SEOUL, May 13 (AJP) - Two South Korean Kuukmin University alumni directors have been named to the official Immersive Competition at the 79th Cannes Film Festival for their experimental installation, the university said Wednesday. The project, titled VOOOOOO---PEEEEEE---, was created by Woopark Studio's directors Woo Hyun-ju and Park Ji-yoon.
The Immersive Competition is a specialized category at Cannes that focuses on virtual reality (VR), extended reality (XR), and interactive storytelling. The selection of the South Korean directors places their work among a group of international projects recognized for exploring new ways to combine technology with narrative.
The work originally debuted at a solo exhibition in November 2025. It utilizes a VR cinema setup paired with a pneumatic wearable interface, which allows the viewer to physically feel the sensation of volume and pressure as it expands within the virtual environment. According to the creators, the installation is designed to investigate the sensory gap between digital volume and the actual human body.
"The conversations, advice, and support we received along the way were a great source of strength in bringing this work to this stage," Woo and Park said in a joint statement. "We would like to thank everyone who watched over us and cared for this project."
Woo and Park are graduates of the Department of Entertainment Design at Kookmin University. During their time as students, their research focused on expanded cinema and interactive media. The department currently provides a curriculum that covers a range of visual arts, including documentary, animation, and immersive media.
The two directors will travel to France to present their work and participate in international industry meetings during the festival. The Immersive Competition is scheduled to run from May 12 to May 22, 2026, at the Carlton Hotel in Cannes.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.
