Korea AI Content Awards 2026 • LHC

Gyeonggi Province, which surrounds Seoul, and its content agency, the Gyeonggi Content Agency, are opening applications for the second edition of the Korea AI Content Awards, a competition dedicated to films produced with generative AI. The contest is free and open to creators of all nationalities aged 18 or older, for works completed between January 1, 2025, and July 12, 2026. Three sections are offered: the mid-length film (30 to 60 minutes), the short film (under 30 minutes), and a special Nam June Paik award, which recognizes works paying tribute to the pioneer of video art, under the paradoxical condition of never directly using his image, voice, or works, under penalty of disqualification. The regulations require substantial use of generative AI in at least two areas among image, sound and music, dialogue or narration, editing, and special effects; auxiliary uses such as subtitling or noise reduction do not count. In accordance with the Korea AI Basic Act, each film must indicate its use of AI: a visible watermark, a mention of at least three seconds at the beginning or end of the video, or, by declared artistic exception, an invisible watermark or metadata. Works resulting from simple prompts without additional creative work are excluded from evaluation, and finalists will be required to provide prompts, screenshots, and production logs attesting to human control over the process. Submissions are made on FilmFreeway until July 12, in Full HD minimum and with mandatory English subtitles. Approximately 18 finalists and 9 winners will be selected in the competitive sections and notified in September, their films screened in theaters before the ceremony scheduled for October 15 and 16, 2026, in Gyeonggi Province. The total prize money amounts to 70 million won, or nearly 40,000 euros, including 20 million (approximately 11,000 euros) for the grand prize in the mid-length film category. Technical and promotional costs are covered by the organizer, and distribution rights revert to the creators after the screenings.