Kim Min-hee makes first public appearance since giving birth, says life with Hong Sang-soo is 'all she needs'

Actor Kim Min-hee has made her first public appearance since giving birth, stepping out alongside director Hong Sang-soo to speak about their life and work together.

The pair appeared Thursday at the 79th Locarno International Film Festival in Switzerland to present their new film "Nowhere to Lay My Eyes." They took part in a post-screening audience discussion and a press conference.

Kim gave birth to a son with Hong last April, and the Locarno appearance marked her first public event since then.

At the event, Kim said that living together and making films together are one and the same for them. "Living together is making films together — that is what we do," she said, describing how their personal life and creative work flow naturally into each other.

She added that the process feels as natural as cooking and eating together, and said, "I don't need anything more than that."

Kim and Hong first worked together on the 2015 film "Right Now, Wrong Then" and have collaborated on numerous projects since.

For the new film, Kim served not only as an actor but also as production manager.

In "Nowhere to Lay My Eyes," Hong's 35th feature, Kim plays Sanghee, a filmmaker who makes independent films. The character grew up with her grandparents after her parents divorced when she was young and reunites with her mother on Jeju Island after a decade apart.

Kim also spoke about how the set had changed after becoming a mother, saying she brought her baby to the shoot, breastfed on location and prepared baby food during production.

"In the past I was fully immersed in the film, but now I finish what needs to be done for the baby first and then give my all to the work," she said. "That change actually felt healthy."

Hong and Kim acknowledged their relationship in 2017, publicly saying they were in love after rumors of an affair had circulated. Hong married in 1985 and has a daughter. The two have lived together as a common-law couple and welcomed a son last year.

"Nowhere to Lay My Eyes" also stars Choi Myeong-gil, Kwon Hae-hyo, Shin Seok-ho and Park Mi-so. Hong directed and wrote the screenplay and also handled cinematography, editing and music. The film is set to open in South Korea in the second half of this year.