Actress Kim Min Hee and Director Hong Sang Soo
They Have been together for nine years, and here’s an update
A renowned saying asserts that love transcends age and borders, signifying that love knows no bounds. Nonetheless, it’s important to acknowledge that some relationships may be deemed morally and socially unacceptable, such as student-teacher romances or acts of infidelity.
In 2016, South Korea was taken aback by a shocking love affair involving actress Kim Min Hee and a married man, Hong Sang Soo. Both parties have openly confessed to their involvement in this affair, which has endured for nine years. Recently, there have been developments regarding this high-profile couple. Let’s delve deeper into the story of Kim Min Hee and Hong Sang Soo.
Kim Min Hee, the first Korean actress to win the Silver Bear Award
Kim Min Hee, who is 5’7″, was street-cast as a model on her way home from high school.
Beginning her journey in the entertainment industry as a fashion magazine model, Kim Min Hee gained fame in the early 2000s for her memorable commercial catchphrases alongside Cha Tae Hyun and Shin Min Ah. Phrases like “Am I yours? I can go to anyone!” and “Love is about moving!” became synonymous with her name.
While Kim Min Hee explored her interest in acting and appeared in various projects, she faced criticism for her acting skills. Undeterred, she persisted in her acting pursuits and finally achieved recognition by winning the Best Actress Award at the 44th Baeksang Arts Awards in 2008 for her role in the movie Some Like It Hot, firmly establishing her acting prowess.
In 2013, her romantic relationship with fellow actor Jo In Sung, who shared the same agency, made headlines and lasted approximately a year. Before this, she had publicly dated actors Lee Jung Jae and Lee Soo Hyuk for three and two years, respectively, earning her the reputation as “an actress who exclusively dates top stars.”
In 2016, Kim Min Hee’s talent garnered widespread acclaim when she clinched the Best Actress Award at the Blue Dragon Film Awards for her role in The Handmaiden. Her success continued as she became the first Korean actress to win the Silver Bear for Best Actress at the Berlin International Film Festival for her part in Hong Sang Soo’s On the Beach at Night Alone.
Hong Sang Soo, a director recognized internationally
Born in 1960, Hong Sang Soo is a South Korean film director and screenwriter.
He debuted in 1996 with The Day a Pig Fell into the Well, earning critical acclaim and sweeping awards at the Blue Dragon Film Awards and international film festivals.
After that, he was recognized as a worldwide leading director in the film industry, winning the top prize at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival with Hahaha and the Silver Bear for Best Director at the 70th Berlin International Film Festival with The Woman Who Ran.
The affair between Director Hong Sang Soo and Actress Kim Min Hee
In 2016, a scandalous love affair shocked South Korea.
It was the love affair between Hong Sang Soo and Kim Min Hee, who met on the set of the 2015 film Right Now, Wrong Then. The more significant issue than their 22-year age difference was that Hong Sang Soo was married, making it an affair.
Then, at the 2017 premiere of On the Beach at Night Alone, Hong Sang Soo and Kim Min Hee appeared together and publicly acknowledged their relationship for the first time, stating that they “truly love each other.”
Kim Min Hee also stated, “We cherish our relationship and trust each other. We truly love each other and will humbly accept whatever comes our way in the future,” which drew heavy criticism.
Since then, Hong Sang Soo has attempted to divorce his wife, but due to repeated defeats and appeals, he continues his disgraceful affair with Kim Min Hee into their ninth year.
14 works by Hong Sang Soo and Kim Min Hee
On the 15th, Director Hong Sang Soo’s 31st feature film, Needs of a Traveler, was officially invited to the competition section of the 74th Berlin International Film Festival.
This is Hong Sang Soo’s fifth consecutive year at the Berlin Film Festival, following The Woman Who Ran, Introduction, The Novelist’s Film, and In Front of Your Face.
Since the announcement of her affair with Hong Sang Soo in 2017, Kim Min Hee has only appeared in his films, and in this latest film, she is involved not as an actress but as a production manager.
Kim Min Hee has worked with Hong Sang Soo on 14 films over the past nine years, building her filmography.
Kim Min Hee, who has been out of the public eye in Korea, continues her public activities in Berlin under the shadow of Director Hong, wearing the hat of a production manager. The future moves of these two, who continue their inappropriate relationship, are attracting attention.
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