[Interview] Bae Doona "The World Gets Better If You Care"

The Tragedy of Youth in Capitalist Society 'Daum Sohee'
"Avoiding Personal Opinions, Wanting to Communicate Only Through Work"

"Movies record this world. They record the present and also trends. Saying that movies change the world might sound grandiose, but if the audience immerses themselves in the story, it will have an impact. Isn't that the positive function of movies?"

Actress Bae Doona (43) said this, expressing that she has many things she wants to say to society. The reason she doesn't speak out is because she is an actress. She restrains herself for fear that her personal voice might overshadow the voice of the character and the work. Actors speak through their works. Some freely express their personal opinions, but others replace their statements by appearing in works that agree with the theme. Bae Doona is thoroughly the latter.

Actor Bae Doona [Photo by Twin Plus Partners]

On the 2nd, at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, Bae Doona said, "I have many things I want to talk about, but I tend to hold back." She continued, "I restrain myself to help the audience fully immerse themselves in the work," adding, "I want to speak as much as possible through movies." She said, "After working as an actress for over 20 years, it upsets me when I'm called 'Bae Doona.' I want to be called by the character's name. Maybe someday, when I quit acting, I can raise my voice."

Bae Doona worked consecutively with director Jung Joo-ri on two projects. Following the film Dohee-ya (2014), which dealt deeply with the issue of child abuse, she exposed the dark side of society with Next Sohee (2017), inspired by the Jeonju call center incident. Next Sohee depicts the story of eighteen-year-old high school student Sohee (played by Kim Si-eun), who experiences incidents during her field training, and detective Yoo-jin (played by Bae Doona), who investigates the case and encounters it in the same space but at a different time. Bae Doona played detective Yoo-jin.

"Director Jung Joo-ri doesn't force society by saying 'this is wrong' or 'things must change,' but simply makes you feel it. That was good. I don't want to use the term 'socially vulnerable,' but the way she handles vulnerable people and subjects is calm. She sharply brings out the corners we have ignored or avoided. I liked the director's attitude of telling stories that are hard to understand without watching again."

"It's unfortunate not to attend the Cannes Film Festival, but acting is my main job"

Actor Bae Doona [Photo by Twin Plus Partners]

Both films received calls from the Cannes Film Festival. Dohee-ya was invited to the Un Certain Regard section at the 69th Cannes Film Festival in 2016, and Next Sohee was selected as the closing film of the Critics' Week at the 75th Cannes Film Festival last year. Unfortunately, she was unable to walk the red carpet at Cannes.

Bae Doona said, "'Next Sohee' was screened at Cannes in May last year, but I regret not being able to go." She laughed, saying, "At that time, I was filming Zack Snyder's movie Level Moon. American films don't accommodate schedules." She added, "We finished filming in Los Angeles (LA), and it is scheduled to be released on Netflix around the end of this year."

Although Bae Doona has probably walked the Cannes red carpet dozens of times, her connection with Cannes has been strangely elusive. She recalled, "At the Busan Film Festival's 'French Night' event in 2019, where I attended with the French film I Am Here, I met Thierry Fr?maux, the Cannes Film Festival executive director. He asked me, 'You refused to be a Cannes juror, right?' When I was offered, I was filming the Netflix drama Sense8, so I couldn't do it. So I said, 'If you call me, I'll go,' but I couldn't go last year." Then she laughed heartily, saying, "Maybe now it's completely filmed."

Bae Doona said she still dreams of attending the Cannes Film Festival. She said, "The Cannes red carpet is special. It feels like being respected. The film's OST plays as background music, and it feels fantastic." She added, "It would have been nice to walk the red carpet, but actors are people who shoot... I was just unlucky."

People doing hard work, society that ignores them

'Next Sohee' stills [Photo by Twin Plus Partners]

In 2017, a high school girl who went for field training at a mobile carrier call center was found dead, and during the investigation, it was revealed that she suffered from harsh working conditions, causing a huge stir. Next Sohee carries a heavy message to society to prevent another Sohee from being born who suffers in a reality created by irresponsible adults.

"I felt I had to do this as soon as I read the script. I am very interested in incidents and accidents experienced by youth and the younger generation, and issues that need to change. If I have the opportunity to tell such stories, I want to participate willingly. Simply out of a pure desire for a better world. If many people watch films that tell these stories, wouldn't the world get a little better?"

Although Next Sohee is based on a real incident, detective Yoo-jin, played by Bae Doona, is not a real person. She said, "When I played Ri Bun-hee in the film Korea (2012), which dealt with a true story, I was worried about possibly causing harm to the actual person. Since the detective character was newly created, I felt less burdened." She added, "I wanted the audience to focus more on Sohee's story than on the detective."

"Yoo-jin's line was impressive. 'People who do hard work should be more respected, but they are ignored.' I felt that was one of the director's messages, so I liked it. When I heard the line from the education office supervisor saying 'Let's do it moderately,' I knew it was a line, but I was so shocked that I almost cried. At that moment, I felt like I was completely broken."

Bae Doona said, "I heard the reaction at Cannes was good. Most overseas audiences also sympathized. I never thought it was a story limited to Korea. In this era, in a capitalist society, wouldn't this happen anywhere? The competition at school or what young workers go through when they are powerless seems to be the same everywhere in the world..." she murmured.

"Please send me fun comedy scripts"

Actor Bae Doona [Photo by Twin Plus Partners]

Having appeared consecutively in thriller genres or socially critical works, Bae Doona said, "When the director says 'Cut!' I joke around with the staff and quickly return to reality." She said, "I was used to moving on to the next work after finishing one, so it was okay, but these days I want to laugh. If I feel that way, surely the audience also wants to see me laugh."

Bae Doona entered the entertainment industry in 1998 as a Cool Dog catalog model and became known through the KBS2 drama School (1999). She is now a 24-year veteran actress. Bae Doona has long received overseas love calls and has been working steadily with famous Hollywood producers. She also expressed a desire to try acting in different genres.

"I want to appear in a comedy film. Comedy acting is the most difficult. Making people laugh is harder than making them cry. I respect comedians. Maybe I want to become brighter these days. Perhaps because I have mostly felt frustrating emotions in recent films, I want to be in bright and hopeful stories now. I am drawn to bright and confident stories. Have you seen the movie Superbad 3? Isn't that kind of movie really fun? I also like absurd comedies. If you have any fun scripts, please send them to me. (laughs)"