According to the Korea Herald, Vincent was expected to also attend the third annual Seoul French Film Festival, which runs from June 13-23. Fanfan la Tulipe is one of the twelve films being screened, and it's reported that both director Gerard Krawczyk and Vincent would visit sometime during the film festival to speak about their work. According to sources, Vincent left Cabourg for Korea, and then went on to Japan.

Update: News excerpts from Korean newspapers on Vincent's visit:

The Korea Times (6/18):  "French Actors Back Screen Quota"
"French actors and filmmakers visiting Seoul for the French Film Festival yesterday expressed support for the country's controversial screen quota system. In a news conference at the Press Center in downtown Seoul, Vincent Perez, star of Indochine and Fanfan la Tulipe, said that as a citizen who loves art and culture, he supports the quota system as a means of protection. He added that Korean artists are helping to enhance the nation's reputation overseas." [The photo to the right was taken at a news conference on Tuesday, June 17.]

Chosun (6/16): "French Movie Luminary Here for Festival"
"I was profoundly impressed to see the passion Koreans have for maintaining their cultural uniqueness through their domestic movies," said Vincent Perez, a French actor who is in Korea for the Seoul French Film Festival, which runs until next Monday. Regarding the heated debate over the screen quota system, Perez said that he sympathizes with the Korean moviemakers' dedication to cultural diversity.

Perez had the main role in the movie Fanfan la Tulipe, which opened this year's Cannes Film Festival. In the movie, Perez did many dangerous scenes, and all without any help from stuntmen.

"The character Fanfan in the movie is a person that seeks absolute freedom," he said. "I strived hard to convey his character through his lines and gestures."

It has been 10 years since Perez last visited Korea - he came in 1992 to promote the movie Indochine. Last year Perez made his debut as a feature-film movie director, with Peau d'ange.

"I would say that I was reborn," he said of his directorial leap. "I prepared [to become a movie director] for 10 years, but there are many things that I still must learn. My strengths and weaknesses were all clearly reflected in the movie."

Here's a quote from the Yokohama Times: "This year's French delegation is headed by Vincent Perez, a popular actor known for his good looks and his brilliant performances." The festival's agenda calls for Vincent to do a stage greeting, a Q&A and an autograph session. Peau d'ange is one of the 22 films being featured.

The 11th Yokohama French Film Festival will be held June 18-22 with Vincent as President of this year’s event, leading a delegation of French artists and professionals, composed of directors, actors, talent agents, producers and sales agents. The festival is organized by Unifrance with support from the Yokohama City Hall, in collaboration with the French Embassy in Japan. Among the 22 new or recent films being presented is Peau d'ange, directed by Perez. Remember the DVD is now available in Europe.

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Here are more Cannes photos from May 17 when Vincent and his wife, Karine, attended the tribute to Maurice Pialat and Daniel Toscan du Plantier.

News from Le Film Francais:

VINCENT PEREZ DEFINITELY LIKES CLOAK AND DAGGER FILMS!

Vincent's next film will be Beau Masque (Beautiful Mask), a remake of the 1951 swashbuckler, Nez de cuir (Leathernose) starring Jean Marais. It seems that Monsieur Marais was the epitome of the swashbuckling romantic hero of French cinema in his time - in short, France's answer to Errol Flynn. Among his films were Le Bossu in 1959 and Capitaine Fracasse a year later. Interesting... though Perez and Marais did not share the same roles in these films. Philippe de Broca and Jean Cosmos from Le Bossu (1997) will team up again with de Broca directing and Cosmos writing an adaptation of the book, Nez de cuir, by Jean de la Verande. The story is about a gentleman, Roger de Trinchebraye, who is found seriously wounded and disfigured on a battlefield in 1814. Forced to wear a leather nose, he harbors a certain cynicism toward his female conquests. Filming will begin in September and will be financed by Septembre Productions. So, having just filmed Fanfan la Tulipe, Vincent will take out his sword once more, putting his excellent fencing and acrobatic skills to good use, and who knows, maybe Monsieur Perez is on his way to becoming France's new swashbuckling romantic hero!