Korean Academy of Film Arts

What Korean Academy of Film Arts does

The Korean Academy of Film Arts (KAFA, 한국영화아카데미) is a private, non-profit film education institution established in 1984 under the Korean Film Council (KOFIC), a government entity under Korea's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Headquartered in Busan, South Korea, KAFA operates Korea's longest-running dedicated film school, offering full-time Regular Programs (40 weeks) across directing, cinematography, animation, producing, and sound design, alongside Feature Film Programs producing up to six theatrical-quality projects per cohort, Global Education programs, KAFA LAB for advanced long-form projects and actors training, and KAFA+ Film Industry Education for working professionals.

KAFA's curriculum is delivered by active industry practitioners and structured around hands-on production, with students evaluated by working professionals and faculty. Recent strategic additions include a Virtual Studio Practice Workshop, a Cutting-Edge Film Production Training program (launched April 2024), and KAFA+ AI Film Technology courses delivered with MBC C&I. In March 2026 the institution implemented Korea's first 'Generative AI Utilization Guidelines for Creative Education,' integrating generative AI tools across the film and animation production pipeline.

KAFA generates revenue primarily through tuition (approximately $2,000 USD per year for regular programs) supplemented by government funding via its KOFIC affiliation and an associated KAFA Development Fund. It markets through its official website (kafa.ac), Korean-language social channels, and an in-house streaming platform hosting approximately 400 alumni films. International partnerships with La Fémis (France), Tokyo University of the Arts (Japan), Beijing Film Academy (China), and CJ Cultural Foundation (Vietnam program) extend its geographic footprint into East Asia, Southeast Asia, and Europe. Alumni include Academy Award-winning director Bong Joon-ho (Parasite), and KAFA works have been recognized at Cannes, Venice, Locarno, and BAFTA.

Name

Korean Academy of Film Arts

Legal name

한국영화아카데미 (Korean Academy of Film Arts)

Website

https://kafa.ac

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Korean Academy of Film Arts (KAFA) is Korea's longest-running film school, founded in 1984 under the Korean Film Council, training aspiring and working filmmakers in directing, cinematography, animation, producing, and sound through tuition-based programs in Busan.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Film Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Fine Arts Schools (611610), Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries (512)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAHAJAE

Film, Television & Media Arts Colleges

Education/Higher Education (Colleges & Universities)/Arts, Music & Design Colleges

SECONDARYEDAGAKAG

Multimedia Learning Production (Video, Animation, Interactive)

Education/Educational Publishing & Learning Content/Instructional Design & Content Development Services

SECONDARYEDAGAKAI

AR/VR & Immersive Learning Content Development

Education/Educational Publishing & Learning Content/Instructional Design & Content Development Services

Keywords

• Film school education
• Film production training
• Cinematography programs
• Animation education
• Professional film development

Headquarters

HQ city

Busan

HQ country

South Korea

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Program Fees: KAFA charges tuition for its regular programs ($2,000 USD per year for regular programs). Additional programs include feature film production and global education tracks.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

KAFA operates Korea's premier film education institution, offering intensive 40-week Regular Programs in directing, cinematography, animation, producing, and sound design, alongside Feature Film Programs, Global Education programs, and KAFA+ professional development courses for working filmmakers. Founded in 1984 under the Korean Film Council (KOFIC), it produces student and alumni films distributed through an online streaming platform and international film festivals.

Product overview

The Korean Academy of Film Arts (KAFA) operates as Korea's premier film school under the Korean Film Council, offering a comprehensive multi-track educational portfolio. The core offerings include Regular Programs (정규과정) for foundational film education in directing, cinematography, animation, producing, and sound; Feature Film Programs (장편과정) for producing theatrical releases; and Global Education (글로벌과정) for international collaboration. KAFA LAB provides advanced laboratory programs including Feature Film Lab and Actors training, while KAFA+ Film Industry Education offers professional development for working filmmakers including master classes, AI technology workshops, and industry trend programs. Supporting infrastructure includes an online streaming service with approximately 400 alumni films, a student academic management system, and an online admission portal.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• KAFA+ 영화인교육: Professional education program for working film industry professionals offering master classes, industry trend talks, and skill development courses
• KAFA LAB
• 글로벌과정 (Global Education)

