Immersion Perfected by Light — How the Latest Samsung Onyx Is Redefining the Cinema Experience in Korea
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By Samsung Newsroom
The 2025 Asian World Film Festival (AWFF) returned to Culver City with a constellation of films from across Asia — stories shaped by tradition, creativity and imagination. As the festival’s premier partner, Samsung Electronics brought its Onyx Cinema LED technology to the center of this celebration, offering audiences a viewing experience that honored the craft behind each film.
Now in its 11th year, AWFF continues its mission of elevating Asian filmmakers onto the global stage. This year, Samsung’s participation added something quietly meaningful: not a new layer of technology, but a new level of care in how each story meets its audience.
Filmmakers See Their Stories in a New Light
For many directors premiering work at AWFF, seeing their films on an Onyx Cinema LED screen was more than a technical upgrade, it was a moment of recognition. With traditional projection, even subtle variations in brightness, shadow or color can shift the experience away from how a film should have felt. But inside the Onyx auditoriums, filmmakers found the version of their film that most closely resembled what they created in the grading suite.
▲ “Al Chang’s short film Cindy is presented on the Samsung Onyx Cinema LED screen at AWFF.” ▲ Al Chang, director of “Cindy,” talks about the story behind his film at the Asian World Film Festival backdrop. For Al Chang, director of the short film “Cindy,” the difference was immediate. After screening films in a wide range of theaters, he was struck by the consistency and clarity: “I’ve had short films screen in a lot of theaters, and there’s always some variation — washed-out blacks or colors that don’t translate the way we graded them. Here, it was like watching it on my own TV.”
Executive producer Kira T. Bixby, whose film “Rooftop” tells a Korean American story rooted in Los Angeles, emphasized how much the image supported the story’s emotion. “Everything really popped for us — the colors, the compositions, the details we worked so hard to craft,” she said. “Film is such a visual language, so how you’re able to see it really matters.”
“Seeing movies presented with this level of precision gives filmmakers confidence that their work is being treated with respect.”
— Asel Sherniyazova, Co-Founder and Managing Director, AWFF
The experience resonated with filmmakers from the Korean Parallel Smartphone Film Festival (KPSFF) as well — a program that empowers creators and performers, including those with disabilities, to make films using smartphones. Seeing their work on a large LED cinema screen was both unexpected and affirming.
Director Byun Seung Chae, known for her color-driven storytelling, recalled the moment the film began: “What struck me right away was how unbelievably clear the image was. The colors were beautiful, and I was amazed that a film could look that sharp on such a large screen. I turned to the person next to me and said, ‘I didn’t expect it to look this good!’”
▲ “Directors Byun Seung Chae (left) and Han Kyoung Woo join audiences inside the Onyx auditorium during the KPSFF program.” LA-based filmmaker Zenon Samuels, who attended the festival and works extensively with nighttime visuals and neon-heavy palettes, echoed that sentiment after experiencing an Onyx screening for the first time. “The blacks are super dark, and with a film that’s so bright and colorful, the high dynamic range made the colors really pop and helped bring the energy and nighttime aesthetic to life.”
▲ “LA-based filmmaker Zenon Samuels shares their viewing experience following an Onyx auditorium screening.” Together, these voices reflected a consistent theme: Onyx didn’t alter their films — it respected and faithfully recreated the choices behind them. For directors and performers seeing their work in this format, the experience felt both cinematic and deeply personal.
Audiences Rediscover What Cinemas Can Be With Samsung Onyx
Festivalgoers — many encountering Onyx for the first time — described a level of clarity and contrast that felt distinct from traditional projection.
New York attendees Jack Joyce and Matthew Gallopo noted how the presentation shaped their experience: “Those darker colors — and not having that graininess — kind of put you in the moment a little bit. It was cool,” Joyce said. Gallopo added, “The color certainly popped, and a lot of it was pretty crisp.”
▲ “Festival attendees, Matthew Gallopo (left) and Jack Joyce (right) talk about their impression of the Onyx screen at AWFF 2025.” For some, the impact was emotional as much as technical.
Entertainment lawyer Jesse Weiner, who watches films professionally as part of his work, noted how the detail and richness altered the way he connected with the narrative unfolding onscreen. “Watching this film on Samsung Onyx, the picture was bright, rich… about as good as I can imagine seeing a film with that kind of quality and texture,” he added. “It looked very lifelike — almost like being immersed in the action of the film.”
