Ki Joo-bong Named Best Actor at Locarno Film Festival

Published on 2018/08/13 | Source

Ki Joo-bong won the Best Actor award at this year's Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland on Saturday for his performance in Hong Sang-soo's latest film, "Hotel by the River".�

Ki is the second Korean actor to win the prize at the festival after Jung Jae-young for Hong's "Right Now, Wrong Then" in 2015.

"Hotel by the River", Hong's 23rd movie, tells the story of a middle-aged man, played by Ki, who has a chance encounter with two young women, played by Kim Min-hee and Song Seon-mi.

Ki, who made his debut as a theater actor in 1977, has had a remarkable career on both screen and stage. He has been a constant presence in Hong's movies, usually in supporting roles, including "Hill of Freedom", "Nobody's Daughter Haewon" and "Right Now, Wrong Then".

He appeared as the late North Korean leader Kim Jong-il in the espionage thriller "The Spy Gone North", which hit theaters here last week to much acclaim.