(ATTN: ADDS remarks, photos)

By Lee Minji

SEOUL, Aug. 3 (Yonhap) -- Christopher Nolan, the auteur behind the upcoming epic "The Odyssey," on Monday invited Korean audiences to join Odysseus on his larger-than-life journey, as he touted the unique experience that only cinema can offer.

Nolan made the remarks as he visited South Korea for the first time to promote the action-packed film that follows the perilous homecoming journey of Odysseus (Matt Damon), the Greek king of Ithaca, after winning the Trojan War. Its star-studded cast also includes Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, Charlize Theron and Zendaya.

"What I am really hoping Korean audiences will get from it... I really want them to have a sense of adventure and entertainment and emotional engagement with it," he told reporters during a press conference, also attended by producer Emma Thomas as well as Damon and Theron.

When asked about the growing number of varying mediums for audiences, Nolan stressed the unique appeal of cinema remains unchanged, saying the film -- shot entirely with IMAX film cameras -- aimed to maximize the theatrical experience for the audience.

"We want the audience to feel that they are on the deck of the ship with him and that they're climbing mountains with him or going into the Cyclops cave with him," he said. "And a theatrical experience where you are sharing that with other people and you are seeing it on a larger than life screen, that's a really great way to experience that."

Thomas, the producer who is also wife of Nolan, underscored the power of cinema that unites people around the world, hoping that audiences from different parts of the world -- whether it be South Korea to France -- will relate to the ancient tale of Odysseus.

"'The Odyssey' is very much a story about a human being and the things that matter to us as human beings," she said. "That is something that is common to me as an English person who lives in America, it's common to people in Korea, it's common to people in France ... and that's something very special about cinema in general."

Nolan, who has carved out a significant fan base in South Korea with his previous works, such as "Inception" (2010), "Interstellar" (2014) and "Dunkirk" (2017), voiced excitement about finally visiting South Korea with his film.

Noting how the sci-fi epic "Interstellar" resonated very strongly with the Korean audience, Nolan said an attempt to visit the country with the release of "Tenet" (2020) fell through with the COVID-19 outbreak.

"It is a strange thing to have made a film and have people in another part of the world that you have never been to and you don't have an idea of or an impression of because you haven't been there yourself, but to know that audiences there are responding to your film, that is very exciting," he said.

"It really makes you want to go with the film and see what people think... so now with 'The Odyssey,' we are getting to enjoy it with Korean audiences for the first time and I am very excited to hear what people think."

Damon and Theron echoed the sentiment, saying they are eager to see how Korean audiences will respond.

"Much like the original poem, depending on where you are in your life, it resonates in different ways for you ... the film is very rich thematically and so hopefully it will resonate in different ways with the audience," said Damon, who visited the country for the first time in a decade following his tour for "Jason Bourne" in 2016.

Theron recalled her own experiences as a moviegoer, hoping the movie will prompt intriguing discussions.

"I feel the greatest part about going to the movies is that you are going to have your own experience, an individual experience, and when you leave, hopefully it starts conversation," she said. "I hope they will have a really great experience and I hope that it will have great conversation afterwards."

Outside of his official schedule here, the renowned director recalled how he has been able to take some time off to take a riverside walk in Seoul, calling it a "marvelous city."

"And then I had the pleasure of trying the salt bread, which is extraordinary and absolutely wonderful," he said.

"The Odyssey" is set for release in South Korea on Wednesday.

mlee@yna.co.kr

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