[What to Watch] 3 Korean films to look out for at BIFF

The 29th Busan International Film Festival kicked off Wednesday, screening a total of 279 films from 63 countries.

Though this year’s edition has taken the unusual step of opening with a Netflix movie, “Uprising,” it has also established a new competition section for documentaries. As Asia’s largest film festival, it continues to attract films from around the world, many of them Asian or Korean premieres. Here are three movies that The Korea Herald recommends.

The 29th BIFF continues through Oct. 10.

‘The Final Semester’

Directed by Lee Ran-hee, this coming-of-age movie deals with some of the most pressing issues in South Korea: the human rights of young workers.

The movie follows Chang-woo (Yoo Lee-ha), who is in the final semester of a vocational high school. Chang-woo is doing an internship at a small factory and finds himself rethinking his future along with his classmates as industrial accidents happen around him.

“The Final Semester,” the second feature film by director Lee, delivers Chang-woo’s nerve-racking struggles as a clumsy, novice worker in a factory full of dangerous machinery, as well as a deeply moving development as a daring young person who takes small steps forward.

‘The Last of the Sea Women’

While there have been a number of TV shows and movies about Korean “haenyeo” — female divers — director Sue Kim’s portrayal of an extraordinary band of feisty veteran divers is real and raw.

Battling against dangerous waters, the so-called “real-life mermaids” dive to the sea bottom without oxygen tanks to harvest seafood by hand.

While the majority of haenyeo are in their 60s, 70s and even 80s, the movie delightfully depicts the fierce and funny lives of these older women and compares their lives with that of younger generation haenyeo who want to revive the profession via social media.

‘A Girl with Closed Eyes’

As the directorial debut of Chun Sun-young, this crime thriller follows In-seon (Kim Min-ha), who is arrested at the scene on suspicion of murdering bestselling author Jeong Sang-u (Lee Ki-woo).

In-seon asks detective Min-ju (Choi Hee-seo) to investigate the case and the two learn that they were once childhood friends from elementary school. They had lost contact after Min-ju suffered a serious incident.

Despite In-seon’s confession to the crime, her motive and some of her statements don't match the evidence, raising doubts about her guilt.

Chun previously was part of the directing team for auteur Hong Sang-soo’s “Night and Day” (2008).