Busan Cinema Center: The BIFF Venue and What to Eat in Centum City

The Busan Cinema Center (영화의전당) is the permanent home of the Busan International Film Festival — one of the most significant film events in Asia, running every October since 1996. For eleven months of the year, the building itself is the draw. In October, it's the center of one of Korea's most concentrated international cultural events.

The Building

Opened in 2011, the Cinema Center was designed by Austrian firm Coop Himmelblau. The defining feature is its roof: at 163 meters wide, it holds the Guinness record for the world's largest cantilevered roof. The structure spans over the Suyeong River at the edge of Centum City. At night, the LED lighting system covering the underside of the roof turns it into a programmable display surface — the effect is best seen from the plaza below after dark.

The facility includes multiple indoor screening rooms, the Outdoor Theatre used during BIFF for open-air screenings, and the Cinematheque, which runs a year-round program of Korean and international cinema that doesn't see theatrical distribution. The Cinematheque calendar is worth checking before you visit — there's almost always something worth watching.

During BIFF (October)

The festival runs for ten days in early-to-mid October. The Cinema Center is the primary venue — films screen both inside and in the outdoor space. The opening and closing ceremonies are held on the main outdoor stage, drawing the largest crowds. International guests, press, and film industry attendees fill the surrounding hotels and restaurants.

Tickets for marquee screenings and gala events sell out quickly. For regular program screenings, early online booking is sufficient. The outdoor plaza screenings are free and worth attending even without other tickets — the setting is unusually good.

Food during BIFF: every restaurant in Centum City, Haeundae, and Marine City runs at full capacity during the festival. Book in advance for any specific sit-down dinner. Walk-in works fine for the mall-level options.

The Rest of the Year

The Cinema Center isn't just a festival venue. The Cinematheque runs monthly programming consistently. The café and common areas are open without a ticket. The LED roof display follows a schedule that varies seasonally — best viewing is after dark when the current programme is running. Check the Cinema Center website for the current schedule.

Centum City

Centum City is the commercial and business district that grew up on what was previously an airstrip in Haeundae-gu. It contains the Shinsegae Centum City department store — certified as the world's largest department store by Guinness Record — multiple business towers, and the kind of dining density that accompanies large-scale retail. For any price range and cuisine type, the mall complex has options.

Where to Eat

고든램지버거 센텀시티점 (Gordon Ramsay Burger Centum City) — 297m

The Korea flagship of Gordon Ramsay's burger brand, inside the Centum City mall complex. Celebrity-branded restaurants vary significantly in execution; this one runs better than most because the core product — the burger itself and the fries — is actually held to a standard rather than coasting on the name. If you're at the Cinema Center on a film day and want something quick and reliable that isn't Korean, this is a reasonable choice. Prices are higher than standard Korean fast food but in line with similar Western-format restaurants in Seoul malls. Walk-in is fine; expect a short queue at peak meal times.

Dining Beyond the Single Restaurant

The Shinsegae Centum City department store has a dedicated food floor with both individual operators and established restaurant chains across Korean, Japanese, and Western cuisines. For a meal before or after a screening, the food court works well for solo visitors or when you want to eat quickly. The sit-down restaurants on the upper floors are better suited for groups or longer meals. The department store is directly connected to Centum City Station.

Haeundae proper, with its beach-area restaurants, is 10 minutes away by metro or a 15-minute walk — easy to combine with a Cinema Center visit in a single day.

Practical Tips

• For BIFF screenings: book through the official BIFF website; the first week of the program sells out days in advance for popular titles.
• The LED roof display schedule is published on the Cinema Center website.
• Shinsegae Centum City opens at 10:30; the Cinema Center café opens earlier.
• During BIFF in October, shuttle buses run between the Cinema Center, Haeundae, and Marine City.

Getting There

Centum City Station, Busan Metro Line 2. Exit 12 puts you directly in front of the Cinema Center — a 3-minute walk. By taxi from Haeundae Beach, approximately 10 minutes.