Movie 'Milsu' Actress Kim Hye-soo as Chunja
First Collaboration with Jo In-sung Playing Officer Kwon
Refreshing Gift-like Epilogue Ending
Actress Kim Hye-soo (52) plays Chun-ja, a haenyeo who will do anything to survive, in the film "Smuggling" (directed by Ryu Seung-wan), which was released on the 26th. Her acting is sharp. She has a strong survival instinct but is a loyal and cool character. There is no compromise. Yet, she shines vividly in the film. Especially, the relationships between the characters she meets are key. The history with her close friend Jin-sook (played by Yeom Jung-ah) and the solidarity with the haenyeo stand out, but the scenes with Jo In-sung, who plays Kwon Sang-sa, are also impressive.
Kim Hye-soo, whom I recently met at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, recalled, "When I first saw Jo In-sung, I thought, 'How are we going to do the two-shot (a composition with two people in one frame)?'" She continued, "During the camera test shoot, I looked at In-sung and thought, 'Wow, this is really serious. He's so cool. Oh my.'"
Kwon Sang-sa is a nationwide smuggling king who took over the smuggling scene with his businessman-like demeanor and vicious temperament. He dominated Busan and became the number one smuggler nationwide. When Busan Port was blocked due to crackdowns, he met Chun-ja while seeking a new route.
Kim Hye-soo created the relationship based on the feelings she sensed on set with Jo In-sung. She viewed Kwon Sang-sa and Chun-ja as having a relationship where they cooperate and use each other.
She said, "I didn't predict it while reading the script, but during rehearsals on set, I felt something. I thought there might be subtle things that even we don't know. Chun-ja would have done anything to protect herself. They might not have known if it was love between them."
Kim Hye-soo said that while acting with Jo In-sung for the first time on set, she realized he is truly a great actor.
She said, "When acting, I look into the eyes. We exchange lines and emotions while looking into each other's eyes. When I looked straight into Jo In-sung's eyes, I thought, 'Wow.' He is a very gentle person, but his eyes were scary. They were so chilling that it snapped me to attention. I still can't forget it."
The epilogue video that concludes "Smuggling" leaves the audience feeling good as they leave the theater. It is a scene that bursts into laughter over the unfinished story between Chun-ja and Kwon Sang-sa. Kim Hye-soo said, "Director Ryu Seung-wan talked about the related scene around the middle of filming."
She added, "I was glad to hear the idea about the scene. It's a neat ending, but it felt light and like a gift. I think the audience can also leave the theater feeling refreshed."
"Smuggling," which was released on the 26th, is sailing smoothly with a cumulative audience of 548,782 in just two days.
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