[Interview②] "Love for Movies Alone is Dangerous" Kim Hye-su's Candid Advice to New Directors

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Isul] Actress Kim Hye-soo gave pointed advice to rookie directors dreaming of film directing.

On the afternoon of the 5th, Kim Hye-soo shared various stories about the film during an interview held at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, ahead of the release of the movie My Death Day (director Park Ji-wan).

That day, Kim Hye-soo revealed, "Around the time I received the script for My Death Day, more than 60% of the scripts I got were works by female rookie directors." She added, "I chose Park Ji-wan’s work, but there were two other projects I hesitated over. They are directors I want to support," expressing some regret.

Kim explained, "Naturally, my attention goes more to them because just as male characters can be well portrayed by men, female characters can be well portrayed by women."

She continued, "I hope there will be many confident, smart, and competent directors. Loving movies, writing well, or preparing for a long time to make films alone is never enough in filmmaking," delivering a harsh truth. She advised, "I hope they realistically and seriously realize that loving movies and actually making good films are truly separate things."

Kim Hye-soo emphasized, "In life, there is no second chance because I didn’t know. You must prepare beyond determination. Regardless of gender, if you are a rookie director, you should also consider the impact your failure might have on other rookies."

She added, "Are you happy because a female director is doing well? That doesn’t exist. More important than doing well is doing it properly," and said, "The set is a battlefield. Even 120% preparation is not enough. The director’s capability is crucial."

Kim raised her voice, saying, "On set, there is no distinction between rookies and veterans. A director is just a director. As the captain of the set, they must play an important role."

She lamented, "Loving movies alone is dangerous. There must be many well-prepared directors and an environment where they can work fiercely and desperately to their heart’s content. Regardless of genre or scale, such works must be properly supported."

She continued, "Whether it’s an independent film, a female-centered bias, or conversely violent tendencies, it should be evaluated based on the qualities of a film director."

My Death Day tells the story of a girl who disappeared off a cliff leaving only a suicide note, a detective chasing the case at the edge of life, and a silent witness who reached out to them?each making their own choices to survive. Kim Hye-soo plays Hyun-soo, the detective pursuing the case at the edge of life. The film opens on November 12.

Photo = Hodoo&UN Entertainment, photographer Kang Young-ho

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.