Actress Kim Min-hee's potential appearance at the Berlin International Film Festival alongside director Hong Sang-soo is drawing attention.
The 75th Berlin International Film Festival opened on the 13th (local time) in Berlin, Germany, where Hong Sang-soo's 33rd feature film, "What Does the Nature Say to You," has been invited to the official competition section. Director Hong has continued to be dubbed "the director loved by Berlin," making it six consecutive years in the Berlin competition since "The Woman Who Ran" in 2020.
In this film, Kim Min-hee is credited not as an actress but as a production manager. However, as rumors of her pregnancy have recently spread, all eyes are on whether she will be spotted in public.
"Reignition of pregnancy rumors? Will she appear in public?"
Recently, industry insiders have been saying, "Kim Min-hee's belly has noticeably grown," further fueling the pregnancy rumors.
Since acknowledging her relationship with director Hong Sang-soo in 2017, Kim Min-hee has gradually shifted from a leading actress to a role in the production team, collaborating with him on films. However, her participation in this Berlin Film Festival is particularly notable as she is only involved as a production manager, not as an actress.
In this regard, some speculate, "Is her break from acting due to pregnancy?" and "In recent sightings, she appeared to have a fuller silhouette."
"Will Hong Sang-soo and Kim Min-hee win for the sixth time in Berlin?"
Since his debut film "The Day a Pig Fell into the Well" was invited to the Berlin Forum section in 1997, director Hong Sang-soo has had a total of 12 films screened in Berlin. Notably, the works he created with Kim Min-hee have received high praise at the festival.
Kim Min-hee has won the Silver Bear for Best Actress for "On the Beach at Night Alone" (2017), followed by "The Woman Who Ran" (2020) - Silver Bear for Best Director, "Introduction" (2021) - Silver Bear for Best Screenplay, "The Novelist's Film" (2022) - Silver Bear Jury Prize, and "The Traveler's Needs" (2023) - Silver Bear Jury Prize.
She has established herself as a regular invitee to Berlin with a total of five awards.
This year, it is also the only Korean film invited to the Berlin competition section, raising expectations for whether Hong Sang-soo and Kim Min-hee will win for the sixth time together.
"Interest in whether she will attend Berlin amid pregnancy rumors with Hong Sang-soo"
Meanwhile, the film festival organizers have not ruled out the possibility of Kim Min-hee appearing on the red carpet with director Hong Sang-soo.
Industry insiders say, "If Hong Sang-soo and Kim Min-hee appear together in Berlin, it will clear up the curiosity about the pregnancy rumors," adding, "There is keen interest in whether she will step into the spotlight with the director this time as well."
So far, Kim Min-hee has not made any specific statements regarding the pregnancy rumors, and attention is focused on whether she will be spotted at the official Berlin event.
[Kim Seung-hye, MK Sports Reporter]
