Chae-yoon Ha, the country’s top negotiator known for her unshakable composure in any situation, is left reeling after a mission ends in tragedy, with both hostages and captors dead. Ten days later, Tae-gu Min, an international arms dealer on the police blacklist, kidnaps Korean police officers and journalists in Thailand, naming Chae-yoon as the negotiator. With no clear reason, purpose, or demands, Min unleashes the deadliest hostage situation yet, while Chae-yoon must confront him without yielding an inch. With only 12 hours left, a life-or-death negotiation begins.  Director Lee Jong-seok’s 2018 crime thriller The Negotiation was praised for its top acting talent, storytelling twists and turns, and strong female in a famously gritty genre. Free with an RSVP! Complimentary snacks. In Korean with English subtitles. 114 Minutes. For mature audiences.  The Negotiation (협상) Wednesday, September 17, 6:00 PM  Korean Cultural Center Washington, D.C. (2370 Massachusetts Ave. NW) RSVP FOR THIS EVENT!

Set in 1920s Japanese-occupied Korea, Lee Jung-chool (Song Kang-ho), a Korean serving as a Japanese police officer, is tasked with infiltrating the armed independence movement group. To accomplish this, he approaches the group’s leader, Kim Woo-jin (Gong Yoo). Despite standing on opposite ends of history, the two men grow close while keeping their true intentions hidden, setting up a tense game of manipulation, betrayal, and counterintelligence. Director Kim Jee-woon's The Age of Shadows (2016) is a crowd pleasing historical epic that also won over critics, including awards for Best Art Design at the Daejong Film Awards as well as Best Director and Best Actor (Song Kang-Ho) at the BaekSang Arts Awards. Produced and distributed by Warner Bros., the film also went on to widespread international acclaim.  Free with an RSVP! Complimentary snacks. In Korean with English subtitles. 140 minutes. The Age of Shadows (밀정) Wednesday, September 10, 6:00 PM  Korean Cultural Center Washington, D.C. (2370 Massachusetts Ave. NW) RSVP FOR THIS EVENT!

As a member of an elite North Korean investigation team, Im Cheol-ryung (Hyun Bin) is called to a counterfeit printing facility only to discovery treachery in his team's own ranks. When the dust settles, Im is recovering but his government is about to send him on an unprecedented mission: team up with South Korean forces to track down Cha Ki-seong (Kim Joo-hyuk), Im's former supervisor who has fled to the South with the master printing plates. Im has only three days to complete his mission, but South Korean officials have their doubts about Im as well as Cha's culpability. Detective Kang Jin-tae (Yoo Hae-jin) from Seoul is ordered to keep a close eye on the whole operation, lest things go horribly wrong. Director Kim Sung-hoon's 2017 action thriller Confidential Assignment offered an original twist on North-South politics in Korea, and went on to earn its stellar cast awards for Best Supporting Actor (Kim Joo-hyuk) and Most Popular Actress (Yoona), among others. Free with an RSVP! Complimentary snacks. In Korean with English subtitles. 125 Minutes. Confidential Assignment (공조) Wednesday, August 27, 6:00 PM  Korean Cultural Center Washington, D.C. (2370 Massachusetts Ave. NW) RSVP FOR THIS EVENT!  

Hyung-Wook (Yu Hae-Jin) is a charismatic contract killer with a perfect record whose epic bathhouse slip has him being taken to the hospital by paramedics, including the lovely Ri-Na (Jo Yoon-Hee). Struggling actor Jae-Sung (Lee Joon), who can't even pay his rent, witnesses the slick-dressed hit man take a fall -- on a whim, he switches their locker keys, and as a result, entire identities. Hyung-Wook wakes up with no memory of his deadly past, and learns that he is...a broke actor named Jae-Sung? Both men try to embrace their new lives, to hilarious effect. Director Lee Gye-byeok's hit comedy Luck-Key (2016) gave veteran character actor Yu Hae-jin a chance to play the lead, earning him nominations for Best Actor at the Baeksang Arts Awards and Chunsa Film Art Awards and the top prize from the University Film Festival of Korea. Free with an RSVP! Complimentary snacks. In Korean with English subtitles. 112 minutes.  LUCK-KEY (럭키)  Wednesday, August 13, 6:00 PM  Korean Cultural Center Washington, D.C. (2370 Massachusetts Ave. NW) RSVP FOR THIS EVENT!  

