Actor Jung Su-hyun takes on a first-ever leading role in a commercial feature with “Dear Name,.”
Directed by Yoon Kwon-soo, “Dear Name,” follows Do-kyung (Jung) on a journey to find his estranged mother, Hae-soo (Nam Sang-mi). Their fate-driven reunion prompts a tender reckoning with the meaning of family and scars long buried. The film pairs nature-washed visuals with restrained, heartfelt storytelling.
The feature has earned 12 awards across the global circuit, including at the Paris Film Awards, London Movie Awards and Hollywood Gold Awards, drawing praise as “a family drama defined by delicate emotion and minimalist direction” and reaffirming the pull of Korean emotion-driven cinema.
As Do-kyung, Jung maps the character’s inner world with laser focus―channeling a belief that “a life is written in the wear of one’s shoes” as he confronts the truths hidden in his mother’s past and present, all through layered gazes and finely calibrated beats.
Jung has built a steady resume with turns in tvN’s "The Heavenly Idol," SBS’s "The Killing Vote," the web dramas "Unarmed Romance" and "Tarot," and MBC’s "Undercover High School"―playing everything from a North Korean defector student to an idol and a school bully.
Jung’s self-produced film "Red Fruit" earned honors and invitations at the Yeosu International Webfest and the Jeonbuk Independent Film Festival. While actively filming the next drama project, Jung has also wrapped a self-directed film now in post-production.
Meanwhile, “Dear Name,” is rolling out in theaters and simultaneously on IPTV and VOD, reaching an even wider audience.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kim Ji-hye)