Robert Pattinson visits Korea for first time to promote upcoming "Mickey 17"

Legendary Korean director Bong Joon-ho's first new film in six years, "Mickey 17," will be released next month.

Before its official release, he and the lead actor, Robert Pattinson are on a promotional tour here in Korea.

Here's our Park Kun-woo with takeaways from that event.

The first Korean director to win an Oscar, Bong Joon-ho, is set to return to the big screen with his new film, "Mickey 17."

With just about a month to go until its premiere, global promotions have kicked off this week, starting in Bong's home country.

"Hollywood star Robert Pattinson, starring as Mickey, the main character of Mickey 17, is in Korea for the first time to meet fans. He and director Bong Joon-ho are holding a press conference at this cinema, and we're about to go meet them. Follow me."

"Annyeonghaseyo. I always wanted to come. And just really really excited to show you guys the movie."

He also shared why he wanted to appear in Bong's movie.

"Bong manages, with a sense of humor, a very very prominent and such a huge movie. We turned up on set and it looked like a giant Star Wars-looking thing. (Bong is probably one of the) four or five directors in the world working now that has that kind of appeal I think to every single actor in the world."

Bong stressed that he had aimed to make a sci-fi movie with a strong human touch.

"It's a sci-fi film full of the scent of humanity. Humans are printed out like documents from a printer, which in itself is very dehumanizing. You feel how miserable this character is. But despite that, you see how he overcomes his struggles."

He added he tried to set the movie in the near future to make it more tangible for people.

"You couldn't even have imagined talking with Chat GPT in the previous decade. The events in the movie may seem like science fiction, but they could happen to you soon."

Fans waiting for the movie's release also waited from the early morning to see their favorite movie star and director.

"Young girls who watched "Twilight" must have liked him. I have been waiting from the early morning cause I was happy to see him at last in Korea. Everybody will be waiting for the upcoming movie."

Amid high anticipation, "Mickey 17" is set to screen at the 75th Berlin International Film Festival next month ahead of its theater premieres.

With its premiere in Korea on February 28th ahead of other countries, one question remains: Will the new movie create another global sensation?

Park Kun-woo, Arirang News.