Lee Na-young's New Film to Open Busan Int'l Film Festival Next Month

Actress Lee Na-young speaks at a press event for the Busan International Film Festival in Seoul on Sept. 4.

Actress Lee Na-young's new film about a North Korean defector will open this year's Busan International Film Festival next month.

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The festival's organizers announced the lists of films to be screened, programs to be presented and guests to attend on Sept. 4.

Directed by Jero Yun, "Beautiful Days - 2017" is widely anticipated, as Lee chose it for her big-screen comeback after an absence of six years. It is about the reunion of a North Korean woman who abandoned her family to defect to South Korea, and her son, who resents her for doing so.

BIFF executive director Jeon Yang-jun said, "Yun is an exceptionally skilled director from Busan. We've chosen the film as the opening film because of its intriguing storyline, which looks at the restoration of a family. The timing is also right to touch on the issue of North Korean defectors".

Explaining her decision to accept the role, Lee said, "I was so surprised when I first read the script because it was a story I'd wished to see, with an appealing character. The character plows on and refuses to surrender to the challenges of life and personal tragedy. I just found it so intriguing and fascinating, so I didn't hesitate to accept".

This year's BIFF runs from Oct. 4 through 13, featuring 323 films from 79 countries.