Hong Sang-soo and Kim Min-hee at Locarno Na Ran-hi (수상)..Affectionate physical contact and mention of son despite affair [Comprehensive]

*This content was translated by AI.

Kim Min-hee's comeback film and Hong Sang-soo's latest work, "Nowhere to Go," won three awards at the 79th Locarno International Film Festival. The two drew attention by showing affectionate moments throughout the ceremony.

On the 15th (local time), at the closing ceremony of the 79th Locarno Film Festival, director Hong Sang-soo, whose film "Nowhere to Go" was invited in the international competition section, received the Best Director Award and the Ecumenical Jury Prize, while Kim Min-hee won the Best Actress Yeon Gi-sang-eul (수상).

Director Hong and Kim Min-hee had their first official joint appearance at this film festival since welcoming a son in April last year, drawing significant attention.

When her name was called as the Kim Min-hui-neun (수상) recipient that day, she exchanged happy glances with director Hong, who was seated beside her. Director Hong patted Kim Min-hee's shoulder, and they shared affectionate physical contact, including holding hands.

Kim Min-hee expressed, "I am grateful to the director who created such a poetically beautiful film. I am also very thankful to my colleagues and would like to share this award with them."

She continued, "To my other colleague, Sumi. Thank you so much. I am currently with my baby. Friends from Jeju, I am so happy to share this joyful news. Thank you. From now on, I will act only with true love. Thank you." She spoke with emotion.

Finally, she said, "And whenever my heart feels heavy or suffocated, I will definitely watch this film again and again. Director, thank you," bowing her head toward director Hong.

Additionally, when director Hong was announced as the Best Director Award winner, Kim Min-hee congratulated him with a bright smile. Director Hong shared brief remarks in English: "I am grateful to the selection committee for inviting my film and sincerely appreciate the warm interest from the jury panel. I was deeply moved."

This marks the fifth time his film has been invited to the international competition section of the Locarno Film Festival. At this festival, he previously won the Best Director Award in 2013 for "Our Sun-hee" and the Golden Leopard for Best Film in 2015 for "Right Now, Wrong Then." Kim Min-hee also received another honor at this festival after winning the Best Actress Award in 2024 for Hong's film "Suyucheon."

"Nowhere to Go" tells the story of Sang-hee (played by Kim Min-hee), a daughter from a divorced family, who travels to Jeju Island to find her mother, whom she last saw ten years ago.

Meanwhile, Hong Sang-soo and Kim Min-hee met in the 2015 film "Right Now, Wrong Then" and later developed a romantic relationship. In 2017, during a press screening for his film "Alone on the Beach at Night," Hong publicly acknowledged their affair by stating they were "in love with each other." He faced controversy for maintaining a relationship with Kim Min-hee while still legally married to his former wife. Kim Min-hee gave birth to a son in April last year.

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*This content was translated by AI.