Berlin Film Festival Opens... New Works by Bong Joon-ho, Hong Sang-soo, and Min Kyu-dong Revealed

"Mickey 17" to be Screened in the Special Gala Section
"What Did the Nature Say to You?" Competes in the Main Competition

Korean filmmakers will showcase a variety of works at the 75th Berlin International Film Festival, which opens on the 13th (local time).

The most anticipated work is director Bong Joon-ho's "Mickey 17," which tells the story of a clone sent to pioneer a space planet. It has been invited to the Special Gala section, known for popular genre films, and will be screened on the 15th. Although it is not in competition, this is Bong’s first new film in six years, featuring Hollywood stars Robert Pattinson, Mark Ruffalo, Toni Collette, and Steven Yeun, drawing significant local attention. The Berlin Film Festival described it as "Bong Joon-ho, the writer and director of 'Parasite,' delivering another dazzling cinematic experience."

Director Hong Sang-soo’s "What Did the Nature Say to You?" competing in the main competition, will premiere on the 20th. The film depicts a day in the life of a poet in his 30s visiting his girlfriend’s parents’ mansion for the first time. It stars Ha Sung-guk, Kwon Hae-hyo, and Jo Yoon-hee. Kim Min-hee, Hong’s partner who has recently been rumored to be pregnant, participated as the production manager.

Hong has a deep connection with the Berlin Film Festival. Since his debut film "The Day a Pig Fell into the Well" in 1997, a total of twelve of his films have been invited. He has also won trophies for "On the Beach at Night Alone" (Best Actress for Kim Min-hee), "The Woman Who Ran" (Best Director), "Introduction" (Best Screenplay), "Right Now, Wrong Then" (Jury Grand Prix), and "The Day After" (Jury Grand Prix).

Based on the novel of the same name by author Koo Byung-mo, director Min Kyu-dong’s "Pagwa" will meet audiences in the Berlin Special section on the 16th. Actress Lee Hye-young, who plays a 60-year-old killer, will walk the Berlin red carpet for the first time in 40 years since director Ha Myung-jung’s "Scorching Sun (1985)."

"Spring Night," directed by Kang Mi-ja and starring Han Ye-ri, and Kim Moo-young’s documentary "The Sense of Violence" will be screened in the Forum section. Director Lee Jang-wook’s "Changgyeong" and director Cha Jae-min’s "Photosynthetic Death" will be introduced in the Forum Expanded section.

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