Pregnancy rumors circulating about director Hong Sang-soo’s partner, Kim Min-hee

January 17, 2025

Acclaimed South Korean filmmaker Hong Sang-soo and his longtime partner, actress Kim Min-hee, are at the center of pregnancy rumors.

Dispatch, a Korean online entertainment news outlet, reported Friday that Kim, 43, is expecting a child with 65-year-old director Hong.

The couple allegedly learned of the pregnancy last summer, with the birth anticipated for this spring. The news outlet reported the couple has been spotted visiting obstetricians together in recent months, fueling speculation about the pregnancy.

However, the couple has not yet responded to Yonhap News Agency’s requests for comment on the matter.

Director Hong Sang-soo (L) and his partner, actress Kim Min-hee (Yonhap)
Director Hong Sang-soo (L) and his partner, actress Kim Min-hee (Yonhap)

The relationship between Hong and Kim has been a subject of public interest and controversy since rumors of their affair first surfaced in 2016.

The couple confirmed their relationship in 2017, despite Hong being legally married at the time. Hong’s attempts to divorce his wife, whom he married in 1985 while studying in the United States, have been unsuccessful. A divorce lawsuit filed by Hong was dismissed in 2019, with the court ruling that he was primarily responsible for the breakdown of the marriage.

Since the beginning of their relationship, Kim has exclusively appeared in Hong’s films. Her performances in these works have garnered international acclaim, including a Silver Bear for Best Actress at the Berlin International Film Festival for “On the Beach at Night Alone” (2017) and the Best Acting Award at the Locarno Film Festival for “By the Stream” (2024).