'A work with an intriguing premise and a captivating twist'

Award ceremony for the 2026 Korean Film Scenario Competition [Korean Film Council]
Award ceremony for the 2026 Korean Film Scenario Competition [Korean Film Council]

Writer Kim Wan's "Woori Ai" has been named the grand prize winner of the 2026 Korean Film Scenario Competition, organized by the Korean Film Council.

The council held the awards ceremony June 25 at Scene One, a planning and development support center in Myeong-dong, Seoul, presenting prizes to 14 winning works including "Woori Ai." A total of 1,225 screenplays were submitted to this year's competition.

"Woori Ai," a psychological thriller told from the perspective of a mother with antisocial personality disorder, took the grand prize and its 30 million won ($19,400) purse. Judges praised it as "a work where the characters come alive through an intriguing premise and deliver genuine enjoyment through a captivating twist."

The ceremony also presented awards totaling 102.5 million won across all categories. The excellence award (20 million won) went to "Pyeonchan'gwan" by Choi Jeong-woo; the merit award (10 million won) to "Yeongeuki Kkeutnaго Nan Dwi" by Kim So-yeon; and the encouragement award (7.5 million won) to "Tokkigul" by Kim Seung-youn. Ten honorable mention prizes of 3.5 million won each went to "Yeogongdeul" (Kim Won-jin), "Gan Gap" (Choi Ji-hye), "Ulleungdo 1974" (Kwon Min-seong), "Jikiji Mothan Yaksok" (Im So-jeong), "Heuksa" (Im Hyo-jun), "Girokja-deul: Wangi Duryeowo-han Girok" (Im Ho-dong), "Boramaeneun Haganghanda" (Jeong Gi-uk), "Nakin" (Lee Gi-rin), "Table Death" (Kang Ra-on) and "Joe-ui Iyagi" (O Mu-a).

Korean Film Council Chairman Han Sang-jun said he hoped the fresh stories uncovered through the competition would "breathe vividly with audiences on screen," adding that the council would continue to provide systematic support to help outstanding screenplays move into actual film production.


balme@heraldcorp.com