The 18th Korean Film Festival in Spain has concluded in Madrid after presenting five Korean features, a 4K anniversary screening of “Train to Busan” and short films by emerging local filmmakers. The festival was held from October 8 to 10 at Palacio de la Prensa and was organized by the Korean Cultural Center in Spain. This year’s program was built around the theme “The Monster Next Door,” focusing on suspense, thriller and horror stories that examine danger and unease within familiar social spaces. The selection included “The Journey to Gyeong-ju,” “Train to Busan,” “HOPE,” “Oldboy” and “Sleep,” giving audiences a mix of contemporary Korean genre cinema, internationally recognized titles and films with very different approaches to fear and violence. The special presentation of “Train to Busan” marked the film’s 10th anniversary.
Yeon Sang-ho’s 2016 zombie thriller became one of the best-known examples of modern Korean genre filmmaking internationally, helping introduce a wider audience to the country’s distinctive blend of fast-paced entertainment, social commentary and emotionally focused character drama. The festival also featured three winning works from the Korean Cultural Center’s 2026 short-form and short-film competition. Including those films alongside established Korean productions created a direct link between Korea’s internationally recognized cinema and the work of newer filmmakers in Spain who are engaging with Korean themes, styles or cultural references. All screenings were free and operated on a first-come, first-served basis. The first 100 audience members at each session received small popcorn and Korean rice cakes, adding a modest food-and-culture element to the film program.
Spanish subtitles were provided for the feature screenings. For international viewers, the festival is notable not simply because it revisited familiar Korean titles, but because it presented them within a broader conversation about genre. The program showed how Korean cinema can move between crime, science fiction, supernatural horror, family tension and social anxiety while maintaining a strong emphasis on atmosphere and character.