Korean cinema and culture lovers, mark your calendars!
The Korean Film Festival 2025 will return to the UAE this June to show a combination of blockbuster films with live music and cultural activities in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
Korean Film Festival: Where & When is it happening?
The festival starts at VOX Cinemas—The Galleria Al Marya Island in Abu Dhabi from June 18 to 23 before moving to VOX Cinemas—Nakheel Mall Dubai starting June 25 through June 30.
The Embassy of the Republic of Korea organizes this annual festival, which features free public screenings of Korean movies that bring iconic stories to UAE audiences.
What films will be screened, where, when and more
The festival features a selection of popular Korean films that received critical acclaim and gained widespread fan popularity.
The Oscar-winning thriller by Bong Joon-ho titled Parasite along with The Host by the same director and the historical drama The Book of Fish, Hail to Hell, Everglow and Greenhouse indie movies
The table includes information about the movies.
Here are the selected movies along with their dates, times, venues, release years, main cast members, themes, storylines, entry fees, and seating capacities.
| Film | Date & Time | Venue | Release Year | Main Cast | Theme & Storyline | Entry Fee | Seating Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parasite | Abu Dhabi: June 19, 7 PM • Dubai: June 27, 4:30 PM | Abu Dhabi: Manarat Al Saadiyat Auditorium • Dubai: Mohammed Bin Rashid Library | 2019 | Song Kang-ho, Lee Sun-kyun, Cho Yeo-jeong | A darkly comic thriller about a poor family who plan to get inside a rich household and it won the Oscar Best Picture in 2019 | Free | ~600 seats (Manarat Al Saadiyat auditorium) |
| C’est Si Bon | Abu Dhabi: June 20, 4 PM | Manarat Al Saadiyat Auditorium | 2015 | Kim Hyun-seok (dir.), Lee Jong-hyuk, Lee Jin-wook | 1960s musical film based on C’est Si Bon lounge, folk duo’s success, and the love story. | Free | ~600 seats |
| Secret: Untold Melody | Abu Dhabi: June 20, 7 PM | Same as above | 2025 | Won Jin-ah, Do Kyung-soo | A police officer investigates the case of a murder and hit and run and his wife’s infidelity | Free | ~600 seats |
| My Beautiful Girl, Mari (Animation) | Abu Dhabi: June 21, 2 PM • Dubai: June 28, 5 PM | Abu Dhabi: Manarat Al Saadiyat • Dubai: MBR Library | 2002 | Directed by Lee Seong‑gang | A boy from a village enters a magical world after he finds a marble, which leads him to explore adolescent problems and the role of the imagination. | Free | ~600 seats |
| Jaurim, The Wonderland | Abu Dhabi: June 21, 6 PM + Q\&A • Dubai: June 28, 7 PM | Same venues | 2024 | Features band Jaurim | A film about Jaurim’s 25-year musical history, followed by Q&A with director Kim Ji-hwan, who made the film. | Free | ~600 seats |
| Dog Days | Abu Dhabi: June 22, 2 PM | Manarat Al Saadiyat | 2024 | Daniel Henney, ensemble cast | Several stories are connected as they are all about the people in Seoul who are affected by their relationship with dogs. | Free | ~600 seats |
| A Tale of Two Sisters | Abu Dhabi: June 22, 4:30 PM • Dubai: June 29, 3 PM | Abu Dhabi & Dubai venues | 2003 | Moon Geun‑young | A psychological horror rooted in Korean folklore—two sisters come back home but the tension grows between them as they lose their grip on reality | Free | ~600 seats |
| The Host | Dubai: June 29, 5:30 PM | Mohammed Bin Rashid Library | 2006 | Song Kang‑ho, Go Ah‑sung | A monster comes out of Han River and takes a girl and her family has to come together to save her. | Free | ~200 seats (library auditorium) |
Bonus: A live music experience!
The Korean jazz band PREVIEW will perform a live concert at Abu Dhabi on June 20 by combining traditional melodies with modern musical rhythms.
K-Movie OST Live Concert
Abu Dhabi: June 22, 7:30 PM
Dubai: June 27, 7:30 PM
The concert will perform Korean movie soundtracks including Parasite, My Sassy Girl, The Host and other titles through the Choi Yeowan Group.
Korean Film Festival: Good as Gold info
The event offers free admission to all spectators who arrive first to claim available seats. The audience should arrive thirty minutes before showtime to secure their seats.
Venues:
1. Manarat Al Saadiyat Auditorium (Abu Dhabi)—approx. 600 seats
2. Mohammed Bin Rashid Library Auditorium (Dubai)—approx. 200 seats
The films will be shown in Korean with English subtitles while animations might entertain viewers who speak different languages.
Future-proof: Always check the Korean Cultural Center UAE – Events or festival website for any last-minute changes or updates.
For full details, registration, and updates, visit the Korean Film Festival 2025 – Official Event Page
K-Cinema Festival: Why it matters
The Korean Film Festival exceeds its movie programming because it represents Korea’s expanding global cultural impact particularly in the UAE, where K-dramas, K-pop and Korean cuisine have gained widespread popularity.
The Korean Film Festival 2025 in the UAE will provide you with an opportunity to immerse yourself in powerful storytelling, distinctive soundscapes and unforgettable moments.
Also Read:
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👉 Don’t miss this. How to Spend Summer Holidays in UAE – A Complete Guide for 2025