▲ “Jesse Weiner, a New York–based entertainment lawyer, describes how the picture quality influenced the way he connected with the film.” Others reflected on what experiences like this might mean for the future of theaters. As streaming, gaming and home entertainment rapidly evolve, festivalgoers were struck by how an elevated cinema environment can bring people together again.
“Innovations in the cinema industry should help audiences truly see the story, and Samsung’s Onyx screens do just that.”
— Georges N. Chamchoum, Executive Director, AWFF
Across ages, backgrounds and filmmaking experience, the audience conversations pointed to the same conclusion: cinema remains powerful — and when the screen elevates rather than competes with the storytelling, the theatrical experience becomes even more compelling.
▲ “The Culver Theater lobby buzzes with filmmakers, audiences and industry guests as AWFF 2025 unfolds.”
A Thoughtful Dialogue on the Future of Cinema
At this year’s festival, Samsung also hosted the panel discussion “Redefining the Cinema Experience with Samsung Onyx,” bringing together leading voices shaping the craft and technology of modern filmmaking. The panel featured:
Glenn Gainor, CEO & Producer, Hollywood Ventures Group Steven Poster (ASC, CSC), Board Member, 6P Color; President Emeritus, International Cinematographers Guild Local 600 Philip Holland, Director, Cinematographer, Digital Cinema Specialist & Color Scientist Craig German, Former C-Suite Executive, Amazon Studios and Paramount Over the hour-long conversation, the panelists explored how advancements in HDR, color accuracy and display technology are reshaping both creative possibility and audience expectation. Much of the discussion focused on how deeper blacks, wider color gamuts and consistent presentation can reinforce cinematic emotion rather than alter it.
“We had the ability to capture [the darkest of dark and the brightest of bright] on film, but not to project it — until now.”
— Glenn Gainor, Head of Production, Hollywood Ventures Group
Gainor reflected on the shift in audience expectations as viewing environments improve across the board, noting, “Clearly, I work in the movie business, so my home system is probably pretty good. [But it’s] never going to be as good as what we just saw. This is an entirely different, immersive experience.”
▲ “Glenn Gainor (center) shares his perspective on the future of theatrical storytelling during the panel session, joined by cinematographers and experts from across the industry.” Steven Poster spoke to how companies and the technology they develop can support — not interfere with — creative intent. “Samsung was one of the first to listen to creators with filmmaker mode — and that really mattered,” he said. “Motion interpolation destroyed suspension of disbelief, and now we can have that back.”
Holland pointed out how emissive displays strengthen emotional immersion by revealing details often lost in projection. “Because this tech can achieve such deep black, you don’t get milky shadows,” he said. “In a room like this, there were moments when you couldn’t see the edge of the frame — you felt like you were there.”
▲ “Philip Holland (far right) discusses the role of HDR and contrast in modern cinematic storytelling during the panel session.” That depth and precision became a larger theme as the panel discussed the creative range made possible by HDR. Gainor described it as an expansion of storytelling itself: “The art of storytelling allows us to get the darkest of dark and the brightest of bright.” Poster added: “We had the ability to capture it on film, but not to project it — until now.”
▲ “Panelists discuss the evolving landscape of theatrical storytelling during ‘The Future of Cinema Experience with Samsung Onyx’ session at AWFF 2025.”
AWFF 2025: Where Art and Technology Meet
During the festival, one theme echoed across screenings, hallways and panel rooms alike: when the viewing experience respects the filmmaker’s intent, the connection between audience and story becomes stronger. That idea also shaped how AWFF leadership reflected on this year’s partnership with Samsung.
Executive Director Georges N. Chamchoum — an Emmy and multiple award-winning film director and producer — said, “AWFF has always been about cultural exchange, introducing Asian filmmakers to the world and giving their stories the visibility they deserve. Samsung’s support strengthens that mission.” He added that “innovations in the cinema industry should help audiences truly see the story, and Samsung’s Onyx screens do just that.”
Co-Founder and Managing Director Asel Sherniyazova highlighted the responsibility of presenting films with care: “A film may travel across continents before reaching our stage. Seeing it presented with this level of precision gives filmmakers confidence that their work is being treated with respect.”
