[Kan On-site Video] 8 Minutes of Standing Ovation, Foreign Media Praise... What Made Park Chan-wook’s Decision to Leave So Acclaimed?

[Asia Economy PD Yoon Jin-geun] On the afternoon of the 23rd (local time), a standing ovation was given to director Park Chan-wook at the Lumi?re Grand Theatre in the French city of Cannes.

The film "Decision to Leave," invited to the competition section of the 75th Cannes International Film Festival, was screened for the first time worldwide at 6 p.m. that day at the Lumi?re Grand Theatre. "Decision to Leave" is a romance suspense film depicting the events that unfold when detective Hae-joon (played by Park Hae-il) meets Seo-rae (played by Tang Wei), the spouse of a deceased man whose death is ruled a fall.

On that day, director Park, actors Tang Wei and Park Hae-il entered the Lumi?re Grand Theatre to great applause from the audience. Among the audience were CJ Group Vice Chairman Lee Mi-kyung and actor Lee Jung-jae, who directed his debut film "Hunt."

The audience gave a standing ovation for about eight minutes even after the film's end credits had finished rolling, applauding director Park, the production team, and the actors. Director Park responded, "Thank you for welcoming such a long and old-fashioned film," and credited the actors and staff.

Lee Mi-kyung, CJ Vice Chairman and executive producer of the film, also applauded beside director Park. Actors Park Hae-il and Tang Wei embraced each other in celebration amid the pouring applause.

Major foreign media also praised "Decision to Leave." British film critic Peter Bradshaw wrote in an article for The Guardian, "Park Chan-wook was once a master of 'gonzo revenge violence,' but with 2016's 'The Handmaiden,' he presented an elegantly crafted suspense thriller," adding, "The tension, intrigue, emotional conflict, and twists are Hitchcockian."

Film producer David Ehrlich, writing for the film review website IndieWire, described "Decision to Leave" as "the most romantic film of the year, a funny, entertaining, and increasingly poignant crime thriller by Park Chan-wook," giving it an A- grade.

Jessica Kiang, a critic for the American film weekly Variety, said, "There is no one as convoluted as director Park Chan-wook," and described it as "a Korean thriller exquisitely crafted after 'Parasite' and 'Squid Game'." "Decision to Leave" was invited to the competition section of the Cannes International Film Festival and is Park Chan-wook's fourth entry at Cannes. It will be released in Korea on June 29.