Film side denies health issues after Kim Hye-ja coughs at Busan red carpet
In short
Actress Kim Hye-ja, 85, appeared at the opening ceremony red carpet of the 31st Busan International Film Festival on Oct 6, where she coughed several times and was helped as she walked, prompting online concern about her health. The film’s side said she has a simple cold, that there is nothing wrong with her health and that her scheduled festival appearances will go ahead as planned. Her new film “Still Shining,” her first screen role in nine years, opens on Oct 21.
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Actress Kim Hye-ja, 85, walked the red carpet at the opening ceremony of the 31st Busan International Film Festival at the Busan Cinema Center in Haeundae on the afternoon of Oct 6, alongside director Song Il-gon, who directed her new film “Still Shining.” Wearing hanbok, she smiled and waved to the audience, according to the reports. Video from the event showed her being supported by Song Il-gon and others as she moved, and coughing several times with her hand over her mouth. As the footage spread online, viewers raised concerns about her health. [ 1 , 2 ]
Film distributor Plus M Entertainment told Maeil Business on the morning of Oct 7 that “she has a slight cold.” It said her Busan International Film Festival schedule had been adjusted in view of her age and condition, and that “all the appointments currently set will be carried out as planned.” An official for the film gave Hankook Ilbo the same account, saying the festival schedule was being handled with her age and current condition in mind and that her scheduled appearances would proceed normally. [ 1 , 2 ]
An official for “Still Shining” told OSEN, cited by Chosun Ilbo, that Kim “has a slight cold and there is nothing at all wrong with her health,” dismissing the health rumours. [ 4 ]
According to Hankook Ilbo, Kim was born in 1941, making her 85 this year, and has continued an acting career of 65 years. “Still Shining” is described as her first screen role in nine years and as the story of Soon-ok, who meets again after 60 years the close friend with whom she spent the brightest period of her life, moving between past and present. It is invited to the festival’s Korean Cinema Today – Panorama section and is set to open on Oct 21, with Park Seo-kyung, Choi Ju-eun and Moon Sung-hyun among the younger cast and Cha Mi-kyung, Jo Sung-ha and Lee Se-young among the experienced actors. Song Il-gon, who directed “Spider Forest” and “The Magicians,” directed the film. [ 1 , 2 ]
Hankook Ilbo also noted Kim’s long-running charity work as a World Vision ambassador and a documentary about her life and 65-year career, “Kim Hye-ja’s Regards – Please Don’t Die,” which aired on SBS on Oct 4 and became available on Netflix from Oct 5. [ 2 ]
Why it matters
Kim Hye-ja is a long-established Korean actress whose appearance at Busan drew public attention to both her condition and her return to the screen, so a health scare at the festival’s opening night quickly became a story in itself. The denial from the film’s side keeps the focus on the Oct 21 release of “Still Shining,” which is screened at the festival.
Key facts
- Kim Hye-ja, 85, attended the opening ceremony red carpet of the 31st Busan International Film Festival at the Busan Cinema Center in Haeundae on Oct 6. [ 1 , 2 ]
- She walked the red carpet with director Song Il-gon, who directed her new film “Still Shining,” wearing hanbok and waving to the audience. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Video showed her coughing several times with her hand over her mouth and being supported by Song Il-gon and others as she moved, which spread online and prompted concern about her health. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Film distributor Plus M Entertainment said she has “a slight cold,” that the festival schedule was adjusted for her age and condition, and that her set appearances would be carried out as planned. [ 1 , 2 ]
- An official for “Still Shining” told OSEN that Kim has a slight cold and that “there is nothing at all wrong with her health.” [ 4 ]
- “Still Shining,” Kim’s first screen role in nine years, is invited to the festival’s Korean Cinema Today – Panorama section and opens on Oct 21. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Kim was born in 1941 and has acted for 65 years, according to Hankook Ilbo. [ 2 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Kim Hye-ja attended the opening ceremony red carpet of the 31st Busan International Film Festival in Busan on Oct 6, accompanied by director Song Il-gon. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Video showed her coughing and being supported as she walked, prompting online concern about her health. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- The film’s side said Kim had a simple cold, that there was nothing wrong with her health and that her festival schedule would proceed as planned. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
Still unclear
- Whether Kim Hye-ja will attend every remaining Busan International Film Festival event. Documents say her set schedule will be carried out as planned but do not list which events remain or whether any were dropped.
- The exact state of her health beyond “a simple cold.” Only the film’s side and its distributor have commented, and no medical details or further statements from Kim herself appear in the documents.
- The precise time of the red carpet on Oct 6. Documents say only that the opening ceremony took place on the afternoon of Oct 6.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Kim Hye-ja, 85, attends the opening ceremony red carpet of the 31st Busan International Film Festival at the Busan Cinema Center in Haeundae with director Song Il-gon; she waves to the audience, coughs several times and is helped as she moves. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Video of the red carpet spreads online, prompting public concern about her health. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Film distributor Plus M Entertainment tells Maeil Business that Kim has “a slight cold,” that her festival schedule was adjusted for her age and condition, and that her set appearances will go ahead as planned. [ 1 ]
- An official for the film gives Hankook Ilbo the same account, saying there is no problem with her scheduled festival appearances. [ 2 ]
- An official for “Still Shining” tells OSEN that Kim has a slight cold and that “there is nothing at all wrong with her health.” [ 4 ]
- “Still Shining,” Kim’s first screen role in nine years, is scheduled to open. [ 1 , 2 ]