Director Hong Sang-soo's new film "The Day She Returns" is invited to the Panorama section of the Berlin International Film Festival. Courtesy of Jeonwonsa Film
Korean director Hong Sang-soo marks 30 years in cinema and a seventh consecutive invitation to the Berlin International Film Festival, yet persistent public backlash continues to overshadow his domestic reception.
The director's 34th feature film, "The Day She Returns," hits Korean theaters May 6. Despite the major milestone, Hong will maintain his decade-long absence, shunning the domestic press and skipping all local promotional events and press conferences.
Hong has built a formidable legacy since his debut with "The Day a Pig Fell into the Well." To mark his 30-year career, the Korean Film Archive will hold a special exhibition titled "Hong Sang-soo Retrospective: Introduction." His latest work premiered in the Panorama section of the 76th Berlinale, extending his run of appearances at the prestigious European festival and garnering favorable reviews ahead of its domestic launch.
"The Day She Returns" follows a formerly beloved actress who reenters the independent film scene and faces reporters following a long maternity hiatus. The film features frequent collaborators Song Sun-mi, Cho Yoon-hee, Park Mi-so, Ha Seong-guk and Shin Seok-ho, alongside Kim Seon-jin, Oh Yoon-soo and Kang So-yi. Hong's romantic partner, Kim Min-hee, is credited as the production manager.
While international audiences celebrate his cinematic achievements — including recent works like "A Traveler's Needs" and "The Novelist's Film" — his domestic reputation remains marred by an affair scandal. Hong retreated from the Korean public eye in 2017 after he and Kim admitted to their extramarital affair during a press conference for "On the Beach at Night Alone."
Director Hong Sang-soo, right, and actor Song Sun-mi look at a panel during the Berlin International Film Festival. Captured from Song Sun-mi's Instagram
The couple met on the set of the 2015 film "Right Now, Wrong Then." Hong remains legally married to his wife, but he and Kim had a child together last year.
News about the couple now emerges solely through public sightings, bypassing official channels. Korean cultural standards strictly demand moral accountability from public figures, leading domestic audiences to largely reject separating art from the artist. As long as this public disapproval persists, the divide between Hong's global acclaim and his domestic isolation shows no signs of closing.
This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.
Source: Korea Times News
