Yeon Hye-ran, a wish to approach only through acting... "I wish people didn't know my past" [★FULL Interview]

*This content was translated by AI.

Actress Yeon Hye-ran delivered a heartfelt performance in a film based on the Jeju April 3rd incident. Her acting, as sincere as one would expect from Yeon Hye-ran, touched the hearts of audiences.

The film "My Name Is" (directed by Jung Ji-young) is a mystery drama that interweaves the trajectories of young Ok, an 18-year-old son who wants to erase his outdated name in the spring of 1998, and his mother Jeong Soon, who confronts the sealed memories of Jeju in 1949. Selected as the winning entry in the 4th·3 film screenplay competition jointly hosted by the Jeju 4·3 Peace Foundation and the Jeju International Free City Development Center (JDC), the film compressively captures the unresolved issues of the Jeju 4·3 incident and goes on to demonstrate the power of state violence, trauma, recovery, and solidarity.

Yeon Hye-ran said, "I briefly met director Jung Ji-young through 'The Boys.' After that, I wanted to work together for a longer period, and when I learned that the director was preparing this project, I expressed my strong desire to participate. It felt as if director Jung Ji-young was destined to tell this story." She added, "On the other hand, it was also a somewhat cautious work. From the moment I read the screenplay, I wondered whether it would be cinematically entertaining. I felt compelled to join because it wasn't starting from being crushed by past pain, but rather had a sense of everyday life."

Yeon Hye-ran revealed, "The director mentioned that he hoped this work would not be an independent film revealing an authorial style, but rather a popular film that many people could watch. In that regard, I was curious about how to approach it and felt cautious about what kind of work it would be. From what I heard, the director said that this is a story that Jeju people themselves would find difficult to create. In every other house, there was a perpetrator, and in every other house, there was a family. He stated that this issue is an acute and sensitive problem for people of Jeju Island." Yeon Hye-ran further shared, "I am not someone who creates stories; I am someone who embodies them and expresses them through my body. Because of that, I was cautious about whether my acting might be given a political color. I worried that I might be used, or at the very least, consumed in that manner."

Yeon Hye-ran added, "Director Jung Ji-young asked for my opinions frequently while making the film. Our perspectives could differ, and since I often shared emotional thoughts under the guise of 'opinions,' I even apologized to him the next day. However, the director always said he enjoyed such conversations and told me not to apologize."

Yeon Hye-ran, who portrayed a character expressing emotions through dance in the film, said, "I love dancing and thought it was amazing that I could express myself that way, but my body felt exhausted. It was a precious opportunity to encounter Korean dance different from the dance I showed in my previous work. When the director told me to move as I pleased while acting, I even shouted, 'Director, do you know how hard that is?' That kind of dance is only possible for someone who has been mowed down in the spring. I approached it not as dance, but with the belief that body movement and gestures were more important."

During the interview, Yeon Hye-ran mentioned the final scene of the film, where the character performs the Salpuri dance in a young barley field, and appeared overwhelmed with emotion. Yeon Hye-ran said, "I was very sad when filming that scene. Even now, just thinking about that beautiful barley field brings tears to my eyes," as she sniffled.

Yeon Hye-ran stated, "It is indeed a very sad scene, but it is a story that cannot end with sadness. While we all know that the Jeju 4·3 story is sad and painful, it cannot be sad alone. I found it really difficult to express dance while thinking, 'If it's sad, what will you do?' Instead of trying to express emotions, I listened to the story of being surprised in that situation and danced while sharing various stories. Sometimes I said, 'I'm sorry,' other times, 'I hope you rest peacefully,' or 'I will remember.' I thought it should be a story not about punishing or blaming someone, but about the direction we should move forward in." She also revealed her affection for the scene, saying, "There are many behind-the-scenes stories about that scene. We filmed it for a very long time. We had to capture the sunset and the wind, so we shot for several days."

Yeon Hye-ran is an actress who has starred in films and dramas but is rarely seen on variety shows. Yeon Hye-ran laughed and said, "I'm good at telling stories, but as soon as I hold a microphone, people around me say it's 'no fun.'" She continued, "I don't like sharing my personal stories on variety shows. I wish people didn't know that I have a daughter, and I wish they thought I wasn't married. I want people not to know about my past (?). I might end up playing an old maid. I just want to approach as actress Yeon Hye-ran through acting, without any information about the person Yeon Hye-ran. However, as a lead actor, I cannot avoid participating in promotional variety shows, so it's a dilemma," she candidly shared her feelings.

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*This content was translated by AI.