Director Min Kyu-dong of 'The Old Woman with the Knife' shared his thoughts on Yoo Ah-in, who was nominated for the Directors' Cut Awards that he chairs.

On the afternoon of the 29th, an interview with Director Min Kyu-dong, who directed the film 'The Old Woman with the Knife,' was held at a café located in Sokgyeok-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul.

'The Old Woman with the Knife' (Director Min Kyu-dong, produced by Supa Film, distributed by NEW) is an action drama depicting the intense conflict between a legendary killer Jo (played by Lee Hye-young), who has operated for over 40 years in an organization that takes care of people like cockroaches, and a mysterious killer, Tu-woo (played by Kim Sung-cheol), who has chased him his whole life. It gained global attention after its world premiere at the 75th Berlin International Film Festival and drew interest with news of its official invitations to the Brussels Fantastic Film Festival and the Beijing International Film Festival.

Director Min Kyu-dong graduated from the Department of Economics at Seoul National University and earned a master's degree in film studies from the University of Paris 8, making his commercial film debut in 1999 with 'The Hottentots 2: The Tale of a Schoolgirl.' Since then, he has been recognized for expanding genre boundaries with works such as 'The Most Beautiful Week of My Life,' 'Antique,' 'All About My Wife,' 'The Treacherous,' and 'Herstory.'

Currently, Director Min Kyu-dong is active as the Commissioner of the Directors' Cut Committee, and there was recent controversy over Yoo Ah-in being nominated for the 23rd Directors' Cut Awards organized by the Directors Guild of Korea (DGK).

The 23rd Directors' Cut Awards, scheduled for May 20 (Tuesday) at 7 p.m., will target films and drama series by DGK regular and associate members announced between January 1, 2024, and March 31, 2025.

Notably, among the candidates announced for 13 categories at the 22nd Directors' Cut Awards, Yoo Ah-in has been nominated for Best Actor for his role in 'Winning.' He will compete against Robert Pattinson from 'Mickey17,' Yoon Joo-sang from 'Morning Sea Seagulls,' Lee Byung-hun from 'Winning,' and Choi Min-sik from 'Grave Robbery.' Most importantly, Yoo Ah-in has been nominated amidst social backlash due to drug-use allegations, leading to much debate.

Director Min Kyu-dong noted, "The Directors' Cut Awards is similar to the Academy Awards in the U.S. Only one vote per person is allowed. All released films are candidates, and each person voted for one." He added, "It seems that the recent works of directors have significant influence. That’s likely why they chose such candidates, and the results probably reflect that since they can't be manipulated. Furthermore, directors seem to be thinking, 'This is how (Korean) directors feel,' finding it unique. We will have to wait and see how the award results turn out."

In response to the question, "Some people suggested that Robert Pattinson's nomination was a display of wit from the directors; what do you think?" Director Min Kyu-dong commented, "I think the directors unconsciously expressed their wit. The Directors' Cut Awards has no concept of a selection committee; the nominees come from the number of votes. There are many Korean actors who deserve praise, but it seems some wanted to nominate Robert Pattinson. Perhaps Yoo Ah-in’s nomination stems from people wishing to give him another chance after the unfortunate passing of the late Lee Seon-kyun. Some might perceive it as intentional. There appears to be a mix of humor, consolation, and strong opposition from others as well."

Director Min Kyu-dong remarked, "It seems like a combination of various directors' unconscious thoughts. The Directors' Cut Awards includes a diverse range, from very small independent films to blockbusters. It's hard to claim that one particular aesthetic stands out clearly, and it’s difficult to say this represents the directors’ collective stance. I hope you will see it as a spectrum of diverse opinions."

Meanwhile, 'The Old Woman with the Knife' will be released on the 30th.

[Photo] NEW, Supa Film provided

[OSEN]