[By NBC-1TV H. J Yook]The second Gwacheon International SF Festival drew to a close with a grand finale after 17 days of successful operation, achieving conspicuous growth both in substance and quality.

Gwacheon International SF Festival, or GISF, held its closing event at 18:30 p.m. on October 16 at the special open air stage in the Gwacheon National Science Museum, rounding up achievements of the festival.

As one of main events of the GISF, the film festival showed 57 short and feature SF films from 17 countries, including ‘SAC Solid State Society,’ a 3D film which was first shown in Asia this year, as well as classic SF masterworks, humorous, cheeky and imaginative short films and animations.

The festival this year, which was held at the main hall of Gwacheon National Science Museum, special open air stage and Eoullim Hall, attracted more than 180,000 visitors (estimated by the secretariat), an increase of about 60,000 visitors over last year.

Former President Rhee Shang-hi of the Gwacheon National Science Museum, who had played a pivotal role in preparing the GISF since its first event, said, “The festival this year achieved notable growth by providing sophisticated programs and diversified events as it showed 20 more films than last year and held the FX conference and feast. We designed to provide an arena of festival where visitors can display creativity out of curiosity and interest in even trivial things in our daily life.”

The GISF is expected to position as a growth engine of a unique festival of SF films in Korea, which is known as a wasteland in this area, that is differentiated from other film festivals.