'Hana Korea' Kim Min-ha: "Dream of Being a Singer Before Acting... Studied North Korean Dialect Sheet Music Like a Score" [Interview ②]

*This content was translated by AI.

Actress Kim Min-ha shared behind-the-scenes details about learning the Yanggang-do dialect for the film 'Hana Korea'.

On the 3rd, we met with actress Kim Min-ha at a café on Samcheong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, to discuss various topics regarding the film 'Hana Korea' (directed by Frédéric Schoebler).

'Hana Korea' is an art-buster based on a true story, depicting the journey of Hye-seon, a North Korean defector woman who strives to move forward despite living in unfamiliar circumstances.

Kim Min-ha portrayed the role of Hye-seon, a North Korean defector woman, expressing through delicate emotional acting the arduous reality and hope of a woman striving to carve out her place in an unfamiliar society.

With the film's release approaching, Kim Min-ha said, "It was filmed two years ago, so it feels like time has passed quickly. From the moment I read the script, I thought, 'I want many people to know this story,' and I am so happy that it is finally being released. Seeing myself from two years ago feels a bit strange, but it's also wonderful."

Kim Min-ha, who had to master the Yanggang-do dialect to portray a North Korean defector woman, revealed, "I think I studied for about three to four months. In previous works, I learned Gyeongsang-do and Osaka dialects, and since I was a musician before becoming an actress, it seems easier for me to study as if reading sheet music."

She continued, "If you think of the work merely in terms of words, it becomes too difficult. But thinking of it as sheet music or notes helped me internalize it into my own speech patterns. I didn't think delivering lines was the most important part; rather, making them my own speech pattern was key, so learning was very fun. Thinking of it musically made it easier to approach."

Additionally, regarding the scene where Kim plays the drums in the film, she explained, "I learned from the director, and since it wasn't a flashy drumming scene, I found it relatively fun to learn. For 'Hye-seon,' the drums were an escape route. While longing for drums at Hanawon (a resettlement center), I thought of them as an outlet to sort out her complex feelings in South Korea, and I acted with that perspective."

When Kim Min-ha was asked about the viral performance on 'The Seasons - Lee Young-ji's RAINBOW,' she shyly smiled. She said, "That was a one-off performance. As a singer, I should have performed my own songs, but I feel I lacked the capability at the time. If there is a good opportunity someday and I gain more confidence, I think I will take on that challenge."

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*This content was translated by AI.