Director Bong Joon-ho Praises 'The Journey to Gyeongju' as a "Textbook Example of Great Actors and Direction"

Director Bong Joon-ho praised the film The Journey to Gyeongju, calling it a "textbook-like work where great actors and excellent direction meet."

On August 26 (Wednesday), the second installment of the Killer GV (Guest Visit) hosted by Director Bong Joon-ho concluded successfully at Lotte Cinema World Tower. This GV drew significant attention as world-renowned master Director Bong participated as a moderator, leading to an early sell-out of all seats.

In particular, the meaningful reunion of actors Lee Jung-eun and Park So-dam, who previously created a global syndrome with Director Bong through the film Parasite, heated up the venue's atmosphere.

Appearing to enthusiastic applause after the film screening, Director Bong did not spare praise for The Journey to Gyeongju, saying, "It is a textbook-like work that shows what happens when great actors meet a strong script and direction." He also highlighted the tone and manner shifting freely across various genres, adding, "The weight of the incidents and the emotions of the characters are deep, and I could feel the director's bold audacity in sometimes delivering outbursts of laughter."

In response, Director Kim Mi-jo shared her intense production process, saying, "Because it is an inefficient revenge where they cannot even catch a flying bug and seem completely incapable of pulling it off, the heterogeneity of the tone and manner was inevitable. Even the slightest change in music or cut length would drastically alter the tone, so I struggled deeply with maintaining consistency throughout the editing process."

An in-depth behind-the-scenes discussion about the characters followed. Lee Jung-eun, who plays Oksil—described by Director Bong as a character "whose pain and anger are beyond control"—shared her thoughts on immersing herself completely into the role, stating, "Throughout filming, I worried constantly about whether she would actually be able to pull off her revenge to the end."

Kong Hyo-jin, who plays the eldest daughter Jangju, was praised by Director Bong, who marveled, "The scene where she brushes off the hand of her mother who touched broken car glass delicately portrays their mother-daughter relationship." Kong explained her meticulous character-building process, saying, "I acted with the mindset of the eldest who has watched her mother for eight years, overprotecting her mother's well-being."

Regarding Park So-dam, who plays the second daughter Youngju, Director Bong shared his impression: "Her cold acting followed by the storm of sobbing in the latter half is heartbreaking yet deeply touching." Park noted her character's inner self, describing her as "the most sensitive and lonely character who puts on a suit of armor to keep her emotions hidden."

Lee Yeon, who plays the third daughter Dongju and was praised by Director Bong for "her rough and tough nature, with delicate moments of a wounded character shining through," added, "I acted believing that acting before thinking in every moment might be a way to feel less pain," giving a glimpse into the fierce acting concerns of the four actors.

The Journey to Gyeongju is a family revenge drama about four mothers and daughters who embark on a "killer" trip after eight years of waiting for their youngest daughter, Gyeongju, who never returned from a school trip. It was released on the 26th and is currently ranked third at the box office.

 

(Photo: Yonhap News) (Reported by Kim Ji-hye, SBS Entertainment News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.