Baek Byung-yeul is a journalist at The Korea Times focused on cultural content, including films and cultural events in South Korea. You can contact him at baekby@koreatimes.co.kr to share your insights.
Korea returns to Cannes with ‘Hope,’ ‘Colony’ after year of absence
A poster for director Na Hong-jin's "Hope" / Courtesy of Plus M Entertainment
By Baek Byung-yeul
Korean cinema is making a return to the Cannes Film Festival this year, with two films selected for the official lineup of the 79th edition, after its absence last year raised concerns about the sustainability of the local film industry.
The executive committee of the Cannes Film Festival announced Thursday that director Na Hong-jin’s “Hope” was invited to the Competition section, while director Yeon Sang-ho’s zombie thriller “Colony” secured a spot in the Midnight Screening section.
This marks the first time in four years that a Korean feature has returned to the festival’s prestigious Competition section since Park Chan-wook’s “Decision to Leave” in 2022.
The two films’ invitation is significant, given that no Korean feature films were included in last year’s lineup. Industry observers pointed to the shift toward streaming platforms and a prolonged slump in the domestic movie market as key factors behind the absence, Korea’s first in 12 years.
“Hope,” which will compete for the Palme d’Or alongside films from some of the world’s most celebrated directors, stars domestic and international actors including Hwang Jung-min, Zo In-sung, Jung Ho-yeon, Alicia Vikander, Michael Fassbender and Taylor Russell.
It marks Na’s long-awaited return to feature filmmaking after “The Wailing” (2016) cemented his reputation as one of Korea’s most distinctive figures in genre cinema. The film’s production budget is estimated at more than 50 billion won ($33.7 million), making it one of the most expensive Korean films ever made.
Unveiling the 21 movies in the competition lineup, Thierry Fremaux, general delegate of the festival’s organizing committee, described Na’s movie as a fluid blend of genres that focuses on an entirely untold chapter of history.
A poster for director Yeon Sang-ho’s upcoming movie “Colony” / Courtesy of Showbox
Meanwhile, “Colony” centers on a group of survivors trapped inside a building after a rapidly mutating virus transforms those infected into unpredictable, evolving threats. The film is Yeon’s fourth entry at Cannes, following “The King of Pigs” (2011), “Train to Busan” (2016) and “Peninsula” (2020).
The film reunites him with the Midnight Screening section, where “Train to Busan” drew widespread acclaim in 2016. Midnight Screening is a noncompetitive section of the official lineup that showcases genres such as action, thrillers and horror.
“Colony” features major Korean stars, with Jun Ji-hyun returning to the big screen for the first time in 11 years since “Assassination” (2015), alongside Koo Kyo-hwan and Ji Chang-wook.
Yeon expressed his excitement about being invited to the festival.
“I am thrilled to screen my work in the Midnight Screening section, a true hub for genre film fans worldwide,” Yeon said through the film’s distributor, Showbox. “I look forward to proudly presenting this Korean genre film alongside the cast who made it possible.”
The invitations come amid heightened interest in this year’s festival, as director Park Chan-wook was recently named jury president, a first for a Korean filmmaker.
This year’s festival will be held from May 12 to 23.