On February 29 (in local time), Hong Sang Soo, who directed a new film The Woman Who Ran, won the Silver Bear for the Best Director section at the 70th Berlin International Film Festival. He made another splendid feat after Bong Joon Ho consecutively swept through France’s 2019 Cannes Film Festival and the 2020 Academy Awards in the U.S.
At the moment of receiving the award, Hong took care for his fellow actresses Kim Min Hee and Seo Young Hwa who starred in The Woman Who Ran and attended the festival with himself. Hong and Kim Min Hee, his long-time lover, hugged each other passionately when his name was called as an honoree. On the stage, Hong also asked the audience to give a round of applause for the two actresses.
The Woman Who Ran is the second work to win the Silver Bear for Best Director in Korean film history. The first Korean honoree of the same award was Kim Ki Duk, who directed the 2004 movie Samaritan Girl. Meanwhile, The Woman Who Ran, the seventh film Hong Sang Soo and Kim Min Hee have worked together, is a story about a woman who meets her three old friends after her husband went on a business trip.