“Day and Night Belong to Each Other” Kim Min-ha: “A fan of Director Kim Jong-kwan, I received three gifts” [31st BIFF]

*This content was translated by AI.

Actors Kim Min-ha and Joo Jong-hyuk shared their impressions of working with Director Kim Jong-kwan.

The press conference for the opening film “Day and Night Belong to Each Other” at the 31st Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) was held on the 6th at the Medium Theater of the Cinema Hall in Haeundae-gu, Busan. Director Kim Jong-kwan, actors Kim Min-ha, Joo Jong-hyuk, Han Sun-hwa, Jang Yul, Shim Eun-kyung, Jeon So-young, and Kim Dong-hwi, along with programmer Jung Ji-hye, attended the event.

“Day and Night Belong to Each Other” is a cheerful and charming film that captures the conversations between day and night during their stay at a cafe over the course of one season. It is the new work by Director Kim Jong-kwan, who directed “The Worst Day” (2016), “The Table” (2016), and “Josee” (2020).

Kim Min-ha recalled, “I remember the day I received the script. At the time, I was filming in Toronto, and I had been a long-time fan of the director.” She added, “As a fan who frequently attended GV sessions and watched his films, it felt like a dream when they told me I would be given the script.”

She continued, “I read the script in Toronto and felt as if I were reading someone’s diary. I expressed my gratitude for gifting me such writing.” She noted, “It seems we filmed about a year and a half later.”

In particular, Kim Min-ha revealed that her filming day for her episode coincided with her birthday. She stated, “By chance, the day I filmed my episode was my birthday. It felt like receiving another gift that day.” She added, “I approached the shoot as if I were writing a story in a diary that day.”

She further remarked, “In the same space, many stories are exchanged, and I wondered if we have been dismissing only major events as ‘stories’ up until now.” She concluded, “It feels like receiving another gift that allows us to reflect on small happinesses and emotions like gentle ripples. It is a feeling of having received three gifts, so I am deeply grateful.”

Joo Jong-hyuk also expressed deep trust in Director Kim Jong-kwan. He said, “I first met the director at an evening event of the Busan International Film Festival two years ago. From the moment I saw him, I felt he was the ultimate listener, to the point where I wanted to share everything on my mind.”

He continued, “We talked not only about the script but also extensively about my life. That is why I felt very at ease during filming.” He added, “I came to rely heavily on the director, and he allowed me to freely try what I wanted to do.”

He also noted, “I remember the director saying that actress Kim Min-ha ‘acts as if she is breathing.’” He added, “I tried to match that tone in my own acting, and the process was enjoyable.”

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*This content was translated by AI.