Guillermo del Toro expresses love for Korean cinema at BIFF

“I cannot contain my excitement. I love Korean films so much.”

On the morning of Sept. 19 at BIFF Hill in the Busan Cinema Center, Guillermo del Toro, the 61-year-old acclaimed director from Mexico, shared his impressions of visiting Korea for the first time. He was in Busan to showcase his new film, Frankenstein, at the 30th Busan International Film Festival (BIFF).

Del Toro won the Golden Lion at the Venice International Film Festival and both the Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Director in 2018 for The Shape of Water. Prior to that, he directed films such as Hellboy (2004) and Pan’s Labyrinth (2006), earning a reputation as a master of creature-based storytelling.

Frankenstein is an adaptation of Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel of the same name. It tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a brilliant but selfish scientist who creates life through ruthless experiments. When asked why he chose to revisit a story that has been adapted many times before, del Toro said, “Even the same song sounds different depending on who sings it. This film might even be my biography.”

“My Frankenstein blends my own autobiographical story with the original novel. Seeing how the creature is created and abandoned, I felt a connection to myself. The film explores the relationship and suffering between the son (the creature) and the father (Frankenstein). When I was young, I found it difficult to understand my father, but as I grew older and became a parent myself, I came to understand what it truly means to be a father.”

Del Toro also expressed his affection for Korean cinema. Mentioning directors Bong Joon-ho and Park Chan-wook, he said, “Korea produces unique films that cannot be found in any other country. Every time I watch Korean films, I feel their energy and strength.”


부산=김태언기자 beborn@donga.com