[Limelight] Curious About Adults' Perspectives on Children's World Conflicts

Actor Park Jung-min, Who Directed the Film 'Banjang Seongeo'
Wrote and Directed Based on Elementary School Experiences
Reflects Current Social Issues Like Verbal Abuse and Bullying
"Looking Back on My Acting Days... It Made Me Think Deeply"

5th grade class president election at an elementary school. Before the vote, the candidates present their pledges from the podium. Jeong In-ho (Kim Dam-ho) struggles to speak easily. He was forced to run by another candidate, Yoo Jang-won (Kang Ji-seok). He is used as a pawn to avoid suspicion of election fraud. Although it was a choice made to avoid being ostracized, the pledge he finally presents is sincere. "If I become class president, I will make sure to get along well with my friends."

The movie Class President Election, available on the online video service (OTT) Watcha, was written and directed by actor Park Jung-min. The foundation of the story comes from his experience in the 3rd grade of elementary school. The shocking memories of jealousy and slander among peers influenced the film’s concept. He portrayed social relationships marked by verbal abuse, ostracism, and group mentality in a dynamic yet delicate way. The film evokes viewers’ childhoods and points to the extreme discord and alienation engulfing our society. Park Jung-min said, "Intensifying confrontations and conflicts have always existed not only in the adult world but also in children’s worlds. I was curious about how adults would perceive these naturally frowning phenomena."

- What happened during the 3rd grade class president election?

"The candidates were sharply opposed to each other. Their supporters were also very aggressive. They shouted until the vote count was finished, which was scary. I wondered if it was really necessary to go that far. Recalling that experience, I thought elementary school students are not purely innocent. They actually lie a lot at that age. I wanted to highlight those traits to reflect the current state of our society."

- You were class president in 5th grade, right?

"Actually, I was a kid without much presence. I transferred schools twice, so it was hard to make friends. When I reached 5th grade, a school supervisor visit was announced. The teacher told us to decorate the classroom nicely. I made a family newspaper. I attached a photo from when I was three years old, and my friends started showing interest, saying it was cute. Since I was also fairly good at studying and sports, I naturally became popular. It was truly the golden age of my life (laughs)."

- There are various differences between the culture of elementary students then and now.

"I made it so the time period is not specific. Most Watcha viewers are in their 20s and 30s. I didn’t want to leave the impression that the story was disconnected from them. But I didn’t exclude the culture of today’s elementary students either. I asked a friend who is an elementary school teacher about characteristics spanning about 20 years. The props we prepared were milk and chalk. Filming was also done at an elementary school in Siheung, Gyeonggi Province."

- You used a dark warehouse to emphasize Jeong In-ho’s sense of alienation.

"In the script, it was a warehouse under the flag-raising or morning assembly platform. When I scouted the location, the space was too small. I was disappointed, but the production team found and told me about the warehouse shown in the film. It was a semi-basement with a low ceiling, which seemed to well express Jeong In-ho’s loneliness."

- The opening scene is interesting. Jeong In-ho in the shadows is shown brightly, while Yoo Jang-won in the sunlight is shown darkly.

"I wanted to contrast innocence in darkness with darkness in the sunlight. Jeong In-ho comes out into the light by participating in the fraudulent election. But even there, no light exists. Along with the final underpass scene, it is a core scene of the film, so we shot it precisely according to the storyboard."

- You added hip-hop music to various scenes.

"I struggled a lot with how to show the election campaign scenes. The problem wasn’t solved for a long time. Feeling frustrated, I went for a drive with a friend, and the radio played the song ‘I’m Lee Young-ji.’ I thought, ‘This is it,’ and slapped my knee. If the tempo was adjusted, it would fit well with the playful behavior of elementary students. I immediately asked MAMISON and was able to get a great song."

- How did you guide the acting of the twenty-three minor roles besides the four leads (Kim Dam-ho, Kang Ji-seok, Park Hyo-eun, Park Seung-jun)?

"Beforehand, I talked with each person for 30 minutes to an hour. I asked about their actual school life and reflected that in their acting. For example, I asked a friend who practices Taekwondo to bring a Taekwondo uniform, and a friend who enjoys reading to bring books. I wrote down on paper what role they had and what kind of acting was needed. I hoped everyone would take ownership. I also emphasized to the accompanying parents that their roles were important. Everyone did their tasks well, so filming went smoothly. In editing, I tried to include every friend’s face. I wanted this film to look like their story."

- For the lead Kim Dam-ho, detailed acting must have been necessary.

"There were parts where he didn’t understand Jeong In-ho’s emotions. It was hard to tell him how to act. So during filming, I approached him and explained Jeong In-ho’s feelings moment by moment. I thought my voice could just be erased in post-production, but it wasn’t that simple. I feel very sorry to sound supervisor Park Yong-gi."

- You didn’t cast famous child actors.

"I didn’t want to make a film where only such kids stood out. I believe independent films should also give opportunities to other child actors. Only the kids who were going to appear were called to the audition. If they showed acting but were rejected, it would hurt their young hearts. But some kids, perhaps expecting rejection, cried outside blaming themselves. Even when I said I wanted them to join, they didn’t believe it. No one passed on the first try, so they thought it was just empty words. It’s a sad reality."

- How has your directing experience influenced your acting or life?

"I had to communicate with all the staff and actors and make countless decisions. All the efforts made accordingly were moving, so I could overcome difficulties. Especially when unexpected acting came out, I even exclaimed in admiration. As an actor, I felt I should prepare beyond what the director demands. I don’t know if I’m doing well. The directors I met later were Park Chan-wook and Ryu Seung-wan. They are such great people that just following their orders well seemed enough. Recently, I’ve been having many concerns as an actor. I’m spending time questioning whether the acting I’ve trusted so far is really right. I plan to calmly look back on the path I’ve walked and prepare for the drama Money Game."

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