[Cinema Y] The Disappointing Reason Behind Korean Actors' Appearance at Cannes

"Lighting up Cannes with dazzling visuals", "Promoting national pride through beauty", "Captivating the world with the epitome of elegance"

As the 78th Cannes Film Festival unfolds in the French resort city of Cannes, press releases like these have been making rounds domestically. Something feels off. Instead of focusing on the actors' films or performances, there's an overwhelming emphasis on praising their looks.

And for good reason, as this year's Cannes Film Festival features 'zero' Korean feature films. So, why did Kim Go-eun, Han So-hee, and Kim Min-ha attend Cannes? All three were invited not for their cinematic work but as models and ambassadors for brands (coffee and jewelry) that sponsored the event.

Kim Go-eun graced the red carpet for the premiere of 'Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning', a non-competitive section, while Han So-hee appeared for the premiere of the competing film 'The Phoenician Scheme'. Kim Min-ha attended the 'Women In Motion' gala dinner held during the festival.

The nightly red carpet events during the festival are primarily for the stars of the premiering films. However, the main theater at Cannes, the Lumiere, which seats about 4,000, welcomes not just the film's leads but also industry professionals, media, sponsors, and other invited guests.

Cannes, with its rich history and tradition, is one of the top three film festivals globally. It's a prime marketing opportunity, with luxury brands hoping to showcase their fashion and jewelry on the world's biggest stars for promotional gain.

All guests, including those invited by brands, make their entrance through the red carpet into the Lumiere theater. However, since these three actors were invited as guests rather than for their roles in films, they didn't receive as much spotlight. Press releases from the brands or their agencies painted a rosy picture of the event, but reality and on-site footage suggest otherwise.

Kim Go-eun first connected with Cannes in 2015 through her film 'Coin Locker Girl', invited to the Critics' Week, a section focusing on debut or second films by directors, which didn't include a red carpet event. Ten years later, she returned to Cannes, stepping onto the red carpet for the first time, albeit not in the context of showcasing her own film or performance.

Kim Go-eun, Han So-hee, and Kim Min-ha are among the most notable young talents in the Korean film industry, celebrated for their acting skills and star quality. They are highly sought after in both film and television. We look forward to the day these talented actors can walk the Cannes red carpet as leads in their own films, a milestone that will require a resurgence in the Korean film industry.

It's been 12 years since a Korean feature film wasn't invited to Cannes, and for the third year in a row, none have made it into the competition section. This year, however, two short films were invited: 'First Summer' by Heo Ga-young, which made it into the La Cinef section, and an animated film 'Glasses' by Jung Yu-mi, invited to the Critics' Week.

(SBS Entertainment News | Kim Ji-hye)