Korean stars Song Kang-ho and Ye Jiwon received honorary awards at the Busan International Film Festival on Saturday, October 8, at an event hosted in partnership with Screen International.

The French Embassy bestowed the Etoile du Cinema awards on the actors for their contributions to cultural exchanges between Korean and French cinema. The event took place on ‘French Night’ at BIFF at the Paradise Hotel in Busan.

Song is known for roles in Oscar-winner Parasite and more recently Hirokazu Koreeda’s Broker, which played in Competition at this year’s Cannes where Song won best actor. Ye is known for her leading role in hit sitcom Old Miss Diary but also Hong Sang-soo features On the Occasion Of Remembering the Turning Gate and Hahaha. She was awarded the honour following her role in Vanishing, a French-Korean co-production by Denis Dercourt that premiered at BIFF last year.

Further guests in attendance included Unifrance president Serge Toubiana, Unifrance director Daniela Elstner, KOFIC chairman Park Ki-yong, BIFF executive chairman Huh Moon-young and Julien Cats, chief counsellor of the French Embassy in Korea.

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