Park Chan-wook wins Best Director for ‘Decision to Leave’ at Cannes

Director Park Chan-wook, winner of the award for best director for 'Decision to Leave,' poses during a photo call following the awards ceremony at the 75th Cannes Film Festival on Saturday. [AP/YONHAP]

Director Park Chan-wook won the award for Best Director at the 75th Cannes Film Festival for his 11th feature film “Decision to Leave.”

The movie is his first since “The Handmaiden” (2016), which competed for the Palme d’Or at the 69th edition of the Cannes festival.

The film revolves around a police detective who finds himself attracted to a mysterious widow after she becomes the prime suspect in a murder investigation.

Actors Park Hae-il, Tang Wei, Lee Jung-hyun, Go Kyung-pyo and Park Yong-woo star in the film.

Park's 2003 film “Oldboy” won the Grand Prix at the 57th edition of the festival and his 2009 film “Thirst” won the Jury Prize at the 62nd edition.

Park and Hong Sang-soo are the only two Korean directors who have been invited to compete for the Palme d’Or four times.

Director Bong Joon-ho was the last Korean to win the Palme d'Or, the highest honor, at the 72nd edition of the festival in 2019 with his film “Parasite.”

“Decision to Leave” is scheduled to be released in local theaters on June 29.

According to CJ ENM, the film has been sold to distributors in 192 countries including the United States, Britain, Turkey, France, Japan, Germany and New Zealand.

BY LEE JAE-LIM [lee.jaelim@joongang.co.kr]