As a former gangster who left behind a rough past, Dong-chul (Ma Dong-seok) now leads an honest life working at the fish market. But when his wife Ji-soo (Song Ji-hyo) is suddenly abducted without a trace, Dong-chul must take matters into his own hands after receiving a chilling phone call. The criminal predators are about to become the prey when they realize that this particular target with a past and a vengeance is unstoppable. Director Kim Min-ho's 2018 action/crime thriller Unstoppable wowed audiences with its compelling cast, debuting at No. 1 at the box office in Korea and going on to further success with international audiences.  Free with an RSVP! Complimentary snacks. In Korean with English subtitles. 115 minutes.  Unstoppable (성난황소) Wednesday, July 16, 6:00 PM  Korean Cultural Center Washington, D.C. (2370 Massachusetts Ave. NW) RSVP HERE!

Much like a hummingbird, 14-year-old Eun-hee (Park Ji-hu) is small yet intensely alive, her senses wide open to the vast and unknowable world that lies ahead. She quietly navigates the uncertainties of adolescence, fleeting romance, and changing times. Through her curious gaze, one is drawn back to a pivotal moment in Korean history that shaped a generation: the tragic 1994 collapse of Seoul’s Seongsu Bridge. Director Bo-ra Kim’s Berlinale prize-winning 2019 debut was a huge critical and commercial success in Korea and abroad.  Free with an RSVP! Complimentary snacks. In Korean with English subtitles. 138 minutes.  House of Hummingbird (벌새)  Wednesday, July 2, 6:00 PM Korean Cultural Center Washington, D.C. (2370 Massachusetts Ave. NW) RSVP HERE!

