Park Chan-wook, the acclaimed South Korean filmmaker behind "Oldboy" and "No Other Choice," has been named president of the jury for the 79th Cannes Film Festival, organisers announced on Thursday. He is the first Korean to hold the role, which involves overseeing the awarding of the prestigious Palme d'Or.
Chan-wook has a long history with Cannes, dating back to 2004 when "Oldboy" won the Grand Prix. He later received the Jury Prize in 2009 for "Thirst" and the Best Director award in 2022 for "Decision to Leave." Festival president Iris Knobloch and director Thierry Frémaux praised his "inventiveness, visual mastery, and penchant for capturing the multiple impulses of women and men with strange destinies."
Chan-wook succeeds Juliette Binoche as jury president. The 2025 Palme d'Or was awarded to Jafar Panahi's "It Was Just an Accident." Fellow Korean director Bong Joon-ho previously won the Palme in 2019 for "Parasite."
Chan-wook's latest film, "No Other Choice," a dark satire about an unemployed man who plots to eliminate job competition, was South Korea's Oscar submission but did not receive a nomination. The Associated Press named it one of the best films of 2025.
