Twelve feature films have cemented Park Chan-wook as one of the most compelling voices in contemporary cinema. Now, the internationally acclaimed director, screenwriter and producer will preside over the Feature Film Competition Jury at the Festival de Cannes for its 79th edition — a historic first for Korean cinema.
On Saturday, May 23, inside the Grand Théâtre Lumière, Park and his jury will award the 2026 Palme d’Or. He follows last year’s ceremony, when Juliette Binoche presented the top prize to Jafar Panahi for It Was Just an Accident.
Park’s relationship with Cannes began in 2004, when Oldboy won the Grand Prix and propelled him onto the international stage. He later received the Jury Prize for Thirst (2009) and Best Director for Decision to Leave in 2022. His films The Handmaiden and others have also competed for top honors, solidifying a long-standing creative bond between the filmmaker and the festival.
Known for his visceral, baroque storytelling, Park blends formal beauty with moral complexity. Obsession, revenge, desire and social critique pulse through his work — from the “Vengeance Trilogy,” which includes Sympathy for Mister Vengeance, Oldboy, and Lady Vengeance, to his recent satire No Other Choice (2025).
Park has often cited Alfred Hitchcock as a formative influence, particularly after discovering Vertigo as a young cinephile. That inspiration is visible in the elegant suspense of Decision to Leave and in Stoker (2013), his English-language debut starring Nicole Kidman and Mia Wasikowska. Critics have also compared his stylistic precision to filmmakers like Quentin Tarantino, Brian De Palma and David Fincher.
His 2000 hit JSA (Joint Security Area) broke box office records in Korea and helped usher in a new global era for Korean cinema — one that Cannes has championed for decades.
Park’s presidency underscores the festival’s deep ties to Korea’s filmmaking community. In 2019, Bong Joon-ho became the first Korean director to win the Palme d’Or, marking a historic moment for the country’s cinema on the Croisette.
Korean actors have also been honored at Cannes, including Jeon Do-yeon (Best Actress, 2007) and Song Kang-ho (Best Actor, 2022), the latter appearing in four of Park’s films.
Reflecting on his upcoming role, Park described the cinema as a place of voluntary confinement that frees the soul. In a time of global division, he noted, gathering in a dark theater to watch a film together — breaths and heartbeats aligned — becomes a powerful expression of solidarity.
When the 79th Festival de Cannes opens, anticipation will be high. And on May 23, all eyes will turn to Park Chan-wook as he helps decide the next chapter in cinema history.
