Christopher Nolan Appears on SBS’s ‘News Hunters,’ Says He Met Park Chan-wook in Seoul

Director Christopher Nolan appeared in person at the SBS 〈News Hunters〉 studio during a visit to South Korea ahead of the release of 〈Odyssey〉, sharing his affection for Korean audiences and his views on filmmaking.

On the 3rd, Nolan visited the SBS building in Mokdong, Seoul, for an exclusive interview with 〈News Hunters〉. Despite the ongoing extreme heat, he arrived in a jacket and opened the interview with a witty remark: "I came via China and India, so I'm somewhat acclimated to the heat," adding, "At least I'm not wearing a tie like an anchor—thankfully."

Nolan said he had hoped to visit South Korea for years. Recalling the explosive response Korean audiences showed when 〈Interstellar〉 was released, he said, "From that moment I wanted to come to Korea in person, meet people and see the excitement with my own eyes. Until this film, unfortunately, I never had the chance," he said, calling the visit especially meaningful.

He recounted his lighthearted meeting with director Park Chan-wook during the trip. Nolan said, "When I told Director Park I didn't yet know my plans for the next film, he advised, 'Take your vacation, but don't rest too long—keep working on the next movie.'" Nolan quipped, "Honestly, hearing that made me feel even more tired." He added, "Director Park is a master I've admired for a long time. It's always fascinating to see Korean creators reshape the currents of global culture."

The conversation turned to his new film 〈Odyssey〉. Nolan said, "Rereading ancient texts, I was surprised to find that themes and story models that have driven my entire career—from 〈Interstellar〉 to the 〈The Dark Knight〉 series and 〈Tenet〉—were already present in the source material." On bringing ancient myth into the modern era, he emphasized, "The original text's 'law of Zeus (xenia)' is an ancient norm that calls for welcoming and treating strangers with warmth and respect. I realized this is essentially the principle of 'mutual respect' supporting modern civilization, and I wanted to deliver a warning that ignoring it leads us into danger."

Nolan also spoke candidly about why he finally took on the challenge of shooting the entire film in IMAX—a dream since he was 16—and about the direction of his future filmmaking. After the interview, he signed a camera lens for SBS viewers.

Nolan's interview about the making of 〈Odyssey〉 and the ideas behind the film will air on SBS’s 〈News Hunters〉 and the program's YouTube channel at 7 p.m. on the 4th.