Sogang Alumni Park Chan-wook Shines at Cannes
- Won the 75th Cannes Film Festival’s Best Director Award for the movie ‘Decision to Leave’ –
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Director Park Chan-wook (Philosophy, ‘82) Wins the 75th Cannes Film Festival’s Best Director Award
Movie director Park Chan-wook received the Best Director Award at the 75th Cannes Film Festival on Saturday, May 28, for his new movie, 'Decision to Leave.'
"During the pandemic, we shared a unified fear and concern while our borders were raised to a great extent. There were times when viewers stopped going to theaters and the film industry was damaged, but we all had a big chance to realize how precious theaters are. Just like the hope and strength shown in overcoming this COVID-19 pandemic, I believe that filmmakers will keep on defending theaters and movies forever,” he said after being declared the winner. He added, “I would like to thank CJ ENM, CJ Vice Chairperson Lee Mie-kyung (Miky Lee), screenwriter Jeong Seo-kyeong, and many other crew members for their unending support in making this movie. More than anything, my love for the two actors Park Hae-il and Tang Wei is beyond words.”
‘Cannes Park’ Enhances the Global Reputation of Korean Films
The Cannes Film Festival, alongside the Venice Film Festival and Berlin International Film Festival, is considered one of the world’s top three international film festivals and is even held as most prestigious among them. Director Park Chan-wook, in particular, is so closely associated with Cannes that he has earned the nickname 'Cannes Park.' This year marks his third time winning an award at Cannes, the greatest result ever for a Korean filmmaker. His film 'Old Boy' won the Grand Prix at the 57th Cannes in 2004, while 'Thirst' won the Jury Prize at the 62nd Cannes in 2009. In 2016, he was also shortlisted for the Palme d’Or for 'The Handmaiden.' By winning this year’s Best Director Award, Park became the second Korean director to win the award, proving his role as a cinematic maestro of global renown.
Park’s new film, 'Decision to Leave,' which comes six years after 'The Handmaiden,' stars actors Park Hae-il and Tang Wei to portray the tensions felt in and out of a love story and thriller marked with Park Chan-wook’s unique, delicate ways to describe the human mind.
According to Screen, the Cannes Film Festival’s official news magazine, Park’s latest film received a score of 3.2, rating it above its rivals, and this year’s judges and critics both showed great satisfaction with the film. In fact, Park and his movie earned incredible praise across France.
Sogang’s Excellent Education System is the Driving Force for Developing Diversified Convergence Talents in Culture and Content
Park Chan-wook said that, as a high school student, he dreamed of being a movie director and started bringing this dream to realization thanks to various experiences and opportunities while majoring in Philosophy at Sogang University. He entered the Sogang University Photography Club and took the first steps toward making films while learning to take better pictures. Meeting other film-enthusiast students from all over the nation who had gathered at Loyola Library, which offered the largest collection of English books on film, Park inched closer to his dream of becoming a filmmaker. Later on, he and his friends created a movie club called 'Sogang Film Community' at a time when many movie clubs were being founded across the country, and he started his film career in earnest. In addition, he was able to develop his skills in filmmaking by taking on a major in Journalism, although he had initially entered the Department of Philosophy.
Sogang has been nurturing talented people in the cultural-content field through its multi-major system, integrated education, and support for various student activities. Along with alumnus Park Chan-wook, Sogang has a reputation for raising great movie directors in Korea, including alumni Choi Dong-hoon (Korean Language & Literature, ‘90, known for 'The Big Swindle,' 'The War of Flower,' and 'The Thieves') and Lee Jeong-hyang (French Culture, ‘83, known for 'The Way Home' and 'Art Museum by the Zoo'). In addition, other famous alumni include Kwon Hyuk-bin (Electronic Engineering, ‘92), the founder and president of Smilegate, and Kim Tae-hoon (Business Administration, ‘04), the CEO of Banksalad, who have both become successful models for young startups through entrepreneurship raised at Sogang for the gaming industry and financial service area, respectively. Moreover, alumnus Namkoong Whon (Business Administration, ‘91), the CEO of Kakao Games, received the presidential commendation for the development of the gaming business, proving once again the excellence of Sogang University and its high-quality convergence education that has helped students realize their dreams in their own fields.
