As news has emerged that actress Kim Min-hee is pregnant with director Hong Sang-soo's child, attention is focused on whether the two will be invited to the Berlin International Film Festival next month and receive the honor of an award.
On the 17th, Dispatch reported that Kim Min-hee is six months pregnant with Hong Sang-soo's child and is expected to give birth this spring. Kim Min-hee and Hong Sang-soo visited the hospital together for a regular obstetric check-up on the 15th, marking the New Year, and it is said that director Hong Sang-soo has been taking care of Kim Min-hee, accompanying her for pregnancy confirmation, tests, and check-ups.
Kim Min-hee and director Hong Sang-soo developed their relationship while working together on the film 'Right Now, Wrong Then,' which was released in 2015, and dating rumors surfaced in 2016. The two acknowledged their affair during a press screening of the film 'On the Beach at Night Alone' in 2017, stating that they are "honestly in love" and have overcome a 22-year age difference. In particular, Kim Min-hee expressed, "I cherish our meeting and believe in it. We meet and love each other with sincerity. I will humbly accept the situation I am in."
Director Hong Sang-soo, who was a married man with a wife and daughter, applied for divorce mediation against Ms. A in November 2016. However, the divorce was dismissed based on the judgment that "the divorce claim of a fault spouse is generally not permitted." In this regard, director Hong Sang-soo stated, "I decided not to appeal in order to focus on directing works and my current life."
There is also significant interest in the registration issues of the child born from the nine-year affair between the two. Since director Hong Sang-soo is legally still a married man, the child born to Kim Min-hee will be registered as Hong Sang-soo's illegitimate child in the family relationship register. Kim Min-hee may also register the child solely under her own household.
Amidst this, there is curiosity about whether the two will be invited to and attend the 75th Berlin International Film Festival. Director Hong Sang-soo, who has been invited to the Berlin International Film Festival eight times, is said to have submitted his 16th work. The Berlin Film Festival is set to officially announce the invited films for the competition section on the 21st.
There is also interest in whether Kim Min-hee, who is six months pregnant, will appear alongside director Hong Sang-soo.
[Geum Bit-na, MK Sports Reporter]
