Christopher Nolan has arrived in South Korea for the first time, bringing several members of The Odyssey team with him ahead of the film’s release.
The director landed in Seoul on August 1st alongside producer Emma Thomas and stars Matt Damon and Charlize Theron. Although Nolan’s films — including Interstellar, Dunkirk, Tenet and Oppenheimer — have drawn a combined 36 million moviegoers in Korea, the promotional tour marks his first visit to the country.
The visit was especially meaningful after several earlier attempts fell through, with Nolan personally pushing to make the trip happen. In a handwritten letter to Korean fans, he wrote, “I’m deeply grateful for the support and love you’ve shown for my films. I’m especially delighted that ‘The Odyssey’ will bring me to Seoul and I’ll get to celebrate the film with Korean audiences in person.”
The visit has included plenty of stops beyond the usual press circuit. Shortly after arriving, Damon attended a KBO League game between the Kiwoom Heroes and SSG Landers at Gocheok Sky Dome.
The group also dined at chef Son Jong Won’s restaurant Eatanic Garden, where Nolan called the meal “the best.”
During a press conference on August 3rd, Nolan and Thomas said they had spent time exploring Seoul, including visits to a popular salt bread shop and Olive Young.
“Our son’s girlfriend is Korean American, so she told us what we should do while we’re here,” Thomas said.
Nolan added, “Seoul is an incredible city.”
The filmmaker and cast are also making several appearances across Korean television and digital media. Nolan and Damon will join Yoo Jae Suk on tvN’s You Quiz on the Block, while Nolan is also scheduled to appear on film critic Lee Dong Jin’s YouTube channel, “Piarchia.”
Damon and Theron will sit down with Jaejae on “MMTG” to share behind-the-scenes stories from the film, with the episode set to premiere August 10th on the show’s YouTube channel.
Nolan has already appeared on SBS’ News Hunters, where he shared details of a surprise meeting with director Park Chan Wook. “He asked what I was planning to do next, and I told him I didn’t know,” Nolan recalled. “He said, ‘Take a vacation, but don’t rest too long before your next movie.’ Honestly, that just made me feel even more tired.”
He added, “Director Park is a filmmaker I’ve admired for a long time, and it’s always fascinating to see Korean creators reshape the course of global culture.”
>> Tom Holland Surprises Epik High With His Unexpected Korean Food Experience