▲ “Executive Director Georges N. Chamchoum (left) and Co-Founder Asel Sherniyazova photographed at AWFF 2025, marking this year’s collaboration with Samsung.” Samsung’s role at AWFF 2025 reaffirmed that technology can amplify the heart of a story when used with care. By helping films reach audiences exactly as their creators intended, this year’s festival offered a promising look at how cinemas can continue to inspire, connect and bring stories to life.
▲ “The Culver Theater, where the 11th Asian World Film Festival brought together filmmakers and audiences from around the world.” View the full article
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By Samsung Newsroom
Samsung Electronics today announced its partnership with the 2025 Asian World Film Festival (AWFF) as the festival’s official display technology sponsor. This year’s event — held November 11–20, 2025 in Culver City, California — will include screenings and key events presented on Samsung’s Onyx Cinema LED screens at the Culver Theater, the festival’s official venue.
Now in its 11th year, the Asian World Film Festival brings together acclaimed filmmakers and award-contending titles from across more than 30 Asian countries, serving as a cultural bridge between East and West. By supporting AWFF, Samsung underscores its commitment to advancing cinematic innovation and empowering creators through technology that enhances visual storytelling.
“Samsung is proud to support the Asian World Film Festival and celebrate filmmakers who are redefining storytelling on the global stage,” said Hoon Chung, Executive Vice President of the Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. “Through Samsung Onyx, audiences can experience cinema with a level of precision and realism that mirrors the director’s true intent.”
▲ The festival’s opening and closing films, along with awards ceremony, will be presented in Samsung Onyx auditoriums at the Culver Theater.
Elevating the Cinema Experience With Samsung Onyx
Samsung’s Cinema LED Onyx screen will take center stage at AWFF, transforming how audiences experience films at the Culver Theater. Key moments — including the opening and closing films and the awards ceremony — will be presented in Onyx auditoriums, where the festival’s cinematic artistry meets Samsung’s cutting-edge innovation.
As the world’s first DCI-certified cinema LED display,1 Samsung Onyx redefines the moviegoing experience by replacing traditional projection-based systems with advanced LED technology that delivers vivid color, true black levels and exceptional brightness. The result is a brilliantly immersive HDR viewing experience that faithfully preserves each filmmaker’s creative vision, ensuring every detail is seen just as it was meant to be.
“The Asian World Film Festival is dedicated to showcasing the highest standards of cinematic excellence,” said Georges N. Chamchoum, AWFF Executive Director. “Partnering with Samsung allows us to deliver the next-generation viewing experience that elevates the artistry and visual storytelling of every film we present.”
The Culver Theater features four Samsung Onyx Cinema LED auditoriums and one Samsung The Wall 8K LED auditorium, making it one of the most advanced LED multiplexes in the world.
Leading Industry Dialogue on the Future of Cinema
As part of its ongoing commitment to advancing cinematic innovation, Samsung will host a panel discussion, “Redefining the Cinema Experience With Samsung Onyx,” in collaboration with the Asian World Film Festival on Saturday, November 15, 2025, at the Culver Theater.
The session — featuring a panel of leading filmmakers, cinematographers and industry experts — will explore how LED display technology, including Samsung Onyx, is redefining the creative and technical frontiers of filmmaking. Discussions will focus on how advancements in color accuracy, contrast and dynamic range are empowering directors and cinematographers to bring their stories to life in new and immersive ways.
A Shared Commitment to Innovation and Artistry
Beyond the festival, Samsung continues to drive innovation across the global cinema industry as well. Earlier this year, the company introduced the new Onyx (ICD model) — the latest evolution of the world’s first DCI-certified LED cinema display — at CinemaCon 2025 in Las Vegas.
The upgraded Onyx combines brilliant HDR performance with peak brightness of 300 nits, frame rates up to 120Hz in 4K2 and precise DCI-P3 color accuracy, delivering ultra-smooth motion and lifelike visuals in every frame. Its scalable design, available in 5-, 10- and 14-meter sizes, allows theaters to maximize screen size without sacrificing image quality, while an industry-first 10-year warranty ensures reliability and long-term value.3
Through these innovations, Samsung is redefining the cinematic experience — empowering filmmakers, exhibitors and audiences to experience the emotion, color and detail exactly as it was envisioned.