Products and services

• Regular Programs (정규과정) Full-time 40-week educational programs for aspiring film professionals covering directing, cinematography, animation, producing, and sound design majors. Approximately 12 directing students, 6 cinematography students, and 4 animation students are admitted annually into the February–December cycle.
• Feature Film Programs (장편과정) Intensive programs for producing feature-length films and animations, including pre-production planning, production, and post-production phases. Includes both live-action (극영화) and animation (애니메이션 제작과정) tracks with expanded production budgets and external participation.
• KAFA+ Film Industry Education (KAFA+ 영화인교육) Professional development programs for working film industry professionals offering master classes, industry trend talks (KOFIC Talks), AI film technology training, and specialized workshops on cutting-edge production methods, conducted at the Film Education Support Center in Seoul.
• Global Education (글로벌과정) International collaboration programs including Korea-Japan development workshops, Korea-France-Japan Co-production Workshops with La Fémis and Tokyo University of the Arts, Korea-China Cinematography Workshops with Beijing Film Academy, and other global exchange initiatives.
• KAFA LAB Laboratory programs including the Feature Film Lab (장편랩) for long-form project development and the Actors program (액터스) for performer training, designed to support advanced creative projects and talent development.
• Online Streaming Service (온라인스트리밍) Streaming platform providing access to approximately 400 films produced by KAFA alumni and students, enabling community screening requests and preview access for production and distribution companies.
• Virtual Studio Practice Workshop (버추얼 스튜디오 실습 워크숍) Advanced film production training program covering virtual production techniques as part of KAFA's cutting-edge film production education curriculum.
• Cutting-Edge Film Production Training (첨단영화제작교육) Annual cutting-edge film production education program for industry professionals, focusing on emerging technologies including virtual production, AI film technology, and modern production methods.

Quantifiable outcome

• 39th cohort student Hwang Hye-in's film won the 2nd Prize in the Racine section at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• CJ Cultural FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023KAFA partnered with CJ Cultural Foundation to host the KAFA in Vietnam education program in 2023, offering mentorship, critiques, and special lectures for emerging Vietnamese filmmakers.
• La Fémis (France)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKAFA co-organizes the annual Korea-France-Japan Co-production Workshop with La Fémis (French National Film School) and Tokyo University of the Arts. This workshop enables Korean, French, and Japanese emerging filmmakers to develop co-production projects together from 2014 to 2018.
• Tokyo University of the Arts (Japan)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTogether with KAFA and La Fémis, Tokyo University of the Arts participates in the annual Korea-France-Japan Co-production Workshop, facilitating cross-cultural film development among Asian and European filmmakers.
• Busan Metropolitan City / Busan UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKAFA collaborated with Busan Metropolitan City and Dongseo University to launch the Asian Film Academy from 2005 to 2009, a joint initiative to develop talent across the Asian film industry.
• Beijing Film Academy (China)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKAFA co-organized the Korea-China Cinematography Workshop with Beijing Film Academy's Qian Zheng College, hosting it alternately in Seoul and Beijing from 2013 to 2014.
• Korean Film Council (KOFIC)coreOthersKAFA was established by and operates under the Korean Film Council (KOFIC/영화진흥위원회), Korea's government-backed film promotion organization. KOFIC provides institutional oversight, funding, and operates the Film Education Support Center where KAFA+ programs are conducted.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• American Film Institute (AFI) Conservatory: US-based MFA film conservatory with intensive two-year programs in directing, cinematography, editing, and producing. Direct peer offering the same model of immersive, mentor-led film training to aspiring professionals.
• Beijing Film Academy: China's leading film school covering directing, cinematography, animation, and producing. Direct peer via co-organized Korea-China Cinematography Workshop with KAFA's Qian Zheng College, and similar government-affiliated status.
• FAMU (Film and TV School of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague): One of Europe's oldest film schools offering directing, cinematography, sound design, and animation programs. Direct peer as a CILECT member with a similar boutique, intensive in-person film education model.
• Korea National University of Arts (K-Arts): South Korea's primary national arts university with film, animation, and performing arts programs. Direct domestic peer competing for the same pool of aspiring Korean filmmakers as KAFA.
• Tokyo University of the Arts (TUA) Film Department: Japan's national arts university with a leading film and new media graduate program. Direct peer as a co-organizer of the annual Korea-France-Japan Co-production Workshop alongside KAFA and La Fémis.
• National Film and Television School (NFTS, UK): UK's national film school offering postgraduate MA programs across filmmaking disciplines. Direct peer as a CILECT-affiliated, government-supported film conservatory with comparable specialty tracks.
• La Fémis (French National Film School): France's premier national film school offering intensive programs in directing, cinematography, sound, and producing. Direct peer through active Korea-France-Japan Co-production Workshop partnership with KAFA and similar government-backed film education mandate.

Broad incumbents

• USC School of Cinematic Arts: Larger US film school with comprehensive undergraduate and graduate programs across film, television, animation, and interactive media. Comparable in producing industry-leading alumni, but operates at significantly larger scale and broader scope than KAFA.

Emerging players

• Vancouver Film School: Private for-profit film and media school offering intensive one-year programs in directing, cinematography, and animation. Comparable curriculum and intensive format, but serves international students with English-language delivery rather than Korean-language domestic focus.
• Sundance Institute Feature Film Program: Provides labs, grants, and mentorship for emerging independent filmmakers globally. Partial overlap with KAFA's Feature Film Lab programs, but focused on project development rather than comprehensive film education.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/kafa21
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@KAFAFILM
• Facebookfacebook.com/kafa1984
• Instagraminstagram.com/kafafilms
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/korean-academy-of-film-arts-kafa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Korean Academy of Film Arts