[Busan=Edaily Starin Choi Hee-jae Reporter] “Hello. I’m Fan Bingbing.”

Actress Fan Bingbing greeted the audience in fluent Korean at a press conference for the 31st Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) held on the 7th at BIFF Hill in the Busan Cinema Center in Haeundae-gu, Busan, expressing her affection for Korea and Korean cinema.

Fan Bingbing, who attends BIFF every year, said, “I’m so happy to be back. Every time I visit BIFF, I feel like I gain new ideas and receive encouragement. I’m delighted to meet Korean actors and directors while attending this Korean film festival.”

Fan Bingbing said she has personally experienced the strength of Korean cinema through her collaborations with Korean filmmakers. “I’ve worked with many Korean filmmakers,” she said. “Through this process, I’ve come to truly admire Korean cinema.” She added, “As Director Zhang Yimou also mentioned, Korean actors and directors are gaining global attention and are versatile across various genres.”

She specifically mentioned Director Lee Chang-dong’s *Possible Love*. Fan Bingbing said, “When I saw *Possible Love* at the Toronto International Film Festival earlier, I loved it and was deeply moved,” adding, “I was so envious of how the actors seemed to swim freely within the film.”

She continued, “Korean cinema encompasses a wide range of genres, and within them, one can discover new facets of acting,” explaining that her experiences working with Korean actors and on Korean projects had served as a catalyst for personal growth.

Fan Bingbing emphasized that the very process of taking on new projects and characters across national borders is a crucial experience for an actor. “I believe in diversity and that cinema is a global art form,” she said. “Although I am a Chinese actress, I have worked on a variety of projects, and I believe every country has its own unique characteristics.”

She continued, “Every time I take on a new film, I get to do something new. For *The Diary of a Mad Old Man*, I even learned the local language,” adding, “I feel that this process opens a new window for me. It makes me realize just how fun and full of potential cinema can be.”

She emphasized, “Discovering new possibilities is an incredibly valuable experience for an actor, and I’m happy just to encounter characters like this,” adding, “I think many actors should venture out onto the global stage. I believe that’s the only way to reach a new dimension.”

Fan Bingbing was invited to this year’s Busan International Film Festival with two works: the feature film *The Diary of a Mad Old Man* and the short film *She Said*. Directed by Singaporean filmmaker Ivan Tan, *She Said* tells the story of Ling, who receives a marriage proposal while hiding a terrible past, and the events that unfold as she confesses her secret.

“The Diary of a Mad Old Man” is the latest film by director Wayne Wang, who has maintained his Asian identity throughout his career in Hollywood. It tells the story of Utsugi, a stroke patient, who insists on staying home alone with his Chinese daughter-in-law, Su Su, while his family is away on vacation, leading to unexpected circumstances.

The 31st Busan International Film Festival will be held throughout Busan until the 15th at venues including the Busan Cinema Center, CGV Centum City, Lotte Cinema Centum City, the Korean Film Council’s Standard Screening Room, the Sohyang Theater Woori Bank Hall, and the Busan Viewers’ Media Center Public Hall.