasy drama that follows a deceased mom who gets a chance to visit her daughter on earth for three days. During this reunion, she gets to look after and connect with her daughter (who is actually running a restaurant that uses her mom’s recipes!).

Expect a touching tale brought to life (heh) by Kim Hae-sook, aka one of the most iconic eommas in K-drama, and popular lead actress Shin Min-a.

“Smugglers” (2023)

Set in the 1970s, “Smugglers” revolves around two haenyeo (female divers) who lose their jobs when a chemical plant is built in their small seaside town. To make ends meet, they end up in a smuggling scheme. The film was also one of the selections at the Toronto International Film Festival.

“Inseparable Bros” (2019)

This heartwarming film revolves around two young men who, though not blood-related, have treated each other like brothers almost their entire lives. One is Se-ha, who is smart but wheelchair-bound, while the other is Dong-gu, who is tall and athletic but a little slow mentally. The two “brothers” navigate life filling in for each other’s shortcomings.

“Picnic” (2024)

The most recent in the lineup also features the oldest ensemble of characters. “Picnic” revolves around a trio of seniors who reconnect in their picturesque hometown after many decades away. The film not only explores the friendships among the elderly, it also touches on ideas that many of our elders may be grappling with in their old age, too, such as dealing with younger generations and death. (Not gonna lie, we’re probably gonna need some tissues here.)