(following interview ①) actress Lee Jung-eun shared her thoughts on working with the cast of "The Journey to Gyeongju".
On the afternoon of the 20th, an interview with lead actress Lee Jung-eun for the film "The Journey to Gyeongju" took place at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul.
The Journey to Gyeongju, which is set to be released on the 26th (screenplay/director Kim Mi-jo, provided by Lotte Entertainment, Michigan Venture Capital Co., Ltd., distributed by Lotte Entertainment, produced by Studio Hi-Five, co-produced by Euphoria ENT), is a family revenge film about four mothers who, after eight years of waiting for their youngest daughter "Gyeongju," who did not return from a school trip, set out on a "killer" journey to avenge her.
"The Journey to Gyeongju" was planned from 2014 and was selected in a 2021 screenplay contest; after finishing filming in August 2024, it came out into the world about two years later. After Lee Jung-eun was cast as the mother "Oksil," it took a long time to reach production, but when asked why she waited for the project, Lee Jung-eun explained, "Actually, I didn't know the daughters were cast like that. When I first received the script, I thought it would start on a small scale. The screenplay was very good, so I thought that anyone interested in the screenplay might join even if they were a little unknown, so I held on to it. Later, when the daughters were cast with the current actors, the scale grew."
With actors Kong Hyojin, Park So-dam and Lee Yeon respectively playing Oksil's daughters Jangju, Yeongju and Dongju, when asked how she felt when she first heard the casting lineup, Lee Jung-eun said, "I was surprised. One day So-dam and Hyojin called and asked, 'Sister, are you doing this?' I said, 'I'm doing it, so I'm waiting for a year,' and they said the screenplay was so good. So I told the film team, 'Don't look at me. Do it because you really like it; you won't regret it.' I can't take responsibility for everything. If the screenplay and the roles are good, wouldn't it be good to participate? But everyone was so proactive that I was surprised. Hyojin told me she wanted to support me a lot. I felt a sense of reward from raising a daughter during 'When the Camellia Blooms.' Of course, I abandoned her," she joked, drawing laughter.
Lee Jung-eun expressed that working with three daughters with solid acting skills made her feel "as if she had gained a thousand troops." She said, "Everything went smoothly after casting. They were very proactive actors. They presented their own opinions, liked to discuss, and because their perspectives on viewing the work were similar, the process went very smoothly. On set they were improvisational and instinctive friends, so I received a lot of help," showing her affection.
She added, "From my perspective, Hyojin is more of a mentor to me than I am to her. As someone who entered this industry to act, she feels like a senior in my life. There is much for me to learn on set, and she is reliable. She is very considerate of the whole set, so when I was overwhelmed by the character I was in, she actually did everything outside that Jangju could have done. After I act, she always says, 'Try your hand like this, mom.' In real life she takes care of everything, so she is a dependable right arm. So when in the film she said, 'I want to be happy, I want to stop,' the feelings of hurt naturally followed," she said, describing a relationship like an actual family.
Regarding Park So-dam, she said, "It was a very strange connection from 'Parasite.' There was a scene where I asked someone to move their seat, and she acted so well that my face turned red and I went outside. I thought, 'What is that?' I felt this actor's energy was enormous. Yeongju is a daughter who seems like she would have no tears, but she is tender-hearted. Behind her calculated side is a delicate sensitivity that So-dam created for the second daughter. That look was so beautiful," she admired.
Meanwhile, about Lee Yeon, whom she met for the first time through this project, she said, "She's really an action-oriented person." Lee Jung-eun said, "She is proactive in daily life. I always like sets where there is learning and growth, and when meeting any senior or junior I try to see many strengths. I think that helped Yeon a lot in unfolding her role as the third daughter. She has the highest potential for growth. Her age is also very good, and the older sisters are all encouraging her. (During the interview) when I said she cried, we laughed for a while. And regarding the release, Hyojin, So-dam and I calmly say 'it's good,' but Yeon is like, 'Aaah! Finally released!' That passionate response is so cute. She is a friend whose passion comes straight from the heart," she said with a smile.
When asked about her chemistry with Byun Yo-han, who played the murderer Baek Sang-hyun and fought a desperate battle until the end, Lee Jung-eun said, "Yo-han worked really hard. I felt sorry even when I was avenging, but being close is a good thing. In intense scenes you can act your heart out and later pat each other on the shoulder and say 'sorry'—that felt like camaraderie and was special," she recalled.
She also confessed that Byun Yo-han's criminal performance on set was "too frightening," and said, "There was a scene where Jangju (Kong Hyojin) and I had a deep emotional scene, right? While saying 'I want to be happy' she cried buckets, and I didn't know how Yo-han would appear then. Seeing Byun Yo-han, I abandoned Jangju and ran away. It was so scary that I slipped out of the role. He has somewhat irregular movements, like an ostrich. He is an actor who moves his body very well. We shot a short drama called 'Father's home-cooked meal' together. He appeared as my son, and every time I saw him I thought, 'Is this the same person?' That seems like a transformation," she praised highly.
Regarding the 'pork backbone in gamjatang' scene that appeared in the criminal process of Baek Sang-hyun in the story, she said, "I'm sure he came up with the idea thinking, 'Wouldn't this look atrocious?'" She added, "After that I couldn't eat gamjatang. I originally liked it, but that scene kept coming to mind," describing the aftereffects and adding more laughter. (to be continued in interview ③)
[photo] Lotte Entertainment
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