Netflix and BIFF unite global creators at Creative Asia

More than 250 filmmakers, journalists and industry leaders from across the globe convened for Creative Asia, a Netflix-hosted event held in partnership with the Busan International Film Festival, spotlighting the streamer’s evolving strategies and the vision of world-class creators.

The gathering drew visionaries including directors Guillermo del Toro (“Frankenstein,” “Pan’s Labyrinth”), Yeon Sang-ho (“The Ugly,” "Hellbound," “Train to Busan”) and Maggie Kang (“KPop Demon Hunters”).

The program kicked off with opening remarks from BIFF program director Karen Park, who underscored the festival’s shared mission with Netflix to champion Asian creativity. “BIFF has become a massive stage for showcasing Asian cinema to the world, and Netflix has played a crucial role in breaking down language and cultural barriers,” said Park.

Netflix especially pointed to its focus on local talent development, with senior production director Sung Q Lee highlighting the VFX Academy, run in partnership with the Korea Creative Content Agency, which placed 70 percent of its graduates at leading Korean VFX studios, including Dexter Studios and Westworld.

The afternoon lineup featured a series of masterclasses with visionary Netflix collaborators, including del Toro and Yeon, who shared their approaches to the creative process and the art of translating imagination into cinematic worlds.

For del Toro, inspiration lies in every detail of production.

“Film is poetry with hardware. You’re using tools to produce movement, but every element in the film is a single unit.” He added that unexpected moments can elevate even the most carefully crafted scene, reminding filmmakers that cinema is as much about discovery as it is about design.

Yeon, meanwhile, reflected on the unique strengths of animation as a medium.

“(Animation) lets you test and refine creative choices almost immediately. The way action, emotion or even something like blood is depicted can be completely different, so animation and live-action each offer their own possibilities for storytelling and imagination.”

The final session spotlighted "KPop Demon Hunters" director Kang, who discussed blending Korean culture and folklore with K-pop and fandom and shared behind-the-scenes stories of collaborating with top producers and choreographers to create a work that was “deeply Korean yet universally relatable.”