Kim Min-hee, Hong Sang-soo attend Locarno Film Festival for first public appearance since birth of child

Actress Kim Min-hee and director Hong Sang-soo have made their first joint public appearance since welcoming a child last year, attending the 79th Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland. The couple presented their latest film, "Where the Wind Goes," which was invited to the international competition section of the prestigious festival.

The film, Hong Sang-soo's 35th feature, saw the director and actress participate in a screening and a Q&A session with the audience. During the session, Kim Min-hee spoke candidly about her transition to motherhood while continuing her acting career. She revealed that her baby was on set during the filming of "Where the Wind Goes," requiring her to manage breastfeeding and meal preparations amidst her work.

"I had to wake up early to prepare everything for the baby before getting ready for the film," Kim Min-hee shared. "My previous self, who was solely focused on acting, has changed. Now, I naturally finish preparing for my child first and then dedicate myself to the film, which feels very healthy."

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I had to wake up early to prepare everything for the baby before getting ready for the film. My previous self, who was solely focused on acting, has changed. Now, I naturally finish preparing for my child first and then dedicate myself to the film, which feels very healthy.

"Where the Wind Goes" tells the story of Sang-hee (played by Kim Min-hee), the daughter of divorced parents, who travels to Jeju Island to find her mother, whom she hasn't seen in a decade. Kim Min-hee not only stars in the film but also served as the executive producer, while Hong Sang-soo handled directing, screenwriting, cinematography, sound recording, editing, and music.

The Locarno Film Festival, established in 1946, is one of Europe's most respected film events, ranking among the top European festivals alongside Berlin, Cannes, and Venice. Hong Sang-soo has a history with the festival, having won Best Director for "Our Sunhi" in 2013 and the Golden Leopard for "Right Now, Wrong Then" in 2015. Kim Min-hee also received the Best Actress award at the festival in 2024 for her role in Hong's film "The Novelist's Film."

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While filming, the baby was on set, so I had to breastfeed and make baby food; those were the first things I did.