Jeonju Film Production Center — Jeonju’s Film Cluster on the Site of the Former Wansan Public Health Center

The Former Wansan Public Health Center Site Transformed into a Film Cluster, 2006–2009

According to reporting by a university newspaper in 2011, the facility was established as part of a regional cultural industry cluster development project supported by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. At the time, it was jointly operated by the Jeonju Information and Video Promotion Agency and the Jeonju International Film Festival. A public notice from 2023 shows that the facility is now jointly operated by the renamed Jeonju Institute of Information and Culture Industry Promotion and the Jeonju International Film Festival Organizing Committee to advance the film and video industry and create an environment for creative work.

A Four-Story Above-Ground Building with Different Film Functions on Each Floor

The Jeonju International Film Festival office is also located on the second floor, and calls can be made to 063-288-5433 at the address 22 Jeonju Gaeksa 3-gil, Wansan-gu, Jeonju, 2nd floor. This number provides information about office hours during normal periods, while during the festival the response hours are extended so calls can be answered from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Fourth-Floor Jeonju Digital Independent Cinema — Jeonju’s Only 98-Seat Art-House Single-Screen Theater

Admission is 7,000 won for general visitors, 6,000 won for sponsoring members and groups of 10 or more, and 5,000 won for discounted groups such as seniors, children, teenagers, people of national merit, and people with disabilities. Discounts cannot be combined. Ticketing uses the Ditrix computerized system, and reservations can also be made through the screening information page on the website or Indie & Art Cinema. The weekly screening schedule is released around 5 p.m. every Tuesday. In addition to newly released films, free “Jeonju Showcase” screenings featuring previews for sponsoring members and unreleased new films from the Jeonju International Film Festival are held twice a month. Alcohol and food, except beverages, are prohibited inside the theater.

First-Floor Reference Room — Korean Classic Film VOD and Independent Film Archive

The reference room on the same floor also has books related to the Jeonju International Film Festival and other film publications, making it a good place to stop between screenings. The adjacent special exhibition room hosts rotating exhibitions connected with film festivals and video culture. Past events have included a group watercolor exhibition by local artists, and a commemorative event called the “Sipsiilgwan Film Festival” was also held in the building for its 10th anniversary.

Why the Jeonju International Film Festival Office Is in This Building

The Jeonju International Film Festival began in 2000 with the goal of fostering self-reliance among low-budget and independent films. Held every spring, it has established itself as a festival symbolizing Jeonju and as an event for filmmakers from around the world. The festival organizing committee’s office on the second floor of the Jeonju Film Production Center is why this building serves as more than just a screening venue: it is also the festival’s administrative and planning hub.

Separately from general visitor inquiries, the office handling the post-production support program for filmmakers operates at 063-282-1400. The program is jointly organized by the Jeonju Institute of Information and Culture Industry Promotion and the Jeonju International Film Festival Organizing Committee. Selected films receive benefits such as the provision of screening copies for free screening programs and free access to archival materials in the reference room.

On Gaeksa 3-gil in Wansan-gu, at the Heart of “Jeonju’s Film Street”

Jeonju City named the stretch between Paldal-ro, Daedong-gil, and ChungScenery-ro, running from the Film Tower at Jeonju Ogeori to the Jeonju Film Production Center, “Film Street.” The area was one of the country’s most concentrated theater districts and historically served as a center of the film industry in the 1950s. Combined with the Jeonju International Film Festival held every May, this history helped solidify Jeonju’s image as a “city of film.”

Today, various film-related venues remain clustered along the street, from the former Jeonju Theater site to film production companies, Megabox, and CGV, attracting both residents and tourists. The Jeonju Film Production Center is situated along a walkable route connecting Jeonju Gaeksa, Pungnammun, Nambu Market, and Jeonju Hanok Village, making it a convenient place to visit naturally while touring the hanok village.

Pre-Visit Checklist — Parking, Prohibited Items, and Weekly Closures

Under normal circumstances, the Jeonju Digital Independent Cinema offers free parking. However, during the Jeonju International Film Festival, the building’s parking lot cannot be used, and the organizing committee recommends using public transportation. Anyone planning to visit by car during the spring festival season should be sure to check this in advance.

It is also easy to overlook the fact that the cinema and reference room have different closing days. The cinema is closed only on Mondays, while the reference room is closed on Mondays as well as weekends and public holidays. Thus, even if you can watch a film on Saturday, you cannot use the first-floor reference room. It is best to make reservations and check screening information in advance through the website and the Ditrix and Indie & Art Cinema apps to avoid a wasted trip.

Who This Place Is—and Is Not—Suited For

Photographs of great filmmakers from around the world hang on the building’s exterior walls, giving it the impression of an art-film venue with a character distinct from commercial cinemas. One visitor in 2011 said of the free screening program, “I did not expect much because it was a free film, but I enjoyed the movie,” suggesting that the venue is better suited to people interested in independent and art films, re-releases, and programs such as director Q&A sessions with audiences than to those seeking the latest blockbusters.

Conversely, it is not ideal for people who want to watch the latest commercial films on their opening day on a large screen. In that case, Megabox or CGV, both located within the same “Film Street,” would be better choices. Since it is a 98-seat single-screen theater, the range of seat choices is limited. The fact that the screening schedule is not finalized and released until Tuesdays may also be a variable for travelers who need to plan their itineraries in advance.