Documentary ‘State Organs’ Screens at Seoul Film Festival Despite Pressure to Cancel

The annual event, centered on the themes of justice, freedom, and human rights, selected the documentary as its opening film.

Opening ceremony of the fifth annual Seoul Larkspur International Film Festival at KBS Hall in Seoul, South Korea, on May 30, 2025. Han Ki-min/The Epoch Times

The award-winning documentary “State Organs” was screened at a film festival in South Korea’s capital on May 30, after organizers were forced to change venues three times because of “external pressure.”

The film exposes a “harrowing government-run organ harvesting operation” in China, according to the film’s website. The production team spent seven years gathering evidence and interviewing families of victims to complete the documentary.

The Seoul Larkspur International Film Festival, an annual event centered on the themes of justice, freedom, and human rights, selected “State Organs” as its opening film. Other films spotlighting human rights abuses in China and North Korea were also scheduled, with organizers reporting significant pressure from unnamed sources while finalizing the screening list.

The festival’s opening ceremony was ultimately held at KBS Hall, at the Korean Broadcasting System’s headquarters in Seoul—but not without obstacles.

Tae Yong-ho, one of the event’s guest speakers, praised the organizers’ perseverance and public support.

“I’ve seen real hope,” Tae said on stage at the opening ceremony, addressing a packed hall. “When I first received the invitation, I had no idea how many people would come.

“Although we lack government support and haven’t secured major sponsorships or donations, we’ll continue to speak out for freedom, justice, and human rights.”

A former North Korean diplomat who defected to South Korea in 2016, Tae served in the 21st National Assembly of South Korea and currently holds the position of secretary general on the Peaceful Unification Advisory Council, a bipartisan presidential advisory body.

Last-Minute Cancellations

The Seoul Larkspur International Film Festival team spent a full year preparing for the five-day festival, running May 30 to June 3. Initially, they arranged screenings at CGV, one of Korea’s top cinema chains. After CGV pulled out, organizers moved the event to Megabox Dongdaemun, another major theater operator.

However, on the eve of the festival’s opening, Megabox unilaterally canceled all screenings, citing the “political nature” of the films. This left organizers scrambling to relocate the event at the last minute.

Raymond Zhang, director of “State Organs,” told The Epoch Times that during screenings in Taiwan in 2024, his team received hundreds of threats via email and social media and faced online harassment from networks aligned with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

“I hope Korean authorities investigate whether Chinese interference was involved in the cancellations and bring the truth to light,” Zhang said.

(L–R) Panel host Roman Balmakov; film director Raymond Zhang; and Wang Zhiyuan, director of the World Organization to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong, speak during a panel discussion after a screening of "State Organs" at Village East by Angelika in New York City on Nov. 9, 2024. Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times

‘This Crime Must Be Stopped’

Min Kyung-wook, former Korean lawmaker and presidential spokesperson, shared his reaction after viewing the documentary.

“[The] testimonies of families struggling in pain, the firsthand accounts of doctors involved in [extracting organs], and the confessions of police and soldiers who once carried out persecution and torture left me so shocked that I wished none of it were true,” he told The Epoch Times.

Min condemned the CCP’s forced organ harvesting, which chiefly affects practitioners of Falun Gong—a spiritual group based on the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance. Min called it “a crime against humanity.”

“It’s almost beyond belief that such atrocities are being systematically carried out to suppress faith, elevated to the level of state-sponsored, industrial-scale operations,” he said.

“I hope the truth reaches not just the Korean people, but the global community—so these crimes can be stopped as soon as possible.”

Lee Je-bong, professor in the Department of Education at South Korean’s University of Ulsan, said he holds the same view.

“We must stop this brutal slaughter,“ Lee told The Epoch Times after watching the film. ”We must pay attention. We must act.”

‘If Koreans Don’t Wake Up, We’ll Become Another China’

Dayner Kim, a well-known South Korean YouTuber with more than 288,000 subscribers, also spoke out after attending the “State Organs” screening.

He said the CCP’s persecution of Falun Gong and organ harvesting is widely known, but the film’s focus on a single family presents that reality with a depth that is emotionally devastating.

“It left me with a profound sense of grief and solidarity,” Kim said.

Kim also condemned the sudden cancellations by Megabox.

“There are forces in South Korea working in tandem with the CCP to block any content that criticizes or exposes its crimes,“ Kim said in an interview after the screening. ”That’s why we’re seeing sponsorships withdrawn, venues revoked, and films banned.”

Other films affected by the last-minute cancellation include “Eternal Spring,” “Unsilenced,” and “Revolution of Our Times.” The first two films depict the CCP’s persecution of Falun Gong in China, and the third film is a documentary on Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement.

“If the Korean people aren’t outraged—if we don’t wake up—this country could become another China, no different from a nation under CCP rule,” Kim said.

Lee expressed deep frustration over the obstacles the filmmakers faced in scheduling screenings, calling it “painful and infuriating.”

“What kind of sovereign nation are we if a film can’t even be shown freely?” he asked. “We’re seeing clear evidence that the CCP has deeply infiltrated many sectors in South Korea—politics, the arts, academia. It’s heartbreaking.”

While condemning the CCP for its interference in South Korea, Lee reminded people to distinguish Chinese citizens from the CCP.

“The film draws a clear distinction between the two—that’s what makes this film so meaningful,” Lee said.

“The Chinese people must be freed from the CCP’s oppression, and South Korea must break free from its influence.”

Organ Tourism and the Urgency of Exposure

A 2017 documentary by South Korea’s TV Chosun revealed that because of low domestic organ donation rates, only 10 percent of the 32,000 Korean patients in need ever receive a transplant. As a result, many Koreans seek quicker options in China, where wait times are shorter and access is easier—despite growing concerns over the source of those organs.

“State Organs” is now featured on the website of Doctors Against Forced Organ Harvesting, an organization founded by medical professionals to expose and end forced organ harvesting practices. The film is no longer available on the internet.

This organization describes forced organ harvesting as a “crime against humanity” and works globally to promote ethical medical standards and protect human dignity.

Cindy Song, one of the producers of “State Organs,” emphasized the importance of the film’s message for Korean audiences.

“The victims in the film are from Qingdao, [China], which is just across the sea from South Korea,” she said. “I believe it’s important for the Korean public to hear this story.”

An Jing contributed to this report.