[Exclusive] Song Kang-ho "Many Excellent Films in Cannes Jury, We Also Had Debates" (Interview)

74th Cannes Film Festival On-site Coverage
Interview with Actor Song Kang-ho

Song Kang-ho/Photo by Showbox

[Cannes (France) = Asia Economy Reporter Lee Isul] Song Kang-ho. It is a name to be proud of. At the Cannes Film Festival, where the best films gather in one place, the jury members watch all the films, score them, and award prizes. The weight of that position is tremendous. He stayed on-site from the opening to the closing of the festival, repeatedly watching films and writing reviews, enduring a grueling schedule. When meeting with the reporter, he laughed heartily, saying, "Physically it's tough, but honestly, I feel at ease because there are no competing films."

Song Kang-ho met with our publication at a hotel restaurant in Cannes, a southern French city where the 74th Cannes International Film Festival was held, sharing various stories about his feelings and experiences as the first male actor invited as a jury member. Although our publication conducted the interview first, we decided to respect the embargo and report after the Cannes Film Festival closed. Furthermore, since the interview contains candid stories about the judging process, we disclose that this was done out of respect for the actor serving as a jury member and the film festival.

Meeting Song Kang-ho, whose face looked somewhat worn out due to the grueling schedule, the reporter who came from Korea for on-site coverage seemed to put his mind at ease as Song smiled brightly. He recalled, "How did you come all the way here for coverage this time?" and remembered meeting during the 2019 72nd Cannes International Film Festival following last year's American Academy Awards (Oscars). He reassured the reporter concerned about his health by saying, "I completed the second dose of the vaccine in Korea before coming."

Song Kang-ho successfully completed his schedule as a jury member at the 74th Cannes Film Festival. Although director Park Chan-wook and actress Jeon Do-yeon have served as jurors before, he is the first male actor to achieve this honor. Especially meaningful is that he sat on the jury panel at the festival held two years and two months after director Bong Joon-ho won the Palme d'Or with 'Parasite' in 2019. Additionally, since Lee Byung-hun became the first actor to present awards at the closing ceremony, it was a moment that will be remembered in Korean film history in many ways.

Song Kang-ho/Photo by Showbox

On that day, Song Kang-ho said, "Before coming to Cannes, I called director Park Chan-wook and said, 'Oh my, what should I do?' I listened to some advice on what to do," and laughed, "Jeon Do-yeon started well as an actor on the jury, so I am comfortably judging."

Song Kang-ho walked the red carpet alongside actors and directors of major competing films, standing before cameras. This sight evoked reactions of both unfamiliarity and pride. He said, "It's a tradition at Cannes Film Festival to show respect to the jury members. Other filmmakers are supposed to enter, but they are stopped from doing so until we leave the red carpet. I could feel the festival's respect for the jury members."

Earlier, at the jury press conference held after the opening ceremony, Song Kang-ho congratulated the festival, saying, "I expected the festival would not be held this year due to the pandemic situation, but it was held with difficulty." He said that while judging on-site is cumbersome, they strictly follow quarantine rules. He explained, "The Cannes quarantine rules are so thorough that even jury members are not exempt. We have to undergo PCR tests regularly and receive negative results. Even vaccinated people are not exempt. All attendees must wear masks inside the Lumi?re Theater and the Palais des Festivals building. Although we strictly comply with quarantine rules, the atmosphere is no different from previous Cannes Film Festivals. I envy the scenes of people enjoying the festival. Our country's quarantine system is excellent. I hope to see such scenes domestically as well."

Song Kang-ho is also fulfilling his schedule as the lead actor of 'Emergency Declaration' (director Han Jae-rim), a non-competitive invited film at this year's Cannes Film Festival. Even during the premiere screening, he only attended the red carpet and ceremony because he was participating in judging other films. He honestly said with a smile, "I feel at ease. When you come to Cannes with a competing film, you feel uneasy. Although you don't necessarily come to Cannes Film Festival to receive an award, it is true that competing is a big burden. This year, being invited to the best section among non-competitive films, I receive the treatment accordingly and enjoy it without burden. I judge other works with a relaxed mind."

Although there are no domestic films in competition, the lineup of competing films is splendid. Song Kang-ho said, "I was surprised by many of the competing films. I once again felt that the world's best films all head to Cannes." He added, "There were films on which we agreed, but there were also films that sparked debates," and confessed, "I don't know how it will turn out."

What kind of schedule does a Cannes Film Festival jury member follow? When asked about his daily routine, he said, "We watch films every day and share judging comments," and revealed the tough judging process, saying, "Today, I have a schedule until 12:30 a.m."

"We have to watch and judge all 24 competing films. I have to clearly state my position and judging comments on each film in front of the jury panel. Today, I will watch and judge three films, and tomorrow another three. It is burdensome to present points during jury meetings. Through that process, I learned a lot from other jurors' presentations. Above all, there are many excellent works, which is great."

As a jury member and actor, what kind of films move Song Kang-ho's heart? He said, "It cannot be defined by one word," but added, "Sometimes I am drawn to different genre films, and sometimes I am moved by films full of metaphors. The important thing is a film that moves the heart, a film that resonates, regardless of the type."

Song Kang-ho is an actor who has already earned trust through numerous works in Korea. On the global stage, the perception of him must have clearly changed before and after winning the Palme d'Or for 'Parasite.' The high interest in him was palpable even on-site. People requested his autograph on the street and recognized him by shouting "Parasite!"

He said, "It is true that I receive many offers and inquiries from overseas. It will be the same going forward, but I do not particularly think I have to work overseas. I am not an actor who does many works, and I do not have the capacity to do many works regularly. Even handling domestic schedules is overwhelming. So I politely decline with sincerity as much as possible," he said.

Song Kang-ho said he feels the changed status of Korean cinema after 'Parasite' at Cannes Film Festival on-site. He said, "I feel that Cannes pays special attention to director Bong Joon-ho and me. Spike Lee, the jury president, also showed a lot of interest. He brought a 'Parasite' poster and asked for my autograph. Then he said, 'I should get Bong Joon-ho's autograph, but he returned home yesterday,' expressing regret," and shared, "I have a friendly relationship with director Bong since we occasionally met during the 'Parasite' Oscar race."

He said, "From what I heard on-site, it was not easy to access Korean films in South America, but that has changed. Countries in South America and the Middle East, such as Iran and Brazil, are showing interest in Korean films. Korean films were quite rare in those regions. What I definitely feel is that the barriers to Korean films have disappeared. In that sense, people talk a lot about 'Parasite.' Some say 'Parasite' was their first Korean film. Through that, they said they started to seek out more Korean films afterward. Many people tell me such things directly," he said.

Song Kang-ho viewed that these changes and the elevated status were not created overnight. He said, "Over the past 20 years, the Cannes Film Festival has witnessed the development and remarkable growth of Korean cinema. I believe I have been watching that process continuously for 20 years. Outstanding directors and artists like Lee Chang-dong, Hong Sang-soo, Bong Joon-ho, and Park Chan-wook have been producing excellent works consistently. I feel that the perception toward Korean cinema has changed," he emphasized.

He continued, "Among the jury members, there are those who say they are fans of Korean cinema and ask specifically about ways to work in Korea, not just greetings. I clearly feel that Korean cinema has firmly imprinted itself on filmmakers and audiences worldwide," he stressed.