[Q&A] 'Special Delivery' Park So-dam "Recovering Well Thanks to Support, Will Return Healthy"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Isul] Actress Park Sodam, who recently underwent surgery for papillary thyroid cancer, shared her thoughts ahead of the release of the film Special Delivery.

On the 11th, through the distributor NEW, Park Sodam said, "Thanks to the support of many people, I am recovering well," and expressed her gratitude, saying, "Thank you for your encouragement."

The film Special Delivery (directed by Park Dae-min), which opens on the 12th, is a crime entertainment action movie depicting a chase that unfolds when Eunha (played by Park Sodam), a special delivery driver with a 100% success rate, gets caught up in an unexpected delivery accident.

Park Sodam said, "I realized that to do what I want and love, I must be very healthy both as an actress and as a person. I was very shocked and scared when I found out about my condition, but it was a time to take care of myself so that I can work healthily and for a long time in the future. I will greet you all with a healthy appearance."

Below is a Q&A with Park Sodam released by NEW.

= How do you feel about being the lead star for the first time?

Being called the lead star feels really embarrassing. It’s the first time my face appears so large on a poster, so it’s amazing, and it’s really amazing, thankful, and exciting to see my face displayed so prominently in theaters. Since Special Delivery was made with the passion and effort of many people, I am happy to have it released and to meet the audience, and I feel a sense of responsibility as the lead. I’m also curious about my new side.

= What were the difficulties and how did you overcome them?

This is the first time a work starts and ends with my face. Of course, there was pressure to lead the work as Jang Eunha, but I was more grateful. I am thankful to the director who gave me the opportunity, and since they trusted me with Eunha, I really wanted to do well. I am very grateful to have met Eunha. The biggest reason I could gather strength was that everyone I worked with?Kim Eui-sung, Song Sae-byeok, Yeom Hye-ran, Hyun-min, Hyun-joon, and others?always supported me. Thanks to them, I was able to perform Eunha with more confidence and joy. Also, the makeup team worked very hard to match the hair color continuity. We even rented a hair salon in Busan to dye my hair.

= How good are your actual driving skills?

I can personally drive my grandmother to the hospital or take my parents out to eat something delicious. If I want to get some fresh air, I can go anywhere, and if someone needs a pickup, I can help. I used to be a bit afraid of riding in cars because I had a traffic accident before, but while working, I had to keep riding cars, sometimes covering the front with curtains so I couldn’t see. Then, after meeting Eunha and driving under the protection of many people, my fear disappeared, and I started driving more in daily life.

= Did you feel any pressure about the car chase action scenes? What parts did you focus on the most? How did you prepare for the action?

Since Eunha’s character is a driver, I studied a lot to portray a professional yet natural image. I have loved running and physical activity since childhood, so I wanted to do various action scenes. Starting three months before the shoot, I trained twice a week from the basics. For dangerous scenes, I received help from experts.

= Any memorable episodes while filming car chase and action scenes? Which action scene is your favorite?

The action scene with Kyungpil inside Baekgang Industry in the latter part was memorable because many people worked hard, and we spent the most time together in that space. It was also the part where Eunha experienced the biggest emotional change. The junkyard was the most familiar place, and I had to face many characters alone. Since I had to physically confront many incidents, adjusting the pace of the action was not easy.

= This year marks your 10th year since debuting with your first feature film Ingtoogi (2013).

I have always said, "Let’s be healthy in body and mind," but I feel upset that I couldn’t keep that promise to myself. I want to manage myself better and work for a long time. It’s amazing and thankful that a poster with my face is hanging in theaters in my 10th year since debut.

= Do you have any special criteria for choosing projects?

I get most excited and nervous when I keep feeling curious about a character and have the desire to challenge it. It’s the first moment I meet a character directly. I try not to forget the emotions I felt then, and from the moment I meet the character, I talk a lot with the director and the people I work with.

= Since Parasite, have there been changes in how you choose projects or approach characters? Do you want to participate in overseas productions?

Of course, I want to participate in overseas productions. But I think I need to prepare a lot for that. When the opportunity comes, I have to be well prepared until then to succeed. I realized while working on Parasite that many people help me before I stand in front of the camera, and I am grateful to all the actors and staff. I want to spend the time well with everyone on the same boat, as that time will never come back.

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