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Hong Sang-soo's new film sees Kim Min-hee's return

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By Hankookilbo
  • Published Jul 10, 2026 4:13 pm KST
A still from 'Nowhere to Lay My Eyes' / Courtesy of Jeonwonsa Film

A still from "Nowhere to Lay My Eyes" / Courtesy of Jeonwonsa Film

Korean filmmaker Hong Sang-soo's latest film, "Nowhere to Lay My Eyes," will premiere in the main competition of the 79th Locarno Film Festival. The film marks Kim Min-hee's return to acting after giving birth to her first child.

International distributor Finecut announced the selection Thursday. The project is Hong's 35th feature and will compete for the Golden Leopard, the festival's top prize.

This is Hong's fifth film selected for the festival. His previous entries include "By the Stream" (2024), which won a best performance award; "Hotel by the River" (2018), which also earned a best performance award; "Right Now, Wrong Then" (2015), which won the Golden Leopard and a best performance award; and "Our Sunhi" (2013), which won the best director award.

The Locarno Film Festival, founded in 1946 and held annually every August in Locarno, Switzerland, is famous for showcasing artistic and experimental auteur films.

Announcing the lineup, the festival said that they were all deeply moved by how the film conveyed the meaning, beauty and complexity of life through the poetic and sophisticated craftsmanship.

The festival added that the work showed once again why Hong is one of the "great masters of our time."

A still from 'Nowhere to Lay My Eyes' / Courtesy of Jeonwonsa Film

A still from "Nowhere to Lay My Eyes" / Courtesy of Jeonwonsa Film

Kim, Hong's longtime collaborator and partner, stars in the film and served as production manager. The cast includes actors Kwon Hae-hyo, Shin Seok-ho and Park Mi-so. Veteran actor Choi Myung-gil, known primarily for her work on television dramas, also joined the cast.

Despite Hong's continued international acclaim, his relationship with Kim remains highly controversial in Korea. The couple became romantically involved while filming "Right Now, Wrong Then" in 2015. They publicly admitted to an extramarital affair in 2017, during a press conference for "On the Beach at Night Alone," sparking severe public backlash.

Hong married a non-celebrity in 1985, with whom he has a daughter. He remains legally married after losing a divorce lawsuit against his wife in 2019. The controversy drew renewed scrutiny after Kim gave birth to their son in April 2025.

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.