(Yonhap)

Filmmaker Hong Sang-soo and his wife have failed to reach a divorce settlement, sending the case to court, according to a news report Wednesday.

The news from online media outlet TV Report came as Hong’s wife, surnamed Cho, rejected Hong’s offer for divorce mediation on Friday.

The 55-year-old Hong, who allegedly engaged in an extramarital relationship with 34-year-old actress Kim Min-hee, is required to prove that Cho is responsible for the divorce in what is likely to be years of litigation. Hong has kept mum about the allegation.

Hong declared the end of the 31-year marriage by applying for divorce mediation in November. This came more than a year after he left his wife and daughter in September to go to the United States with Kim. Hong and Kim are now reported to being separately in Seoul.

Hong debuted in 1996 and gained recognition with low budget art-house films such as Cannes award-winning “Hahaha” (2009) and “Our Sunhi” (2013). Kim returned to the spotlight earlier this year with the success of “The Handmaiden.”

By Son Ji-hyoung (json@heraldcorp.com)