[On the Record] Celine Song: "Friendship and Love Are the Same, If You Understand Each Other"

Interview with Director Celine Song of the Film 'Past Lives'

'Fate, Reincarnation, Growth' Evoke Universal Empathy
Touching Love... Capturing Delicate Fragments of Emotion
Rookie Director Entering the Oscars with Debut Work

Director Celine Song [Photo by CJ ENM]

"Even if we are friends, if we fully understand each other through deep conversations, that is love."

Director Celine Song (36) expresses her mysterious perspective on love vividly in the film Fast Lives. There are relationships in the world that cannot be defined by words. Friends who know each other so well, just seeing each other's faces brings a smile, a man and a woman who have never even held hands, yet are more than just lovers. The director describes these relationships as "Inyeon" (fateful connection). Meeting at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, Song said, "In the U.S., no one knew the word 'Inyeon.' I wanted to explain its meaning through film."

Movie 'Fast Lives' stills
[Photo by CJ ENM]

No Romance, Yes Mystery... Not a Love Triangle but 'Inyeon'

Fast Lives tells the story of first loves Nayoung (Greta Lee) and Haesung (Yoo Tae-oh), who grew up in Seoul and reunite in New York after 24 years. The film reflects Song’s autobiographical story, having been born in Korea, emigrated to Canada, and studied film in the U.S. However, she emphasized, "This is not just an immigrant story."

Though based on Eastern philosophies like Inyeon and reincarnation, the film focuses on universal themes of "love," "relationships," and "growth." Song said, "I was born in Korea and lived there for 12 years. I also enjoy Korean films and variety shows. Since 'Inyeon' is a word I use and encounter daily in Korea, I understand its meaning well."

Two men connected to one woman. While romance films often package this as a "love triangle," Song’s approach was different. She said, "What kind of relationship do Nayoung, Haesung, and Nayoung’s husband Arthur (John Magaro) have? They share 'Inyeon.' The audience becomes detectives placed within their relationship, and the mystery is designed to be unraveled at the end." This reflects the ideal of masculinity Song pursues.

"The kind of man I seek and love is not someone who says, 'Don’t touch my woman!' It’s someone who, even if only for one night, puts aside his jealousy, needs, and lacks for the sake of someone precious. It means thinking of the other person as number one. It’s also about sacrificing oneself to some extent. Arthur and Haesung do this. They accept each other, make space, coexist, and come to understand and love Nayoung more deeply. Through this, Nayoung becomes whole."

Movie 'Fast Lives' Still Photo [Photo by CJ ENM]

The film sharply captures actor Yoo Tae-oh’s pure and bright qualities. Director Song discovered a face where child and adult coexist.

"When Yoo Tae-oh smiled and said 'Hello,' he looked like a child. The adult and child faces had to intersect in different times and spaces, and it fit well. Haesung is like a child wearing ill-fitting clothes. So, we dressed him in pants that were too small and a shirt that was too big to express that."

After watching the film, some accepted that their exes (X) were not their Inyeon in this life, while others bought plane tickets to see the person they held in their hearts. Song said, "Wherever you stand in life, whatever love you have, the film approaches differently depending on your situation and feelings. It becomes entirely 'the audience’s film.'" What will happen to Nayoung and Haesung next? Song said, "The answer is in the end credits." The scene where the two share a Skype call and the music inserted during the end credits are hints. This is the key code that deepens the film’s lingering impression.

"Excited for My First Oscar Race! A Valuable Film Lesson"

Song is the daughter of director Song Neunghan, who directed Number 3 (1997). She said, "I don’t receive cinematic advice from my father, but my life is connected to my parents’. Naturally, I think I carry some part of my father with me. Life itself is advice." She added, "That’s why the time I spend in Korea is even more precious."

Director Celine Song [Photo by CJ ENM]

Song achieved the remarkable feat of being nominated for the Academy Awards (Oscars) with her debut film. She was nominated for Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay, competing against the great director Christopher Nolan (Oppenheimer). Nolan praised Fast Lives as "a subtle and beautiful film." Song said, "I’m excited and honored to reach the Oscars with my debut. I’ve learned a lot through a valuable year of lessons."

"Right now, I’m most curious about how Korean audiences will receive my film. When I make a film, I tend to go 'all in,' skipping meals and sleep. I work excitedly and joyfully. If I encounter a story that moves me that much, I’ll start my next film."