Actor Hyeri, front, is seen in a scene from Korean cheerleading film "Victory." The film was chosen as the opening movie for the London Korean Film Festival in London, running from Nov. 1 to Nov. 13. Courtesy of Finecut

London is hosting a series of film festivals showcasing Korean cinema and even globally popular Korean food, reflecting the growing interest of British and European people in Korean cultural content.

Currently, the 19th London Korean Film Festival is running from Nov. 1 to Nov. 13 in the British capital, turning the spotlight on recent Korean releases and timeless classics.

Hosted by the Korean Cultural Centre UK (KCCUK) and supported by the Korean Film Council, the festival is taking place at various London venues, including the British Film Institute's (BFI) Southbank Theatre. Director Park Bum-soo's teen cheerleading film "Victory" was selected as the opening film, while director Lee Eon-hee's "Love in the Big City" will close the festival.

In the Cinema Now section of the festival, eight films including "Handsome Guys" meet audiences, while the Women's Voices section screens 11 films including "FAQ."

Seen is a poster for a special program, "Echoes in Time: Korean Films of the Golden Age and New Cinema," currently running in London. The season showcases a wide range of Korean films produced from the 1960s to the early 21st century. Courtesy of Korean Film Archives

On the sidelines of the film festival, a special program titled "Echoes in Time: Korean Films of the Golden Age and New Cinema" will run until Dec. 31, organized through a collaboration between the BFI, the KCCUK, the Korean Film Council and the Korean Film Archives.

The "Echoes in Time" special season showcases 13 Korean films from the 1960s, considered the prime time of Korean cinema, and 17 films from 1996 to 2003, known as the New Korean Cinema era.

The films include "An Aimless Bullet" (1961), "A Coachman" (1961), "Mother and a Guest" (1961), "The Seashore Village" (1965), "The Day a Pig Fell into the Well" (1996), "Christmas in August" (1998), "The Quiet Family" (1998), "A Peppermint Candy" (1999) and "Barking Dogs Never Bite" (2000).

"We are launching a large-scale special program in London in collaboration with the BFI to provide a comprehensive view of Korean cinema. Simultaneously, the London Korean Film Festival kicks off new future cinema with 'Victory' as its opening film," Sun Seung-hye, director of the KCCUK, said. "We hope audiences in London will experience the history of Korean aesthetics while enjoying Korean films that have accompanied Korea's compressed growth in the 20th century."

Visitors enjoy Asian dishes during the London East Asia Film Festival held from Oct. 23 to Nov. 3 in London. Courtesy of London East Asia Film Festival

Prior to the London Korean Film Festival, the London East Asia Film Festival (LEAFF) ran for 12 days from Oct. 23 to Nov. 3, providing local fans with opportunities to experience Asian cinema, including Korea.

Now in its ninth year, this festival has contributed to promoting Korean and Asian films throughout Europe. This year's event featured films from Korea, Japan, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Vietnam and the Philippines. The organizing committee said the festival closed with the Hong Kong film "Little Red Sweet," with lead actor Simon Yam and director Vincent Chow attending the closing ceremony.

Jeon Hye-jung, festival director of the LEAFF, expressed gratitude to audiences who came not only from London but also from distant places.

"Some people travel two and a half hours one way to visit the theater daily. Such audiences are the driving force behind creating the festival," Jeon said. "The LEAFF, where East meets West, is where we dream together."

Korean food company Nongshim's Chapaghetti noodle with fried egg and cheese and Korean beverage producer HiteJinro's soju (clear distilled spirit) are served to visitors at the London East Asia Film Festival held from Oct. 23 to Nov. 3. Courtesy of London East Asia Film Festival

The festival also served as a platform to introduce Korean cuisine. HiteJinro, a soju (Korean distilled spirits) producer, and Korea's instant noodle maker Nongshim participated in the event, introducing popular Korean food and drink to Londoners.

"This year's LEAFF collaboration with HiteJinro and Nongshim is expanding opportunities through cultural food marketing, cooperating not only with Korean food products already being exported to Europe but also consulting and distribution for future exports," the organizing committee said.