Director Oh Hae-on wins BIKY Main Prize 'Blue Wave Award'

Director Oh Hae-on, who appeared in the ENA short-drama survival show 'Director's Arena,' has proven her talent by winning a main award at an international film festival. On the 14th, at the 21st Busan International Kids and Youth Film Festival (BIKY) International Competition section 'Ready~Action! 15+,' Director Oh received the main prize, the 'Blue Wave Award,' for her short film 'Our School Film Club.'

Celebrating its 21st year, BIKY is a leading children and youth film festival in Asia, with a total of 451 entries from 44 countries submitted for this edition. Only 46 of these made it to the final round, with screenings totaling 179 films from 41 countries. The winning film, 'Our School Film Club,' depicts the lives of teenagers contemplating their talents and career paths. It received praise for its sincere portrayal of pursuing what one loves rather than following the expectations of those around them.

Winning on the International Stage Following the Songpa Youth Film Festival Grand Prize

Director Oh Hae-on's award is the result of consistent creative activity. Director Oh is an alumna of the Songpa Youth Film Festival, which has been operated by Songpa-gu for six years, and she experienced the joy of her first award in 2024 with the co-directed work 'Land of Second-hand.' Following that, last year, she won the Grand Prize at the Songpa Youth Film Festival with her solo-directed work 'Our School Film Club.' With this recent BIKY main award, Songpa-gu has achieved the record of producing BIKY main award winners for two consecutive years, following Director Yoo Ara's 'Oh Ye-slow' last year.

Director Oh is gaining experience in both short-form content and short film sectors. The ENA variety show 'Director's Arena,' which premiered last May and concluded its 8-episode run on the 3rd, is Korea's first director survival program where participants compete with short dramas ranging from 90 to 120 seconds. Participating in school uniform at the time, Director Oh advanced to the second round among adult directors. The program was ultimately won by actor and director Lee Ju-seung, and the produced short dramas were distributed to North America, Europe, Japan, Taiwan, and beyond.

Songpa-gu's Creative Support and the Challenges of Youth Directors

Songpa-gu has been continuously building a foundation for promising creators like Director Oh. Now in its 6th year, the Songpa Youth Film Festival provides film production special lectures and opportunities to screen works. In particular, in 2024, it signed a business agreement with BIKY to serve as a link between the local and international film festivals by screening submitted and winning works at local libraries.

Songpa-gu Mayor Seo Kang-seok stated, "Last year, I personally visited Busan to encourage the youth directors, parents, and teachers who made it to the final round," adding, "It is highly meaningful that this has led to the achievement of winning a main award for two consecutive years this year." He continued, "As this is a result created by the continuous creative support of the region and the steady challenges of the youth, we will continue to strengthen the creative foundation so they can challenge the global stage in the future."