[Edaily Starin Choi Hee-jae Reporter] Director Christopher Nolan has drawn attention by sharing an anecdote about his encounter with Director Park Chan-wook in South Korea.

Director Nolan appeared on SBS’s “News Hunters,” which airs on the 4th, to share his thoughts on visiting Korea ahead of the release of his film “The Odyssey.” Amid a severe heat wave warning, Director Nolan appeared wearing a jacket. He began the interview with a witty remark, saying, “I’ve traveled through China and India, so I’m used to the heat,” and added, “At least I’m not wearing a tie like the anchor, which is a relief.”
Director Nolan has expressed his desire to visit Korea for several years. Referring to the enthusiastic response from Korean audiences during the release of “Interstellar,” he said, “From that moment on, I wanted to come to Korea in person to meet people and experience that excitement firsthand, but I didn’t have the opportunity until this film.”
He also mentioned that he met with Director Park Chan-wook while in Korea. Nolan said, “Director Park asked me about my plans for my next film, and when I told him I didn’t know, he said, ‘Take a vacation, but don’t rest too long for the sake of your next movie.’”
He then added with a laugh, “Honestly, hearing that made me even more tired.” Speaking about Director Park, he said, “He’s a master filmmaker I’ve admired for a long time, and it’s always fascinating to see how Korean creators are reshaping the global cultural landscape.”

Regarding his new film, *Odyssey*, he emphasized that it was a project that spanned his entire career. Director Nolan explained, “As I reread the ancient text, I was surprised to realize that the themes and narrative models that have guided my entire career—not just *Interstellar* but also the *Dark Knight* series and *Tenet*—were contained within the original work.”
Regarding the modern adaptation of ancient mythology, he explained, “The ‘Law of Zeus (Xenia)’ featured in the original text is an ancient norm calling for warm respect and hospitality toward strangers,” adding, “I realized that this is ultimately the principle of ‘mutual respect’ that underpins modern civilization, and I wanted to convey the message that when we ignore this, we put ourselves in danger.”
Director Nolan also spoke candidly about why he took on the challenge of shooting the entire film in IMAX—a dream he’d had since he was 16—as well as his future plans. Notably, after the interview concluded, he left a special greeting for SBS viewers by signing an autograph directly into the camera lens.
Director Nolan’s new film, *The Odyssey*, which opens in South Korea on the 5th, depicts the journey of Odysseus (played by Matt Damon)—the hero who led the 10-year Trojan War to victory—as he sets out to return to his wife Penelope (played by Anne Hathaway) and his son Telemachus (played by Tom Holland). The film stars Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, Zendaya Coleman, and Charlize Theron.
“News Hunters” airs at 7 p.m. on the 4th.