Cannes invites Hollywood rookie Gang Dong-won

Gang Dong-won from "Vanishing Time: A Boy Who Returned." / Courtesy of Naver

By Ko Dong-hwan

Actor Gang Dong-won was the only Korean actor invited to this year's Cannes Film Festival.

The actor, who will make his Hollywood debut in disaster film “Tsunami LA,” made an unexpected appearance at the 71st film festival's red carpet event on May 8. He began filming the Simon West-directed movie in March.

The film festival organization invited Gang, 37, to promote the film, according to reports. The movie features a massive tide engulfing Los Angeles and is set for release in 2019.

It is his first official appearance at Cannes, following an unofficial visit last year to meet filmmakers overseas.

Reports said the former fashion model may appear in French films but his agency YG Entertainment refused to confirm it, saying: “Except his promotion of 'Tsunami LA,' his agenda in Cannes is unofficial so cannot be confirmed.”

Gang was born in Busan and made his small-screen debut on MBC in 2003. He has appeared in Korean hit movies including “The Priests,” “Violent Prosecutor,” “Master,” “1987” and “Golden Slumber.”

Two South Korean movies were invited to this year's Cannes, including Lee Chang-dong's “Burning” in the In Competition section and Yoon Jong-bin's “The Spy Gone North” in the Out of Competition section's Midnight Screenings.