'Spring in Seoul' Unanimously Selected as International Feature Film for the 97th Academy Awards...

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On Thursday, the Korean Film Council (Chairman Han Sang-joon) announced that "Spring in Seoul" (directed by Kim Sung-soo) has been selected as the Korean entry for the 97th Academy Awards in the International Feature Film category.

"Spring in Seoul" tells the story of the nine hours on Dec. 12, 1979, that shook South Korea, when the commander of the security forces revolted, mobilized the military's private armies and brought even frontline troops to Seoul to fight the riot police. The film has been invited to the 23rd New York Asian Film Festival and the 26th Udine Far East Film Festival, and has been attracting global attention."

The film has been invited to several major foreign film festivals.

"Seoul Spring" was unanimously selected by the jury as Korea's entry for the 97th Academy Awards in the International Feature Film category. "There was little disagreement on the 'quality of the work,' which evenly encompasses the film's dramatic interest in tension, its directorial skill in maximizing the actors' performances in the realm of mise-en-scène, and its excellent insight into history," the jury explained.

<"We hope that the film's portrayal of the illusion of charisma and the caricature of evil will be recognized at the Academy Awards as a timely metaphor for the film's subject matter."

With a final audience of more than 13 million, "Spring in Seoul" became the No. 1 movie of the 2020s at the box office. It was released in the U.S., Australia, Taiwan, Japan and other countries.

The 97th Academy Awards will be held in March 2025, and the preliminary nominations for "Spring in Seoul" will be confirmed later this year. The Korean Film Council is asked by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) to nominate one Korean film for the Academy Awards in the International Feature Film category, which is selected annually through an open competition.

This year, in addition to "Spring in Seoul," a total of 15 films were nominated, including "Famous" and "Veteran 2."