Actor Kim Min-hee won praise in Locarno for her performance in her first film shot since giving birth to her first child with director Hong Sang-soo. While she continues to garner critical acclaim abroad, she and Hong have kept a low profile in Korea, where their relationship remains controversial.

Kim won the Pardo for Best Performance for her work in Hong's 35th feature film, "Nowhere to Lay My Eyes," at the closing ceremony of the 79th Locarno Film Festival on Saturday.

Kim previously won the award for Hong's "By the Stream" in 2024, marking her second win in two years.

Kim took the stage to thank Hong and her colleagues.

"I am deeply grateful to the director, who made a film as beautiful as poetry, and to our colleagues," Kim said. "I'd like to share the award with them."

Kim, who went public with her relationship with Hong in 2017 and gave birth to their son last year, also mentioned her baby during her acceptance speech. "Thank you so much. I am with my baby right now," Kim said, choking up.

"From now on, I will act with nothing but genuine love," she said. "Whenever I feel troubled or overwhelmed, I will make sure to watch this film."

Hong received the Pardo for Best Direction and the film won the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury, bringing its total to three awards.

Following the ceremony, Kim smiled while posing with the trophy at a photocall, and posed alongside Hong during the event itself.

Kim detailed her experience as a new mother during a Q&A session Friday.

"This was the first film I made after giving birth," she said. "I brought my baby to the set during filming, and I also had to breastfeed and prepare baby food, so I was extremely busy while working on the film."

She added that taking care of her child's needs made her approach to acting feel healthier.

"I can no longer immerse myself only in a film as I once did, but after taking care of everything my child needed, doing my best for the film actually felt healthier," Kim said. "I think the way I accepted that moment with joy, without becoming obsessive or trying to embellish anything, was naturally reflected in the character."

Speaking at the festival, Hong also explained why he avoids public appearances in Korea.

Hong, 66, and Kim, 44, first worked together on the 2015 film "Right Now, Wrong Then." The two confirmed their relationship at a press conference in 2017.

Hong married in 1985 while studying in the United States, with whom he shares a daughter. He filed for divorce in 2016, but a Korean court dismissed the case in 2019.

Because Hong did not appeal the ruling, he remains legally married.

"I enjoy being able to talk with audiences who have seen my films," Hong said. "I used to have opportunities like this in Korea, but I stopped doing so for personal reasons, so such occasions have become rare."

"Nowhere to Lay My Eyes" is scheduled for a theatrical release in Korea in the second half of the year.

This article from Xportsnews is adapted by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.