Jean-Luc Godard Masterpiece ‘Contempt’ Gets Its First Official 4K Release in South Korea in 63 Years

The pinnacle of the nouvelle vague arrives on Korean screens at last

A landmark masterpiece destined to be etched into film history finally reaches Korean screens. Considered the aesthetic essence of the revolutionary cineaste Jean-Luc Godard, who dismantled and reassembled the grammar of cinema, the film Contempt (1963) breaks a long 63-year silence and opens officially in theaters in South Korea for the very first time.

According to the official announcement from distributor Lighthouse, the work will meet audiences in an upcoming 4K remastered version boasting overwhelming resolution. It promises the perfect revival of a classic that has endured more than half a century, along with the greatest visual catharsis viewers can experience on the big screen.

The drama sharply portrays the collapse of a writer Paul (played by Michel Piccoli), who is commissioned to adapt the film 'Odyssey,' and the wife Camille, whose love for him slowly turns cold. Icon of an era that captivated the world in the 1950s and 1960s, Brigitte Bardot dissects Camille and unfolds the character’s turbulent, multifaceted inner world with astonishing acting.

Even more noteworthy is the fact that director Fritz Lang, a towering figure of German Expressionism who made Metropolis (1927) and M (1931), steps directly in front of the camera in the film to play the director of 'Odyssey.' Godard’s unmistakably daring mise-en-scène, the stark contrast of vivid primary colors, and a narrative that dissects the depths of human relationships have earned absolute support from critics around the world. Even Martin Scorsese, the living Hollywood legend, has paid tribute, saying it is the greatest achievement in Jean-Luc Godard’s filmography.

With Contempt, a great legacy of the nouvelle vague that penetrates the essence of cinema and delivers a dazzling artistic achievement, its theatrical release in South Korea will offer cinephiles more than just a screening—it will provide a historic experience.