The Busan ACFM is emerging as one of the most important places to track where Asia’s film and TV business is heading next. As the Busan International Film Festival’s industry market expands, its 2026 edition shows how AI, co-production and government-backed growth strategies are reshaping the region’s screen economy.
This year’s Asian Contents & Film Market (ACFM), running October 10-13 at BEXCO during BIFF, is not just bigger on paper. It is becoming a barometer for how producers, distributors, tech companies and public agencies are adapting to a period defined by shrinking capital, platform restructuring, microdrama disruption and rapid advances in generative tools.
Why Busan ACFM matters in 2026
The Busan ACFM has steadily widened its scope from a traditional film market into a broader content and technology platform. According to market director Ellen YD Kim, the goal is to help the industry “connect, strengthen, and expand” during one of its most volatile periods.
That shift is visible in the numbers. This year, 339 institutions and companies from 32 countries and territories are exhibiting, up from 289 last year. It marks a fourth straight year of growth and signals that ACFM is now attracting a more diverse mix of players, including:
- Film sales and distribution companies
- National film agencies and commissions
- Technology exhibitors focused on AI and virtual production
- Producers seeking cross-border financing and co-production partners
The composition of the market is changing as quickly as its size. Tech exhibitors have more than doubled, while national agencies are also increasing their presence, underlining a bigger trend: screen business in Asia is no longer only about finished films. It is also about pipelines, tools, IP, incentives and international partnerships.
Busan ACFM and the rise of AI in Asian screen content
One of the clearest signs of that transformation is InnoAsia, the Busan ACFM program dedicated to advanced technologies and emerging business models. Covering AI, virtual production, VR, AR, branded content and microdrama, the initiative is already delivering tangible results in its second year.
From showcase to financing
Projects first introduced through InnoAsia’s AI works-in-progress platform have moved beyond concept stage and into the market. That matters because the biggest question around AI filmmaking has been whether it can generate real business outcomes, not just attention.
Early examples suggest the answer is yes:
- Mateo AI Studio secured a promotional partnership with Kling AI and raised $1.5 million in pre-Series A funding.
- Its fully AI-generated feature Raphael is now being prepared for release.
- Producer Ham Seul-gi and director Seol Woo-in launched AIKNOW Studio after participating with an AI short, then completed the AI feature Steelay.
- Inshorts, an AI upscaling startup, expanded into Japan, China and other Asian markets after appearing at InnoAsia.
That momentum helps explain why major companies such as Google DeepMind, AWS, Kling AI and Alibaba Group are part of this year’s conversation. At Busan ACFM, AI is no longer treated as a novelty. It is being discussed as infrastructure for future production.
What this means for TV and video
For the Tv & Video sector, the implications are significant. AI-assisted post-production, localization, workflow optimization and synthetic content creation could lower barriers for smaller studios while also helping larger companies scale output for streaming and digital platforms. At the same time, the rise of microdrama points to changing viewer habits, especially on mobile-first services across Asia.
Thailand and Japan take center stage at Busan ACFM
Another major theme at Busan ACFM 2026 is the spotlight on Thailand and Japan, two markets using very different but equally strategic models to expand their global influence.
Thailand’s soft power push
Thailand has been named ACFM’s first-ever Country of Honor, reflecting its ambitious effort to turn screen content into an engine of soft power and international business. The country reportedly hosted more than 540 foreign productions in 2025 and offers cash rebates of up to 30% for eligible international shoots.
Its strengths are increasingly dual-track:
- A strong production base for overseas projects
- Competitive local content with proven streaming appeal
- Growing participation in remake IP and cross-border development
Thai content’s appearance in Netflix’s Global Top 10 has reinforced the idea that the market is not just service-oriented. It is producing exportable hits of its own.
Japan’s co-production moment
Japan, meanwhile, is the Focus Country in Producers Hub, reflecting its growing role as one of Asia’s most active co-production partners. Backed by grants, incentives and stronger policy support, Japan is increasingly connecting its established arthouse reputation with broader commercial opportunities in films and series.
For international producers, Japan’s current appeal lies in a few key areas:
- Strong domestic creative IP and production expertise
- More robust support for international collaboration
- A willingness to engage across both independent and mainstream projects
Taken together, Thailand and Japan offer a useful lesson for other territories: public policy delivers the strongest results when matched with a practical market platform like Busan ACFM.
Korea’s recovery looks real, but fragile
The Busan ACFM story also sits inside a broader Korean industry rebound. Korea’s box office rose sharply in the first half of 2026, with revenue and admissions both posting strong gains. Local films accounted for the majority of revenue, and breakout titles helped restore confidence that audiences still want theatrical experiences.
But the recovery remains uneven. A single blockbuster represented a large share of revenue, the number of Korean releases declined, and average returns on commercial films remained weak. That suggests demand has returned faster than structural stability.
The more encouraging sign may be policy. Government support for mid-budget production, development funding and film investment has expanded significantly over the past year. If that support helps rebuild a sustainable production base, the Korean market could move from rebound to long-term recovery.
What to watch next at Busan ACFM
Several programs will be worth watching beyond the headline AI story. DocSquare returns with a focus on Asian documentary networks and an Impact Asia Day. The A, an industry summit and report covering 15 Asian territories, will host panels on distribution and investment. Long-running staples such as the Asian Project Market and Busan Story Market continue to provide a pipeline for new projects and IP.
All of this makes Busan ACFM more than an event calendar item. It is becoming a strategic meeting point where the future of Asian screen business is negotiated in real time.
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Conclusion
The Busan ACFM is increasingly where Asia’s film and TV future comes into focus. Between AI-driven production, stronger co-production strategies and the international rise of markets like Thailand and Japan, Busan ACFM now reflects both the turbulence and the opportunity defining the regional content business. The big takeaway is clear: the winners in Asian screen media will be the players who combine technology, policy support and cross-border partnerships most effectively.
