(Following Interview①) Director Bong Joon-ho displayed his unfiltered eloquence throughout the interview. However, he sighed deeply and lowered his head when the late actor Lee Sun-kyun and recently deceased Kim Sae-ron were mentioned.
Ahead of the release of his new film 'Mickey 17', Director Bong Joon-ho (55) met on the 19th at the Conrad Seoul Hotel in Yeouido, Seoul. 'Mickey 17' is Bong's first new work in five years since 'Parasite' (2020), but he stated that he feels no pressure. He simply continues to follow his own path.
Based on the novel 'Mickey7' by American author Edward Ashton, 'Mickey 17' tells the story of a disposable employee called 'Expendable' sent to colonize an ice planet by a human exploration team in the future. The plot revolves around the 17th Mickey, who is newly printed after the previous Mickey's death, and the 18th Mickey, who believes the 17th Mickey is dead, and the events that unfold when they meet.
Q. You introduced 'Mickey 17' as your first melodrama. There were some scenes that seemed quite intense for a '15 and over' rating, what do you think?
A. Even with 'Parasite', it was rated for 15 and over, but the couple's (Lee Sun-kyun and Cho Yeo-jeong) love scenes were ambiguous between 18 and 15. Similarly, there is a point that is about 17.5 in terms of intensity. I will just follow the judgment of professional institutions regarding this. It may seem provocative, but when you look closely, it’s not quite so. I hope people can enjoy it from various perspectives. The distinction of 'is it a melodrama or not' doesn't seem to be very important. However, 'meaning' is important.
Q. (In terms of the film's focus on story and message rather than grand visuals) it was perhaps different from what one might expect from a typical SF film. It breaks the preconceived notions of Hollywood blockbuster SF films. Could this lead to mixed reactions?
A. Of course, grand SF films like 'Dune' are wonderful, but my SF film still tells the story that 'people's lives are the same. No matter how far you go, you ultimately want to come back.' I tried to maintain the minimum essence, but fundamentally, no matter what genre I work in, the story I want to tell is always about 'people.' It’s something very small, yet it feels like an unchanging truth. No matter how advanced technology becomes, and no matter how far we reach into space, humans are all flawed, and that’s what makes us human. I wanted to convey that. Regardless of the genre I work in, I feel like characters wearing holey socks will appear.
Q. What do you think human dignity is?
A. If we look for the answer in 'Mickey 17'... the entire social community burdens all dangerous things onto 'Mickey.' They write a contract and escape all guilt, repeating nonsensical actions. Isn’t that cowardly? This is happening in our society right now. How many victims have occurred within this cruel system? Of course, it still hasn’t changed. In the film, I symbolically placed such absurd situations onto 'Mickey.' I expressed the despairing situation simply in a cinematic way, but the important thing is that 'Mickey' does not get destroyed until the end. I hope that fact can be a small comfort.
Q. You also talked about the late Lee Sun-kyun in your interview with Sohn Seok-hee...
A. I feel the same way. No matter what anyone says, he was a good person, that’s how I feel. (Deep sigh)
Q. Recently, another film figure, Kim Sae-ron, has also passed away.
A. (A bigger sigh) I met her once at an event for the film 'Traveler.' It’s just unfortunate. Everyone makes mistakes. And being strict about mistakes isn’t necessarily a bad thing. However, I hope that despite everything, tolerance can coexist. I hope for a society where strictness and tolerance coexist.
Q. Unlike the time of 'Parasite's release, the current situation in domestic theaters is much more difficult.
A. As a filmmaker, I am promoting more diligently than ever. My hope is to get audiences to come to theaters. I don’t mean to say that streaming is bad at all. I also watch YouTube and various platforms. However, I hope that the value of the cinematic experience is not forgotten. I want to continue to make people feel the power of content enjoyed on the big screen, the strongest power of cinema. I want to be a part of that. There are talks that there are no anticipated works this year, but I believe that unexpected, bold works like 'Handsome Guys' from last year will appear like a comet, as a gift. I still expect the power of Korean cinema and the activities of creators.
Q. Is there an upcoming project that is still unknown?
A. I haven’t worked on a project based on a true story since 'Memories of Murder'... Recently, I was deeply moved by the film 'Harbin' while looking at historical figures with noble spirits that have been forgotten in this era. I am also diligently researching several historical figures and preparing something. I am trying to shed light on historical figures rather than current events. Once the major preparations are complete, I will officially announce it.
