Celine Song Highlighted by Oscars "When Connections Change Life"

'Fast Lives' Nominated for Best Work and Screenplay
"I Hope All Viewers Understand the Concept of Inyeon
Thinking About Relationships Deepens the Depth of Life"

"In Korea, everyone knows the word 'inyeon,' but most people in the world do not. I wanted to help people understand and feel it."

This is the intention of Korean-American director Celine Song, who is about to enter the American Academy Awards with her film Fast Lives. She hoped that audiences would reflect on the relationships formed between people and deepen the meaning of life.

This humble wish gained momentum on the 23rd of last month. Fast Lives was added to the final nominee list for the 96th Academy Awards in the categories of Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay (Celine Song). In a video interview with domestic media on the 6th, Director Song said, "As my first and debut film, I can only say it is an honor. I am truly grateful." She also smiled, saying, "It feels even more meaningful because the film, filled with Korean elements, has been loved."

Fast Lives tells the story of first loves Nayoung and Haesung, who spent their childhood in Seoul and reunite in New York after 24 years, reflecting on their connection. The cast includes Yoo Tae-oh, Greta Lee, and John Magaro. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January last year and received high praise for beautifully capturing a Korean worldview and scenery.

The backbone of the story is autobiographical, based on Director Song’s life until she was twelve years old in Korea. She recalled, "I once reunited with a childhood Korean friend at a bar in New York. My American husband was with me, and I felt like I was interpreting and conveying the languages and cultures of both people, sharing a part of my personal history." She added, "I thought it would be interesting to express that in a film, so I started writing."

In Fast Lives, inyeon refers to the miraculous connection and feelings of love experienced by existing in the same place at the same time. Director Song explained why she focused on this concept: "It can be seen lightly, but with a little more contemplation, the depth of life can change." She said, "Even fleeting connections can become special relationships," and "By attributing such meaning, one might live their life better."

Inyeon is an inherently Asian concept and can be difficult to express as a universal emotion. Director Song included scenes where Korean characters explain the concept directly to Americans to broaden empathy. She said, "All audiences come to understand the concept of inyeon," and "It felt wonderful when non-Koreans used the word inyeon and told me they came to me and thought deeply about it."

She explained, "In fact, my immigrant identity is something many people share. For example, moving and starting life in a new place is an experience anyone can have," and "I wanted to talk about how ordinary people, passing through various times and spaces, can have miraculous moments or special connections." She also revealed, "I was happy to look back on my past and think a lot about what I left behind in Korea during the filming there."

Director Song is the daughter of Song Neung-han, who directed the film Number 3 (1997), starring Han Suk-kyu and Choi Min-sik. She worked as a playwright in New York for about ten years, participating in various works. Her representative work includes Endlings, a play that tells the story of haenyeo (female divers) from Manjaedo and explores the identity of the 1.5 generation immigrants. Continuing Korean sentiments in Fast Lives, she became the fourth person to be nominated for both Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay for a debut film at the Oscars, and the first Asian female director to achieve this.

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