EuroAsia Shorts (EAS) returns in 2025 with a packed week of five in-person screening, discussion, and reception events featuring international short films at Washington, D.C. embassies and cultural centers, available free to the public, June 6 – 13. Join an international cinematic dialogue that is uniquely Washingtonian as we celebrate 19 years of EAS in the nation’s Capital!   This year, EAS events take place over the course of seven days, opening on Friday, June 6 and closing on Friday, June 13. The first four evenings—each a pairing blending short films from two or three countries designed as a cinematic conversation—will be followed by the traditional closing night on Friday June 13, featuring short films from all nine current partner countries represented by DC-based embassies and cultural organizations. Several events include post-film discussions and complementary receptions. Korean highlights this year include a pairing of Korean and Spanish short films presented by the KCCDC and the Embassy of Spain on June 9 at 6:30 p.m. at the Former Residence of the Ambassadors of Spain (2801 16th St NW, Washington, DC 20009) and the closing night at the Embassy of Austria featuring films from all partner countries on June 13.   All EAS films speak to and are tied together by a central theme, which in 2025 is Beyond Limits, encompassing stories of personal struggle, challenges both great and small, the pressures of society, and the limits of our patience as individuals. EAS films span all genres and styles, and naturally encompass diverse worldviews and cultural perspectives. Through the lens of a central theme, EAS strives to define both its featured countries’ uniqueness and shared humanity.   All EAS programs are free to attend. Registration is required, with limited ticket quantities. All films are presented with original audio and English subtitles (as needed). Find complete information, schedules, images, and partner information at www.EuroAsiaShortsDC.com. Korea Highlights See below for the complete festival schedule. A discussion will follow each program to compare and contrast the films and the topics. All films are subtitled in English, unless otherwise noted. June 9 at 6:30 p.m. | Spain & Korea Pairing Former Residence of the Ambassadors of Spain (2801 16th St NW, Washington, DC 20009) RSVP HERE Featuring:  Ciao Bambina Spain, 2024, 18 min. Directors: Afioco Gnecco and Carolina Yuste Rafael, ten months into his transition with testosterone, struggles with the emotional and physical changes, feeling too uncomfortable to do simple activities like going to the beach. Cementerio de coches Spain, 2023, 8 min. Director: Miguel Ángel Olivares The unconditional support that Rubén offers Asïr reflects the purest friendship, though the worst is yet to come. 웃어 돼지야 (Bring Me the Head of a Smiling Pig) Korea, 2024, 22 min. Director: Chang Wooje Just like the head of a pig in a traditional gosa ceremony intended to prevent misfortune, humans are also often forced to smile against their will, but by absurd peers, society, and the system itself. Daeho is about to discover how societal pressures and rigid hierarchy can drive one to madness. 냉면의 맛 (Suntan Rord) Korea, 2021, 11 min. World Premier! Director: Kim Jong-jae When Eun-ho’s film debut dream falls apart, he turns to traditional cold buckwheat noodles for comfort. But bad naengmyun? That is just too much to bear. June 13 at 7:30 p.m. | All Countries Closing Night  RSVP HERE (opens June 5) Featuring films from all partner countries, including:  창귀 (Chang-gui) Korea, 2024, 5 min. Directors: Park Doo-hyung, Lee Chan Ha, Jung Yi-chun An old man, in search of his granddaughter taken by a tiger, embarks on an unexpected spiritual journey in this vivid reimagining of a traditional Korean folk tale. About the EAS 2025 Theme: Beyond Limits   The theme for EuroAsia Shorts 2025 is Beyond Limits. Like joy, growth, and change, obstacles are a natural and universal part of life. But it is how we face them—or overcome them—that reveals our true character, values, and shared humanity. Hardships both great and small demand we respond with perseverance, courage, and resilience. Other challenges call for profound resistance and strength when we are pushed beyond our limits or into conflict. The many trials we face in life—as individuals, nations, and humanity as a whole—ultimately require us to look beyond the moment to preserve hope and seek justice, even in the face of insurmountable odds. What would we be were it not for the struggles that fortify and define us?   About the Festival   Now in its 19th year (2025), EuroAsia Shorts (originally the Asian-European Short Film Showcase) remains a collaboration between a small group of Washington, D.C. embassies and cultural centers. Since 2006, the festival has presented more than 370 short films from around the world, including both award-winning and new filmmaker shorts, often making their U.S. or world premiere. Each year an exceptionally broad variety of films and styles are presented, all connected by a single theme to facilitate meaningful, insightful discussion. EuroAsia Shorts offers an international cinematic dialogue that is uniquely Washingtonian.   EAS pairing programs were originally conceived as a format that can foster a cultural dialogue, showcasing about 30 minutes of short films from each of two countries—one Asian and one European—followed by a wide-ranging audience discussion with guest speakers from culture and film. The final closing program features extra-short shorts films from all participating countries and a lively panel discussion, tying together the festival’s broader themes of universality and cross-cultural understanding.   The 2025 festival features films from 9 countries. Check out the links below for more on each partner organization and our many cultural programs beyond EAS.   Partner Organizations   Alliance Française de Washington Austrian Cultural Forum Washington Cultural Office, Embassy of Spain Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia Goethe-Institut Washington (Germany) Italian Cultural Institute Japan Information and Culture Center, Embassy of Japan Korean Cultural Center Washington, D.C., Embassy of the Republic of Korea The Sultan Qaboos Cultural Center (Oman)   Complete Schedule   Pairing Programs | June 6 – 13   Japan & Austria | In-person Friday, June 6 at 7:00 p.m. Japan Information & Culture Center, Embassy of Japan 1150 18th St NW #100 Washington, DC 20036   Spain & South Korea | In-person Monday, June 9 at 6:30 p.m. Former Residence of the Ambassadors of Spain 2801 16th St NW, Washington, DC 20009   Italy, France, & Indonesia | In-person Tuesday, June 10 at 6:00 p.m. Embassy of Italy 3000 Whitehaven St NW, Washington, DC 20008   Germany & Oman | In-person Thursday, June 12 at 6:30 p.m. Goethe-Institut Washington 1377 R St. NW, Ste. 300 Washington, DC 20009   Closing Program | June 13   All Countries | In-person Friday, June 14 at 7:30 p.m. Embassy of Austria 3524 International Ct NW, Washington, DC 20008   How to RSVP   RSVP links will be posted publicly at www.EuroAsiaShortsDC.com. Different events may post their RSVP links at different times. To receive invitations directly, follow our partners on social media or join their e-mailing lists, via the links above or the central EAS website.  

In 1991, while South Korea was striving to join the United Nations, a brutal civil war erupted in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia. Cut off from all communication, the staff and families of the South Korean embassy find themselves trapped amidst a storm of bullets and bombs, fighting each day to stay alive. One night, officials from the North Korean embassy come knocking, seeking help... Their shared goal: to escape from Mogadishu. Free with an RSVP! Complimentary snacks. In Korean with English subtitles. Acclaimed director Ryu Seung-wan's dramatic epic 2021 Escape from Mogadishu starring Kim Yoon-seok, Zo In-sung, Huh Joon-ho, Koo Kyo-hwan, Kim So-jin, and Jung Man-sik is based on real events and went on to earn critical and commercial success.  Free with an RSVP! Complimentary snacks. In Korean with English subtitles. 121 minutes.  Escape from Mogadishu (모가디슈) Wednesday, June 18, 6:00 PM Korean Cultural Center Washington, D.C. (2370 Massachusetts Ave. NW) RSVP HERE!