Korean Films ‘Hopeless’ and ‘Cobweb’ to Screen at 76th Cannes Film Festival

The 76th Cannes International Film Festival will host two Korean films this May, with director Kim Chang-hoon’s “Hopeless” and director Kim Jee-woon’s “Cobweb” receiving invitations to the Un Certain Regard and Out of Competition categories, respectively. The Un Certain Regard section is a competition focused on arthouse films. Unfortunately, no Korean films made the cut for the In Competition section, meaning they are not eligible for the Palme d’Or.

“Hopeless” follows the story of Yeon-gyu, played by Hong Sa-bin, who wishes to escape the harsh realities of his life. He meets Chi-geon, played by Song Joong-ki, and steps into the world of organized crime, marking Song’s first invitation to Cannes. Meanwhile, “Cobweb” is a noir comedy about a film director who becomes fixated on re-shooting the ending of his completed film amid government censorship and uncooperative colleagues.

“Cobweb” stars Song Kang-ho, who won the Best Actor Award at last year’s Cannes festival. The rest of the cast includes Im Soo-jung, Oh Jung-se, Jeon Yeo-been, and f(x)’s Krystal Jung. This year’s invitation marks the third for director Kim Jee-woon and the eighth time for Song Kang-ho. Kim previously entered the Out of Competition category with “A Bittersweet Life” (2005) and “The Good, the Bad, the Weird” (2008).

Director Kim Chang-hoon expressed his gratitude to the actors who participated in “Cobweb,” stating that it feels more special to be invited to a festival where filmmakers and audiences from all over the world gather together in these trying times.

The 76th Cannes International Film Festival will showcase a total of 19 films in the In Competition section, including “Monster” by Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda. American directors such as Wes Anderson and Todd Haynes are also among the 19. The opening film is “Jeanne du Barry” by French actor-director Maïwenn Le Besco. Swedish director Ruben Östlund, who won the Palme d’Or last year for “Triangle of Sadness,” serves as the head of the jury for the In Competition section.

The highly anticipated film, “Cobweb,” will feature Song Kang-ho as the director determined to perfect the film’s ending. Im Soo-jung will play the role of the seasoned actress, while Oh Jung-se portrays her charismatic actor husband. Jeon Yeo-been is a commanding presence as the financial director of the production company, and f(x)’s Krystal Jung showcases her talent as a promising newcomer.