At the opening of the 79th Cannes International Film Festival, director Park Chan-wook, the first Korean to serve as a jury president for the competition section, emphasized the significant rise of Korean cinema on the global stage. Reflecting on his first visit to Cannes in 2004, Park noted that Korea has evolved from a peripheral market to a central figure in world cinema over the last 20 years. This year’s festival highlights this prominence, featuring Na Hong-jin’s 'Hope' in the competition category and Yeon Sang-ho’s 'The Colony' in the Midnight Screening section, marking a strong return for Korean films after a brief absence. - Director Park Chan-wook became the first Korean to chair the competition jury at the 79th Cannes International Film Festival. - Korean cinema returns to the competition stage after four years with notable entries such as Na Hong-jin’s 'Hope' and Yeon Sang-ho’s 'The Colony'. - Park emphasized that despite his nationality, he maintains strict impartiality and will not provide preferential scoring for Korean films during the competition. | At the opening of the 79th Cannes International Film Festival, director Park Chan-wook, the first Korean to serve as a jury president for the competition section, emphasized the significant rise of Korean cinema on the global stage. Reflecting on his first visit to Cannes in 2004, Park noted that Korea has evolved from a peripheral market to a central figure in world cinema over the last 20 years. This year’s festival highlights this prominence, featuring Na Hong-jin’s 'Hope' in the competition category and Yeon Sang-ho’s 'The Colony' in the Midnight Screening section, marking a strong return for Korean films after a brief absence. - Director Park Chan-wook became the first Korean to chair the competition jury at the 79th Cannes International Film Festival. - Korean cinema returns to the competition stage after four years with notable entries such as Na Hong-jin’s 'Hope' and Yeon Sang-ho’s 'The Colony'. - Park emphasized that despite his nationality, he maintains strict impartiality and will not provide preferential scoring for Korean films during the competition.