▲ This EPA photo shows South Korean director Park Chan-wook, who is the jury president of the 79th Cannes Film Festival that opened in Cannes, France, on May 12, 2026. (Yonhap)

Korean director-Cannes

Park Chan-wook vows 'pure audience' approach as Cannes jury chief

SEOUL, May 13 (Yonhap) -- South Korean director Park Chan-wook said he will evaluate films at this year's Cannes Film Festival with the "pure eyes of an audience."

Speaking at a press conference in Cannes, France, for the festival's competition jury, held before the festival opened Tuesday (local time), Park outlined his dual approach to viewing and evaluating the entries as the jury president.

"I want to watch the films with a sense of excitement, without prejudice, preconceptions or fixed ideas, waiting to see which work will surprise me," Park said in a video of the event posted on the festival's website. "But when it comes time to discuss them, I will speak as a professional with clear views and an understanding of cinema history."

Asked by a reporter whether art should be separated from politics, Park rejected the idea.

"It is strange to think of politics and art as opposing concepts," he said, adding that films with political messages should not be seen as "the enemy of art" if expressed effectively.

The 79th edition features three South Korean films across sections, underlining the country's growing global cinematic presence: director Na Hong-jin's sci-fi thriller "Hope" will compete for the top honor, director Yeon Sang-ho's zombie thriller "Colony" will screen in the non-competition Midnight Screenings section, and director July Jung's coming-of-age drama "Dora" will be shown in the Cannes Directors' Fortnight.

"Korea is no longer a peripheral country in film," Park said, attributing his appointment as jury chief in part to that shift. He jokingly added, however, that he would not give "extra points" or favor Korean entries just because of his national ties.

Park first made his mark at Cannes in 2004, when "Oldboy" earned him the Grand Prix. He went on to win the Jury Prize for "Thirst" in 2009 and received the Best Director award for "Decision to Leave" in 2022.

Reflecting on the industry's evolution, he said the rise of Korean cinema should not be seen simply as a move to the center but rather as part of a broader expansion of global film culture.

"The center itself has expanded to embrace more diverse films from more countries," he said.

Despite his long-standing ties to the festival, Park admitted he briefly hesitated before accepting the jury president role.

"I knew from experience how stressful it can be," he said. "But I realized I have received so much from Cannes over the years, and that it may be time to give something back."

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