Forgot password

 

 

Legendary actress YOUN Yuh-jung and popular star YOON Kye-sang took on challenging roles for their new film The Bacchus Lady, from director E J-yong, which is currently screening at the 66th Berlin International Film Festival. Taking time out from their busy schedule in Berlin, they sat down with KoBiz to discuss the plight of the elderly in Korea and what drew them to the film, among other things.

 

 

YOUN Yuh-jung: We didn’t have time at all, so we’ve only seen this hotel and the cinema. That’s all we did. We’ve been here for three days.

 

YOON Kye-sang: I’ve been quite sleepy.

 

YYJ: You’re always sleepy!

 

YYJ: Nothing so special but this is our third time working together, after The Actresses (2009) and Behind the Camera (2013). He’s very sensitive and, well… quite picky! But I understand him and that’s why we became close friends. He always has new ideas. I adore him and love working together.

 

YYJ: I couldn’t say no to him, that’s all! I knew I was going to have a hard time but I never expected how much of a hard time it would be. One of the locations was a small motel room and the scene I had to do there was something I’ve never had to do before. I started to get nauseous any time I was at that location. I brought my own white wine to try to relax and bring down my nausea. In the end I drank quite a lot of it. (laughs)

 

 

YKS: For me it’s not really important to choose films specifically with these kinds of subjects but what is important is to be able read the script and care about it. I’m a part of this society and it’s only natural that these stories interest me. Ultimately, it’s the script that’s important for me when choosing a film.

 

 

YKS: The first time, it wasn’t the character that I was attracted to, it was the whole story. This was because I had a very close relationship with my grandfather and we stayed in the same room until I was 20 years old. Last year he passed away and I began to think a lot about old people in Korea and the lonely lives which they lead. I had a close relationship with my grandfather but we didn’t have much time together after I became an adult. I was thinking about life and death and then I heard about this script. I was drawn to this script and so I went to the director.

 

YYJ: He believed in the director, most of all. That’s why he took on that role.

 

 

YYJ: We’re not expecting it to be a commercial movie. Maybe that’s why I like director E J-yong, because he’s very different, he’s not chasing money. Though maybe he should chase the money. (laughs) The point is if someone starts like this, maybe this can be the beginning of something more. Most people like love stories with beautiful girls, handsome guys and happy endings on the screen. It’s what they expect but there should be some directors who are different.

 

YKS: The Korean movie scene is filled with similar stories and I hope that there will be more varied themes in films in the future. This isn’t a commercial film but these days there are lots of ways to see films so many people will see it through different avenues. What’s important for me is that this kind of film has been made and that it exists with all its themes. I’m very happy with it.

 

YYJ: The great thing is that E is young, much younger than me, but he’s thinking about it in this way. It’s adorable.

 

YYJ: We don’t have a welfare system in Korea like there is in Europe and America. I think we need to be strategic in thinking about what we need to do for elderly people as these days, people are living much longer than before, even past 100 years old. I think that director E brought up this subject and opened it up to the public, which is a good start. It isn’t an answer, but it’s an opening to think about what we’re going to do. In the movie, I played a sort of service lady who kills old people because of the sympathy which she has for them. After all, we are the same age and have the same problems. That’s why I was willing to kill for them but that’s not the answer. Hopefully, because of this film, people can start to think about how we’re going to address the situation with elderly people.

 

 

YYJ: My role in the first season of Sense8 was not very big and I filmed in Korea so I didn’t have any problems. The main differences were food and the hotels. Lana Wachowski was very sweet and sensitive in her direction. She was never loud, she would always speak very softly to the staff. Besides that we sometimes had a hard time with the working hours and I had a lot of sympathy for the poor cameraman who always had to carry a steady cam!

 

 

YYJ: Kye-sang doesn’t care! That’s why he’s very special. (laughs)

 

YKS: It’s a new generation now in Korea. The fans are young but that’s why they’ll understand they’re a part of this new generation. I think that the reaction will be good and that they’ll like it. I hope that the movie can be a little bit brighter because of my role.

 

YKS: Not yet, but I’m reviewing some scripts.

 

 

YKS: Too many!

 

YYJ: What directors do you like?

 

YKS: Too many! But I’m a big fan of Korean movies.

 

YYJ: Going back through my memories, I started with KIM Ki-young (she worked with him on Insect Woman in 1972) and I still like him very much. I think he was the best, but I was too young to know that at the time. Later on I realized how great he was.