Actress Kim Min-hee's life has changed once again. She went from being a muse beloved by directors to being Hong Sang-soo's woman, and now she has become a mother of an illegitimate son. While not everyone can celebrate this, Kim Min-hee has opened a new chapter in her life as a mother.

According to the film industry on the 8th, Kim Min-hee recently gave birth to a son with director Hong Sang-soo. Currently, Kim Min-hee is reportedly staying at a postpartum care facility in Hanam City. This news of her childbirth comes about three months after her pregnancy was reported in January. Kim Min-hee welcomed her first child at the age of 43, while director Hong Sang-soo became a late father at 65.

Kim Min-hee has maintained a nearly decade-long extramarital relationship with director Hong Sang-soo. They established a connection through the 2015 film 'Right Now, Wrong Then', and have been in a de facto marriage. Although director Hong Sang-soo was already married and had a daughter, he filed for divorce from his wife of 30 years while being in a relationship with Kim Min-hee. The divorce proceeding went to trial and was rejected after his wife expressed her determination to preserve the marriage.

Amid ongoing controversy regarding their private lives, Kim Min-hee and director Hong Sang-soo attended the press screening of the film 'On the Beach at Night Alone' in March 2017, where they acknowledged their extramarital relationship. At the time, director Hong Sang-soo confidently stated, "We are in love. We love each other sincerely in our own way," and Kim Min-hee admitted that she "met and loved sincerely," becoming emotional.

Ultimately, Kim Min-hee could not shake the label of being in an extramarital affair with director Hong Sang-soo. While she showcased impressive acting in Park Chan-wook's film 'The Handmaiden', after acknowledging her relationship with director Hong Sang-soo, she only appeared in grants of his works.

This was quite disappointing news for film directors and fans. There were concerns about her acting skills early in her career, but Kim Min-hee showcased her unique acting style through films 'In Another Country', 'The Temperature of Love', and 'The Handmaiden'. She was also a muse for many directors and has become an icon of the era for fans with her distinct style.

When Kim Min-hee won the Best Actress award at the 'Directors Cut Awards with JIMFF' for her role in 'The Handmaiden', Lee Hyun-seung, the director who presented her with the award, remarked, "The hearts of directors have not changed. They don't consider anything else when it comes to acting and cinematic passion. Min-hee, the directors love you," expressing support. Additionally, she won the Silver Bear for Best Actress at the 67th Berlin International Film Festival for 'On the Beach at Night Alone' and was included among the 25 Greatest Actors of the 21st Century by The New York Times in 2020.

Despite receiving fervent support from various directors and film fans, Kim Min-hee ultimately chose to become director Hong Sang-soo's muse. Now, at 43, she has given birth to an illegitimate child and continues her "my way" journey.

[Photo] OSEN DB.

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