The 79th Locarno International Film Festival announced its list of winners on the 15th. 44-year-old Korean actress Kim Min-hee won the Best Performance Award for her role in the new film 'A Traveller's Needs' directed by Hong Sang-soo. Not only did she claim the Locarno Best Actress title for a second time in two years, but she also became the first Korean actress in history to have won three major international A-list film festival performance awards, once again setting a new milestone.
'A Traveller's Needs' achieved outstanding results at this edition. In addition to Kim Min-hee winning Best Performance, Hong Sang-soo also took home the Best Director Award. The film further received the Universal Jury Award, sweeping three major awards and becoming one of the biggest winners this year.
Beyond their award-winning achievements, the personal relationship between Kim Min-hee and 65-year-old director Hong Sang-soo has also drawn significant attention. The two sparked dating rumors in 2015 after working together and have now been in a relationship for over 11 years, with Hong Sang-soo's marital status remaining a topic of controversy. Last April, the couple welcomed the birth of their son, and this year's Locarno Film Festival marks Kim Min-hee's first public appearance since giving birth. At a recent press conference for their new film, the couple even brought their son along. Although the baby was seated in a stroller offstage and did not appear on stage, Hong Sang-soo and Kim Min-hee could often be seen glancing warmly at the child, displaying tender interactions.