Director Hong Sang-soo’s 33rd feature film “What Does That Nature Say To You” was invited to the 75th Berlin International Film Festival’s Competition section, according to the film’s overseas distributor Finecut.

The invitation to this year’s Berlin International Film Festival, also known as the Berlinale, means that Hong has been invited to the prestigious film festival for six consecutive years. He was previously invited to the event for his films, such as “The Woman Who Ran” (2020) and “A Traveler’s Needs” (2024).


The director also received numerous awards from the film festival, including the Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize for his film “A Traveler’s Needs” early last year.

“We all watched your latest work with admiration, captivated by the form of language and rhythm that shape the film, as well as the profound insights it conveys [translated],” the film festival said in its invitation to Hong, according to Finecut.

“We found ‘What Does That Nature Say To You’ to be deeply intuitive in its portrayal of people and the currents that flow between them. At the same time, it was sharply witty and genuinely funny in many moments."

The latest film follows a poet in his 30s as he unexpectedly bumps into his girlfriend’s father when dropping her off at her parents’ house. It features actors Ha Seong-guk, Kwon Hae-hyo, Cho Yun-hee, Kang So-yi and Park Mi-so.

The new film will have its world premiere during the film festival, which kicks off on Feb. 13 and ends on Feb. 23.

The film will be released in Korea during the first half of this year.

Other films from Korean directors, such as Bong Joon-ho's "Mickey 17," Min Kyu-dong's vengeance thriller "The Old Woman With The Knife," Kang Mi-ja's "Spring Night" and Kim Moo-young's documentary "The Sense of Violence," were also invited to the film festival.

Director Hong has been recently in the spotlight as media outlets have reported him to be expecting a child with actor Kim Min-hee. He has been in an extramarital relationship with the actor for nine years.

The two are expected to give birth to the child this spring, according to media reports.

The director and actor first met while working on the 2015 film “Right Now, Wrong Then” and publicly acknowledged their relationship in 2017.

Hong has a daughter with his current wife whom he married in 1985. However, he left his family and has been living with Kim for the past nine years.


BY KIM JI-YE [kim.jiye@joongang.co.kr]