Major South Korean Theater Abruptly Cancels Human Rights Film Festival Bookings

Published: Friday, May 30, 2025 at 3:41 pm

South Korean Theater Cancels Human Rights Film Festival, Sparking Outrage

A major South Korean theater chain, MEGABOX Dongdaemun, abruptly canceled its bookings for the Seoul Human Rights Film Festival (SLIFF) just one day before its opening on May 30th. The decision, affecting multiple films documenting human rights abuses by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), has ignited outrage among organizers and filmmakers.

The festival's general director, Heo Eun-doh, expressed shock, stating this is unprecedented in South Korea. He believes the cancellation was due to external pressure, likely from the CCP. The theater had previously approved the screenings, signed a contract, and received full payment. The films were suddenly removed from the schedule, with the theater citing a lack of support for "political" festivals.

One of the affected films is "State Organs," a documentary by Peabody Award-winner Raymond Zhang, which explores forced organ harvesting in China. Zhang refuted the political label, emphasizing the film's focus on universal values. He noted that he faced threats and cyberattacks after screening the film in Taiwan, suggesting similar tactics are now being employed in South Korea.

Organizers are vowing to fight the censorship, emphasizing the importance of artistic freedom and democracy. They have managed to secure a single screening of "State Organs" at KBS Hall in Seoul. The Epoch Times attempted to contact the MEGABOX Dongdaemun branch for comment but received no response.

BNN's Perspective: This situation is concerning. While theaters have the right to make business decisions, the sudden cancellation, coupled with the nature of the films and the history of CCP pressure, raises serious questions about censorship and the suppression of artistic expression. It's crucial to protect freedom of speech and ensure that human rights issues are not silenced.

Keywords: South Korea, MEGABOX, Human Rights Film Festival, SLIFF, censorship, China, CCP, forced organ harvesting, State Organs, Raymond Zhang, artistic freedom, democracy, Heo Eun-doh, film cancellation, political pressure, theater, documentary, Seoul, KBS Hall, freedom of speech, human rights.

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