N. Gyeongsang Province to open AI, metaverse film festival Sept. 3 with 3,403 entries from 97 countries

North Gyeongsang Province plans to develop the Gyeongbuk International AI & Metaverse Film Festival into a global platform connecting the future content industries of AI, visual effects and gaming.

The provincial government announced the festival's key programs and development strategy Tuesday at its multipurpose hall in Andong, with about 100 attendees including city and county officials and festival organizing committee members. The event opens Sept. 3.

This year's AI video competition drew 3,403 entries from 97 countries — more than three times the 1,075 submissions received last year. International entries surged more than twentyfold, from 72 last year to 1,587 this year.

The festival runs Sept. 3 to 5 across Gumi, Pohang and Gyeongsan. Gumi will focus on AI and virtual convergence industries, Pohang on AI- and VFX-based film and advertising content, and Gyeongsan on AI and the gaming industry.

Awards will be presented across all three venues. The Gumi AI Video Competition will distribute a total of 100 million won ($70,700) among 39 finalists, with the grand prize set at 20 million won.

The Pohang AI Art-Tech Awards will recognize outstanding works and production teams in film, drama series and advertising, with a total prize pool of 18 million won.

The Gyeongsan Mini-Game Contest will award a combined 15 million won to eight teams.

Business support will also be strengthened. The festival will host a technology and investment showcase for AI innovators, an investment consultation session tied to a K-culture content fund worth 150 billion won, and an export consultation event for gaming companies with 20 overseas buyers from China, Japan and other countries. An exhibition hall for advanced AI companies will feature 34 participating firms, up from last year.

Industry experts from home and abroad will also take part, offering perspectives on the future of AI, VFX and gaming. They include Choi Byeong-guk, a KAIST researcher who worked on the visual effects for "Avatar: The Way of Water," and Son Seung-hyeon, chief executive of Westworld, who contributed to the visual production of "Squid Game" and other projects.

North Gyeongsang Province plans to expand its cooperation network beyond the United States, China and Japan to include Europe and other regions, with a long-term goal of growing the festival into a world-class AI content event drawing participants from more than 150 countries.

A ceremony to appoint festival organizing committee members was also held Tuesday.

The province named Kim Se-yeon, chief executive of Saber Partners, as organizing committee chair; Yang Gyeong-mi, president of the Korea Society of Video Content, as executive committee chair; Noh Hui-yeong, chief executive of the Food and Beverage Research Institute, as adviser; and actor Won Gi-jun as external cooperation committee chair. The province said it will draw on their expertise and broad professional networks to raise the festival's profile and competitiveness.

Yang, who oversaw judging for this year's AI video competition, said that reviewing all 3,403 entries made clear that AI-generated video "has moved beyond simple technological experimentation and is growing into a new language of creative expression." She praised the entries for their improved quality and diversity.

Gumi Mayor Kim Jang-ho said the city "is building out its AI-related infrastructure" and pledged to "create an environment where people can harness AI to add their own creativity and produce original work, building on the industrial infrastructure already in place."

Gov. Lee Cheol-woo said the province intends to "expand the festival into the world's largest international AI film festival and develop it into a global platform that showcases North Gyeongsang's K-culture — including K-food — to the world."