South Korean actress Kim Hye-ja: ‘I’m no #MeToo victim’, after ‘breast touching’ comments spark storm
- Veteran says words ‘taken out of context’ at screening of 2009 film, Mother, directed by Bong Joon-ho – who is winner of this year’s Cannes Film Festival’s Palm d’Or
Veteran South Korean actress Kim Hye-ja, 78, who sparked heated #MeToo debate after suggesting an actor went “off script” by touching her breast in a scene in a 2009 film by director Bong Joon-ho, now denies she was the victim of any sexual misconduct.
Kim also said she had been quoted out of context when answering questions from the audience while a guest at last month’s screening of the South Korean filmmaker’s film, Mother.
Bong, 49, won the prestigious Palme d’Or award at the Cannes Film Festival for his latest film, Parasite, on May 26.
In an interview published on Wednesday in the South Korean daily newspaper, Chosun Ilbo, Kim clarified her comments, and said she had never meant to suggest that any alleged sexual harassment had taken place during the filming, and had not intended to criticise Bong in her earlier comments.
The controversy began when Kim and Bong were both guests at a black-and-white screening of the film Mother on May 9.
While answering questions raised by members of the audience, Kim said that in one of the scenes, actor Won Bin – who played the son of her character in the film – had got into the bed with her and then touched her breast – an action that was not in the initial script.
Kim said at the screening that she “stayed still” at the time, thinking “there must be a reason behind his action”.
At the time she suggested she did not know in advance that it was going to happen.
Her remarks, which were posted on social media, caused heated discussions, with some people suggesting that Kim had claimed she was the victim of sexual misconduct during filming.