[Limelight] So Dazzling It Hurts... Such a Thoughtful Consolation

Indirect Reference to Sewol Ferry Story... Movie 'You and I'
Depicts Life and Death Boundaries of Two High School Girls Before the Disaster
The Year's Best Korean Film Desperately Seeking to Comfort Others
Park Hyesu Expresses Subtle Emotions in an Everyday Manner

Director Jo Hyun-chul's film "You and I" is a tribute and affection for the victims of the April 16 Sewol ferry disaster. It breaks down the boundary between life and death by portraying even the ominous presence of death infiltrating everyday life in an ordinary manner. The key connecting the two worlds is love. High school students Semi (Park Hye-su) and Ha-eun (Kim Si-eun), who were subtly conflicted, come to understand and comfort each other. The entire process, from composition to editing, is delicate and elegant. It is nothing short of a coming-of-age film. In a Korean society where consolation for loss and understanding of others have become urgent, it is worthy of being called the best film of the year. We met actress Park Hye-su, who portrayed the calm and noble intention through everyday acting. We asked about the driving force behind coloring Semi as a character who needs to grow and continue living.

- What was your impression when you first read the script?

"At the end of 2020, producer Ahn Bo-young handed it to me. I heard it was a story related to the Sewol ferry, but the content was far from what I expected. The focus was on the conflict between two high school girls the day before the disaster. At the end of it was consolation, and I thought director Jo Hyun-chul would handle the story delicately. I wanted to join and create warmth to soothe the sorrow and longing of many people."

- Semi is a role that condenses indescribable emotions.

"There are many similarities between me and Semi. So even if she seemed frustrating, I felt affection. Director Jo Hyun-chul seemed to see similar traits when we acted together in 'Samjin Company English TOEIC Class' (2020). Actually, it’s a role that even a high school student could play. I think the reason I was given this role, despite having graduated long ago, was the belief that I could handle the subtle emotions experienced through that time a bit more delicately."

- The relationship between Semi and Ha-eun is treated quite intensively in the film.

"I liked the flow of gradually piling up detailed emotions, so it was easier to express. We rehearsed three times a week. I practiced with (Kim) Si-eun, reflected deeply, and exchanged various opinions on lines and acting. It was the first time we broke the framework of faithfully following the script. Perhaps because I participated more deeply in the film, I gained confidence. I realized the importance of active communication."

- It must not have been easy to express various emotions in an everyday manner.

"Until then, I paid a lot of attention to delivering lines and breathing. In 'You and I,' I pursued natural conversation even if pronunciation was a bit muffled. I had to break away from my existing acting style. It seemed that expression was only possible by fully existing as Semi. The new challenge was free and enjoyable. Of course, I worried a lot about the fact that Semi could be someone the audience thinks of as an unspecified person. Isn’t she a figure of painful memories that the audience has to let go of? It seemed risky to give too much vividness. So I focused on the process of understanding Ha-eun while comforting herself. I hoped that would also be a comfort to the audience."

- The soliloquies captured in close-up shots seem to have become that bridge.

"I acted while guarding against emotional excess. Sometimes I over-immersed in Semi’s emotions and crossed the appropriate line. I thought agitation could interfere with the audience’s immersion. I pressed down the emotions and expressed them again. Even in scenes where I burst into tears, I held back like exhaling a breath."

- The universal emotions crafted in this way seem to have enhanced the film’s persuasiveness.

"Since the film unfolds following Semi’s emotional line, I think it fit well. Actually, there were parts I restrained and controlled, but more often I entrusted my emotions to the natural flow. I don’t know if the two blended well (laughs)."

- "You and I" attempts several symbols through image visualization. The scene lying on the grass is a representative example.

"I didn’t calculate how it should look in particular. I valued the significance of simply existing there. I thought it was director Jo Hyun-chul’s role to create the message based on that. I lay on the grass for about eight minutes. The 'cut' call rarely came, so I thought, 'Did they leave me and run away?' (laughs). After watching the finished film, I asked why it took so long. They said it seemed I needed that much time. While filming, I actually felt like I was on the boundary between dream and reality. I also felt relief watching the finished film."

- The karaoke scene, almost like a long take, is also impressive. What emotions did you hope would seep out as you sang Big Mama’s "Resignation" until the end?

"Semi is clumsy at expressing her true feelings. She likes Ha-eun but can’t say pretty words at all. Only resentment and sorrow flood in from accumulating misunderstandings. I thought that pain had to appear as a lump in the song. At that moment, the emotion the audience witnesses is entirely directed at Ha-eun. It was a bit different when acting. Semi knows what she will get involved in the next day. Thinking it was the last song she would sing, sadness surged. It was very hard to separate that."

- Director Jo Hyun-chul scattered the aura of death in everyday places like the funeral hall and apartment. The process of highlighting love on top of that must have been quite a fresh experience.

"I focused more on exchanging tender emotions with Ha-eun. Especially the scene where they part in front of the funeral hall. The cuter and lovelier it appears, the greater the sadness underneath seems to be. That too must stem from the unwillingness to part."

- Acting out Semi’s day must have been a journey of retracing your own footsteps as well.

"Moments when I valued my emotions came to mind. I looked back through others’ perspectives. It seemed to be an opportunity to broaden my view. I often reflect on the world’s cycle that director Jo Hyun-chul talks about. I try to pay attention to and find opportunities to love people, nature, and animals I hadn’t cared about before. The beginning of practice is my pet dog. I volunteered at an abandoned dog shelter for about a month and am temporarily caring for one dog. Broadly speaking, it’s about saving lives. After spending several days together, I grew attached. I plan to accept it as family."

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