[Interview] The Director Chosen by Youn Yeo-jeong… Kim Deok-min "Will the Day Come When I Can Make a Living from Films?"

Interview with Director Kim Deok-min of the Film 'Dog Days'

Debuted at 51 after 20 Years as Assistant Director
JK Film's Director Yoon Je-kyun, Who Supported Him, Called a 'Benefactor'
"I Want to Make Films That Smell Like People"

"I was driving for a director I know. We both asked each other, 'Why are we doing this?' I hope the day comes when we can make a living from films. If 'Dog Days' does well enough for me to get even a small private insurance, I wouldn't ask for anything more."

Director Kim Deok-min (51) ended his 20-year career as an assistant director and took the helm of his debut film, 'Dog Days.' In an interview with Asia Economy, he began by lamenting his hope that his livelihood would be secured. Born in 1973, he officially entered the film industry in 2003 but made his first film under his own name in his 50s. Kim said, "I survived by doing whatever I could," and added, "I sincerely felt sorry for my hardworking wife and son." He recalled, "As the head of the family, I abandoned a normal life and only did what I liked. It was miserable and tough. I couldn't even get the most basic insurance."

Director Kim Deok-min [Photo by CJ ENM]

Holding the Megaphone After 20 Years... That Day Feels Vivid Like Yesterday

The film 'Dog Days' was released on February 7, just before the Lunar New Year holiday. Although it gathered only about 260,000 viewers over six days, it has been praised as a 'kind film.' The story revolves around people who build relationships and grow through their pets, restoring lost humanity. The cast includes a successful architect, an MZ generation delivery worker, a single veterinarian, an office worker, and a novice couple. The star-studded cast features Youn Yuh-jung, Yoo Hae-jin, Kim Seo-hyung, Kim Yoon-jin, Daniel Henney, and Lee Hyun-woo.

Kim built his career through various projects and worked as an assistant director on the film 'Keys to the Heart' (2018), where he connected with the production company JK Film. After working as an assistant director on 'Hero' (2022, directed by Yoon Je-kyun), he made his directorial debut with 'Dog Days.' He recalled the fateful moment as follows:

"It was about four days before the wrap of 'Hero.' On Christmas Eve, we were preparing to shoot a crowd scene with 200 extras at the Hapcheon set. Director Yoon Je-kyun always had dinner with the directing team, and during the meal, he said, 'I hesitated to tell you this because I wanted you to focus on your assistant directing work, but since the wrap is near, I want to tell you. The company is resolving copyrights for a film called 'Dog Days,' and it would be great if you could debut with this at JK.'

Kim expressed special gratitude to JK Film head Director Yoon Je-kyun. He said, "The director watched the on-site edited footage shortly before the final shoot and called me. He said, 'You've done well so far. Shoot the remaining scenes as they are.' That gave me courage. After the VIP screening, I held the director's hand and thanked him, and he said, 'No, you did well.'"

Director Yoon Je-kyun (left), Director Kim Deok-min [Photo by Yonhap News, CJ ENM]

Double Hardships of COVID-19 and Animal Filming

'Dog Days' began filming on December 26, 2021, and wrapped up in April the following year. The COVID-19 pandemic broke out during the final preparation stages. Kim said, "We started filming when COVID was severe. We distributed self-test kits to everyone and only allowed those who tested negative to enter the set. If even one person tested positive, the entire shoot was stopped. We had to stop three times."

In January 2022, an animal abuse incident occurred on the set of KBS1 drama 'Taejong Yi Bang-won.' It was revealed that the production team forcibly tied a rope to the leg of a young horse named 'Kami' to make it fall, resulting in its death, which sparked public outrage. Subsequently, there were strong calls for changes in media involving animal appearances. Kim emphasized, "Safety was the top priority." He added, "We had many discussions with trainers. If the safety of the pets was not guaranteed, we would not have filmed."

"When writing the script, I thought, 'Animal filming? We can just shoot it,' but it wasn't easy. During the storyboard process, I talked a lot with the trainers and prepared carefully. I gave them opinions in advance about how the dogs should move in certain scenes and when they should bark. The trainers pre-trained the dogs appearing in the film?Deputy Cha, Sting, and Wanda. If the dogs were tired during filming, they had to rest, and the actors had to rest too, so managing the schedule was very challenging. There was even a day when we lost an entire shooting session."

Deputy Manager (from the left), Wanda, Sting
Photo by CJ ENM

Novice Director Before Release: "Desperate to Break Even"

Director Kim Deok-min [Photo by CJ ENM]

The novice director's feelings are complicated. Kim said, "I made a film with other people's money, and I don't want to be a nuisance. I want to somehow surpass the break-even point (2 million viewers)." He added, "That's what I'm most afraid of." He also said he was mindful of the actors' reactions.

"I was curious and scared about how Youn Yuh-jung and Yoo Hae-jin would view the film. At the screening, I watched Yoo Hae-jin's back from a distance and flinched. Afterward, when I asked him how he felt about the film, he said, 'I cried a lot.' That put my mind at ease. After the screening, Youn Yuh-jung asked, 'Is it okay to have a film with only such kind people?' When I said, 'I just want to surpass the break-even point somehow,' she said, 'What kind of confidence is that?' (laughs)"

Movie 'Dog Days' Still Image [Photo by CJ ENM]

Finally, Kim was asked why he loves films.

"I like it because there is a 'story.' People are in stories, and making films is ultimately about people. You can fully express life and thoughts. These days, I really feel glad that I chose to make films. If I had debuted as a director when I was young, I probably would have made a pretentious film. (laughs) Recently, my son (Kim Dong-hyun), who is studying acting, watched 'Dog Days' at the screening and said, 'Dad, I didn't expect it to be this good.' That made me feel happy and proud. I felt like I was finally being a father."