Digital Cinema Initiatives (DCI) is a consortium of major studios formed to establish specifications for an open architecture for digital cinema systems. ︎ Based on the screen’s internal data bandwidth. Actual frame rates may vary depending on the connected IMB. ︎ Based on internal research and publicly available information. Onyx includes a standard five-year warranty on parts, with options to extend coverage up to 10 years. ︎ View the full article
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By Samsung Newsroom
RM of 21st century pop icons BTS premiered a new global digital feature as part of its ongoing collaboration with Samsung Electronics and his continuing role as global ambassador for Samsung Art TVs. The short film, released during the week of Art Basel Paris (Oct. 24-26), offers an intimate look at RM’s personal connection to art and shows how Samsung Art TVs bring museum-quality visuals into everyday spaces.
Building on his conversations from Art Basel in Basel 2025, where Samsung served as the Official Art TV Partner, RM shares how art can bring joy and meaning into daily life. The short film highlights how he curates artworks that reflect emotion and seasonality, celebrating the expressive energy and optimism of Keith Haring’s “Dancing Dog,” and introducing autumnal selections such as Lee Shinja’s “Spirit of Mountain” and Natasha Durley’s “Super Moon,” which evoke the serenity and lyricism of the fall landscape.
▲ RM of BTS shares a selection of artworks to enjoy during the fall in a new short film. You can find it on his Instagram @rkive. “Art has always been a way for me to reflect, to connect, and to find meaning in everyday moments,” said RM. “It’s exciting that the artworks that inspire me can now be enjoyed by anyone, right at home. With Samsung Art TV, I can bring a world of creativity into my space—and I hope everyone will be inspired to explore art in theirs, too.”
Samsung’s Art TV lineup combines advanced display innovation with aesthetic design to bring each work to life in true-to-artist detail. The Frame’s matte display minimizes glare to replicate the texture of real canvas, while Neo QLEDs deliver stunning contrast, depth and color through Quantum Dot and Mini LED technology, capturing every nuance of brushstroke and light.
▲ Lee Shinja’s “Spirit of Mountain” displayed on 2025 Samsung The Frame Pro Through Samsung Art Store,1 available on The Frame and other Art TV models, users can access a growing collection of over 4,000 artworks from world-renowned museums, galleries and artists. With intuitive curation features, they can easily transform their homes into personal galleries and experience art in new ways.
“Samsung Art TVs make it possible for anyone to live with art and be inspired by it every day,” said Hun Lee, Executive Vice President of the Visual Display (VD) Business at Samsung Electronics. “RM’s continued ambassadorship reflects our shared belief that art becomes most meaningful when it’s part of everyday life.”
▲ Natasha Durley’s “Super Moon” displayed on 2025 Samsung The Frame Pro Through this collaboration, Samsung continues to expand how people experience both art and technology at home — building on its legacy as the world’s leading TV brand for 19 consecutive years2 and reaffirming its commitment to making culture more accessible through innovation.
To learn more, visit www.samsung.com.
▲ Keith Haring’s “Dancing Dog” displayed on 2025 Samsung Neo QLED 8K. All Keith Haring works © Keith Haring Foundation. Licensed by Artestar About RM of BTS
RM (Kim, Namjun) is a South Korean rapper, songwriter, music producer, and the leader of 21st century pop icons BTS. His discography includes solo mixtapes RM (March 2015) and mono. (October 2018), as well as solo albums Indigo (December 2022) and Right Place, Wrong Person (May 2024), which showcase his remarkable versatility across genres. As a creative powerhouse and avid art enthusiast, RM is renowned for crafting profound lyrics often inspired by various art forms. His flexible and philosophical approach to music and ability to push creative boundaries with cutting-edge collaborations has led him to work with a diverse range of artists, including Erykah Badu, Anderson .Paak, Lil Nas X, HONNE, Mahalia, and more. On May 24, 2024, RM released his critically-acclaimed second solo album Right Place, Wrong Person.
