Actress Kim Min-hee (43) and director Hong Sang-soo (65) have once again become the center of heated controversy with news of an extramarital child pregnancy.
According to Dispatch on the 17th, Kim Min-hee confirmed her pregnancy last summer and is expected to give birth this spring. The two are currently reported to be living together in Hanam, Gyeonggi Province.
On the 15th, the couple was spotted visiting an obstetrics and gynecology clinic together, further fueling the buzz around the news of their extramarital child. A source stated, “The two are preparing for childbirth with joy and excitement as they await their child.”
Did they hide the pregnancy at the Swiss Film Festival?
In August of last year, Kim Min-hee won the Best Acting Award for Hong Sang-soo's film "The Day After" at the 77th Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland. At that time, she wore a loose-fitting white dress that concealed her figure and expressed her affection for her partner, Hong Sang-soo, in her acceptance speech, saying, “Thank you to the director for making beautiful films; I love your films.”
Fans have speculated that Kim Min-hee may have concealed her pregnancy with her loose outfit, casting doubt on the situation. Subsequently, the couple was seen visiting the obstetrics and gynecology clinic, effectively acknowledging the news of their extramarital child.
Will it be revealed at the Berlin Film Festival?
Attention is also focused on whether the two will appear at the 75th Berlin International Film Festival, scheduled for the 21st. Director Hong Sang-soo has submitted a film to the competition section of the festival, which is known as a regular stage for his works.
Especially since the fact of the extramarital child has not been officially confirmed, the Berlin Film Festival is expected to provide another opportunity for their relationship to gain global attention. Some sources have stated, “Whether they attend the festival is up to their choice,” keeping their comments brief.
Director Hong Sang-soo has been married since 1985 and has a daughter, but has been undergoing divorce proceedings since acknowledging his affair with Kim Min-hee. The divorce petition filed in 2016 was dismissed by the court in 2019, and since then, they have not appealed, maintaining their legal marital status.
Kim Min-hee and Hong Sang-soo met through the film "Right Now, Wrong Then" in 2015, and in 2017, at the press screening of "On the Beach at Night Alone," they officially acknowledged their affair by stating they were “in love.” Since then, Kim Min-hee has limited her activities to only appearing in Hong Sang-soo's films.
Despite ongoing controversies, Kim Min-hee and Hong Sang-soo are preparing to welcome a new family member. It remains to be seen what kind of controversy the news of their extramarital child's birth will stir up in connection with the Berlin Film Festival.
With their shocking trajectory of ‘affair → extramarital child → pregnancy,’ all eyes are on whether the two will officially announce their extramarital child in Berlin, once again surprising the public.
[Kim Seung-hye, MK Sports Reporter]
