May 19, 2026
SEOUL – Director Park Chan-wook was awarded France’s highest cultural distinction on Sunday in Cannes, becoming the fourth Korean to receive the rank of Commandeur in the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.
French Minister of Culture Catherine Pegard personally presented the medal to Park during a ceremony held at the Salon des Ambassadeurs inside the Palais des Festivals in Cannes, where Park is currently serving as president of the competition jury at the 79th Cannes Film Festival.
Established by the French Ministry of Culture in 1957, the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to the arts worldwide. The order comprises three ranks — Commandeur, Officier and Chevalier — with Commandeur being the highest. Park joins a small group of Korean recipients: theater veteran and former Korea Culture and Arts Foundation president Kim Jeong-ok, who received the honor in 2002, conductor Chung Myung-whun in 2011 and soprano Sumi Jo in May 2025.
Korean Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister Choi Hwi-young sent a congratulatory message to Park on Monday, calling the honor a moment of pride for the country’s cultural sector. “This honor firmly demonstrates the global stature of Korean cinema and is an occasion that lifts the pride of our cultural and arts community,” Choi wrote.
He praised Park’s “singular body of work” as a source of inspiration for creators around the world and asked the director to serve as a bridge for Korea-France cultural ties as the two countries mark the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2026.
The 62-year-old auteur made his feature debut with “The Moon Is … the Sun’s Dream” (1992) and went on to direct “Joint Security Area” (2000), “Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance” (2002), “Oldboy” (2003), “Lady Vengeance” (2005), “Thirst” (2009), “The Handmaiden” (2016), “Decision to Leave” (2022) and most recently “No Other Choice” (2025). He is the first Korean to chair the Cannes competition jury.