Foreign reporter's rude attitude at 'Hope' press conference sparks controversy

A foreign reporter's rude attitude at the press conference for director Na Hong-jin's film 'Hope,' an official selection in this year's Cannes Film Festival competition, is causing controversy.

The official press conference for 'Hope' was held on the 18th (local time) at the Palais des Festivals in Cannes, with director Na and domestic actors including Hwang Jung-min, Jo In-sung, and Jung Ho-yeon, as well as Hollywood actors Michael Fassbender, Alicia Vikander, and Taylor Russell in attendance.

However, during the Q&A session, a foreign reporter speaking English asked a rude question to director Na, creating an awkward situation.

After receiving the microphone, the reporter, without stating their name or affiliated media outlet, said, 'I don't really know the rest of the people,' and only greeted Fassbender and Vikander, who are actually married, before starting their question.

The reporter, without even mentioning director Na's name, asked, 'I hope the director can answer,' and inquired about the reason for casting Fassbender and Vikander.

They then demanded an answer from director Na, asking, 'I'm curious if you wanted to cast the two actors with the salary for one person, or if you tried to cast the married couple as a package deal.'

The actors present wore expressions of disbelief as the reporter asked a low-level question with a rude attitude.

Director Na, showing a hint of surprise, asked back, 'Is that question for me?' and calmly replied, 'We went through great difficulty to bring each and every one of our actors.' He emphasized, 'We separately cast Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander, and we did our best to persuade them to appear in the film.'

Production: Ryu Jae-gap, Gu Hye-won

Video: Reuters, YouTube Festival de Cannes