Samsung Art Store is an art subscription service available on Samsung Art TVs, including MICRO LED, Micro RGB, The Frame, NEO QLEDs and QLEDs. Currently available in 117 countries around the world, Samsung Art Store offers over 80 partners and 4,000 artworks in 4K quality. Through Samsung Art Store, subscribers can enjoy artwork from world-class galleries and masters at home and use it to create new interior designs every day. ︎ Omdia, Feb-2025. (Results are not an endorsement of Samsung) ︎ View the full article
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By Samsung Newsroom
Samsung Electronics unveiled a brand film starring BTS “SUGA” on its social media channels. As Samsung’s ambassador, SUGA shows how he uses The Freestyle 2nd Gen, Samsung’s latest portable projector, in his own unique way. The Freestyle.
Watch the full video below and find out why SUGA defines freedom as “living the life you want.”
▲ The Freestyle x SUGA: Freedom to be you
View the full article
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By Samsung Newsroom
Samsung Electronics today announced that Pixar Animation Studios has mastered its new animated film “Elemental” — released globally on June 16 — as 4K theatrical High Dynamic Range (HDR) content available exclusively on Samsung Onyx, the world’s first Cinema LED screen. Those who view the film at an Onyx theater will enjoy a more captivating and vibrant viewing experience through next-generation picture quality with 4K theatrical HDR.1
Samsung Onyx, the world’s first Digital Cinema Initiatives (DCI)-certified cinema display for theatrical exhibition, is an LED screen that provides exceptionally vivid color and the most detail-rich content. It transcends the traditional projector-based systems that have been the industry standard for more than 100 years by overcoming limited contrast ratio and brightness, delivering millions of additional colors that traditional projection does not.
Pixar, an Academy Award® winning animation studio, mastered the film in 4K theatrical HDR to exemplify its bright, sharp, rich and detailed imagery, extending beyond the capabilities of Standard Dynamic Range (SDR) theater-based projectors. Additionally, Pixar pairing its reach with Samsung’s visual technology expertise has resulted in the largest cinema LED presence of any brand in the theatrical space. Moviegoers can enjoy 4K HDR mastered “Elemental” exclusively on Onyx screens.
“Pixar is known for pushing the boundaries of both technology and art, continuing that legacy with our latest film, Elemental,” said Dominic Glynn, Senior Scientist at Pixar. “With Onyx, Samsung has taken a bold leap forward, deploying extraordinary technology at a scale that enables a compelling step-change in cinema image quality. For the first time, audiences will be able to experience our highest brightness, rich, detailed HDR imagery on large, sharp cinema screens that showcase Pixar’s most ambitious work to date. HDR cinema delivers a genuinely fresh visual experience to our global audiences, and the filmmaking teams at Pixar are excited to share this unique version of Elemental with the world.”
Starting with “Elemental,” Pixar plans to continue mastering 4K HDR content for Samsung Onyx to ensure the film is viewed the way creators intended for the best possible viewer experience.
“With Pixar’s new movie, we present 4K HDR content exclusively on cinema LEDs for the first time in the industry,” said Hoon Chung, Executive Vice President of Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. “We will continue to actively expand partnerships in the movie industry based on our leading LED technology innovation that expresses accurate image quality and vivid colors not available anywhere else.”
Samsung Onyx can accommodate virtually any venue configuration while delivering unparalleled picture quality, technical performance and reliability beyond that of traditional projector-based operations. The extraordinary display combines 4K resolution, HDR picture quality and 300nit peak brightness — nearly six times greater than standard projector technologies.
Starting with the world’s first cinema LED screen at Lotte Cinema World Tower, Seoul in July 2017, Samsung has now supplied Onyx screens to 120 movie theaters around the world.
About Pixar Animation Studios
Pixar Animation Studios, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is an Academy Award®-winning film studio with world-renowned technical, creative and production capabilities in the art of computer animation. The Northern California studio has created some of the most successful and beloved animated films of all time, including “Toy Story,” “Monsters, Inc.,” “Cars,” “The Incredibles,” “Ratatouille,” “WALL•E,” “Up,” “Brave,” “Inside Out,” “Coco” and “Turning Red.” Its movies and technology have won 40 Academy Awards® and the films have grossed more than $14 billion at the worldwide box office. “Elemental,” Pixar’s upcoming 27th feature, releases in theaters June 16, 2023.
1 The availability of “Elemental Mastered for Onyx” may vary by region and theater.
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