Court turns down director Hong Sang-soo's request for divorce

By Lim Chang-won Posted : June 14, 2019, 15:41 Updated : June 14, 2019, 15:41

[A Yonhap News file picture shows Hong Sang-soo and Kim Min-hee. ]

SEOUL -- South Korea's award-winning director Hong Sang-soo lost a divorce suit, nearly three years after a scandal over his extramarital relationship with Kim Min-hee, a prominent 37-year-old actress and model, surfaced.

Hong, 59, filed for divorce against his wife in late 2016. The first hearing was held in December 2017, but Hong's wife did not appear, effectively delaying legal proceedings. On Friday, a family court in Seoul rejected Hong's request to end his marital life. An exception was not acknowledged.

The court said that Hong should assume the main responsibility for the breakdown of his marriage, citing a legal case. The Supreme Court has ruled that a spouse who is primarily responsible for the breakdown of a marriage cannot, in principle, seek a divorce. An exception was not acknowledged. 

Judge Kim Sung-jin said in his decision that Hong's wife showed no strong will to divorce, while the director has not tried to heal the wounds his wife and children would have suffered due to his love affair with Kim. It was not known whether Hong would appeal.

Hong, known for budget arthouse films such as Cannes winner "Hahaha" (2010), met with Kim when she was playing the lead role in "Right Now, Wrong Then" which won the top prize at Locarno International Film Festival in 2015.

Kim, who has earned a number of awards at home and abroad, starred in "The Handmaiden", a 2016 hit movie directed by Park Chan-wook known for his harrowing film Oldboy. Park called her "the most coveted A-list actress at the moment."

At the Seoul premiere of "On the Beach at Night Alone" in March 2017, Hong and Kim, wearing couple rings on their fingers, openly admitted their affair. Kim became the first Korean actress to win the Silver Bear for Best Actress at the Berlin International Film Festival for her performance in the 2017 film.


 
기사 이미지 확대 보기
닫기