Berlin Film Festival Opens... Will Hong Sangsoo and Kim Minhee, Going Together, Smile Again This Year?

Photo by EPA

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Isul] Director Hong Sangsoo and actress Kim Minhee will walk the red carpet together for the first time in two years.

According to the film industry on the 10th, Director Hong and Kim Minhee are scheduled to attend the opening of the 72nd Berlin International Film Festival together and carry out their schedule.

Hong Sangsoo's 27th new work, The Novelist's Film, has been selected for the competition section of this year's Berlin Film Festival. The film depicts the story of a novelist who sets out on a long journey to the bookstore of a missing junior writer, meets a filmmaker couple along the way, and later meets a female actress to propose casting.

Actress Lee Hyeyoung participates in the film as the novelist Junhee, following In Front of Your Face (2021), and Kim Minhee plays Gilsu, the actress who receives the casting proposal. Kim Minhee is also credited as the production manager, following her previous work Introduction.

Director Hong Sangsoo has received his sixth invitation from the Berlin Film Festival, following Night and Day (2008), Our Sunhi (2013), On the Beach at Night Alone (2017), The Woman Who Ran (2020), and Introduction (2021). He has won the Silver Bear for Best Director and Best Screenplay twice for The Woman Who Ran and Introduction, while Kim Minhee became the first Korean actress to win the Silver Bear for Best Actress for On the Beach at Night Alone.

Director Hong Sangsoo and Kim Minhee will appear together at an official event for the first time in two years, since the 70th Berlin International Film Festival held in February 2020. The two revealed their romantic relationship through Right Now, Wrong Then (2015). Despite harsh criticism from some who view their relationship as an affair, they have continued their "my way" approach by attending overseas film festivals together, wearing couple rings, and holding joint press conferences.

Recently reappearing together, the two are expected to attend this year's film festival as a couple, with strong prospects for winning awards. It remains to be seen what achievements they will make amid the public's unfavorable views.

The two, who came to the Berlin International Film Festival as director and actor, appeared before the public with affectionate demeanors throughout the festival. Photo by Berlin International Film Festival

Meanwhile, the Berlin International Film Festival, known as one of the world's top three film festivals alongside Cannes and Venice, boasts a long tradition and will be held in Berlin, Germany from the 10th to the 20th.

This year, 17 feature films and one documentary will compete for the top awards, the Golden Bear and Silver Bears. Korean films invited include Director Hong Sangsoo's The Novelist's Film, Two Women Wearing the Same Underwear (directed by Kim Sein) in the Panorama section, Hot in the Day, Cold at Night (directed by Park Songyeol) in the Forum section, and the animation House of Existence (directed by Jung Yumi) in the Short Film Competition section.

The 74th Berlin International Film Festival will be held as an in-person event. Cinemas will operate at 50% capacity, and attendees must wear masks. Entry requires proof of completed vaccination, a negative COVID-19 test result, or proof of recovery from COVID-19. The red carpet and press conferences will proceed as scheduled.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.