It took a whopping 20 years for her to release her first film, a true 'trendsetter' who has conquered the stage, television, and finally film, actress Kwak Sun-young (43).
We met her on the 11th at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, a day before the release of the well-made psychological thriller 'Invasion' (written and directed by Kim Yeo-jung and Lee Jeong-chan).
Kwak Sun-young said, "The filming was so enjoyable, but everyone who has seen the movie expresses concern, saying 'It must have been hard on your heart,'" and added, "For me, acting is always the same. It's about preparing and practicing to express the role in a three-dimensional way, making the audience believe in it. I took it as a compliment that I was able to immerse myself that much. Fortunately, I tend to get out of that emotion quickly," she laughed.
The film depicts the psychological destruction caused by Yeong-eun (played by Kwak Sun-young), whose daily life is collapsing due to her daughter So-hyun's strange behavior, and Min (played by Kwon Yu-ri), who meets Ha-young (played by Lee Seol) 20 years later, having lost her memories of the past. The webtoon of the same name recorded a high rating of 9.82 during its serialization, and the film received explosive responses from audiences who previewed it at the 29th Busan International Film Festival held last year.
Kwak Sun-young played the role of 'Yeong-eun', a mother struggling to raise her psychopathic daughter. She portrays a character who is withering away in despair, feeling that she cannot stop it on her own. Both the viewer and the performer are faced with the heavy and difficult question, 'What would I do in this situation?' Of course, the answer is also difficult.
However, Kwak Sun-young simply and boldly stated that it is unnecessary worry. "Some newlywed friends who watched the movie said, 'Are you going to have children after seeing this?'" she said. "But I think it's unnecessary worry. It's really a rare occurrence, and even if it happens, we live in a world where it can be treated. Of course, it would be very difficult for the parents," she added.
The first part of the movie, featuring 'Yeong-eun' and young 'So-hyun', is set in the late 1990s, while the adult So-hyun appears 20 years later in a modern setting. Kwak Sun-young remarked, "Back then (in the 90s), it seems we were somewhat hasty in hiding our mental pain. Nowadays, I feel sorry that Yeong-eun and So-hyun could receive more help from society."
She referred to child actress Ki So-yu, who co-led the first part of the film, as her partner. "She was so professional that I felt sorry to call her a child actress. Her acting skills are excellent, and she is punctual and diligent," she said. "The swimming pool was so large that the water was heated, but it quickly cooled down. I was amazed to see her acting while shivering without showing it, enjoying the performance itself. I would love to meet her again in a different relationship next time," she expressed deep trust.
Kwak Sun-young is also a 'mom' with an elementary school son.
She said, "My son is already 10 years old," and added, "I've mentioned having a child on broadcasts a few times, and people are often surprised. I guess I'm not that famous yet, so they don't know well. When they are surprised to hear I have a child, I feel grateful," she shyly smiled.
Her son already knows that his mom is a celebrity. "When he was younger, he recognized me as someone who appears on YouTube from videos shown by his grandmother. Now that he's a bit older, when people around him compliment my work, he smiles with a very pleased expression. He feels proud," she said with a laugh.
When asked if her son inherited her talent, she replied, "Absolute pitch." She said, "He knows the notes more accurately than I do. He dreams of being a singer-songwriter," and added, "He has clear plans for the future. Honestly, I was a bit surprised. I'm not someone with outstanding talent, so I don't know if he inherited that from me. It's just fascinating," she humbly stated.
"Everything is fascinating and I'm grateful these days. About 10 years ago? I found an interview from when I was performing, and I said, 'I hope to be doing films in 10 years.' As I steadily worked on what was in front of me, opportunities arose, and I ended up doing both broadcasting and films. I think I'm really lucky. I have vague dreams in my subconscious, and now I feel a sense of expectation that they might come true," she smiled.
Her next film is 'Lobby', in which Ha Jung-woo participates as both director and actor. Kwak Sun-young said, "I'm a long-time fan of my senior," and smiled, "I'm a successful fan."
She mentioned, "I went to see many performances of Ha Jung-woo (real name Kim Seong-hoon), who was a returning student at Chung-Ang University during high school," and added, "He acted so well at that time. It was shocking for a high school student like me," she said.
She continued, "In our generation, there are parts of acting in theater that need to be conveyed and delivered powerfully, but he seemed to fly naturally on stage. I was so shocked that whenever I heard 'Kim Seong-hoon is performing,' I would definitely go see it. Later, when he debuted and succeeded, I was so happy. I had a fan's heart saying, 'I knew someone so good would succeed,' and I was happy to meet him through a project," she expressed joyfully.
She said, "When I first met him, I asked, 'How did you know to call me?' and he said he had watched many scenes from the dramas I filmed, and that it seemed to fit well with this role. It was amazing. The college senior I watched in high school became an adult, and I had the opportunity to work together as colleagues..." she said, smiling with childlike excitement.
She added, "When I told him about my fandom, he was very surprised and found it fascinating. He really liked it. He said, 'Oh, you recognized that I act well; you must be a remarkable kid,'" which made her laugh again.
Additionally, Kwak Sun-young said, "I wasn't a successful... fan, but I was a successful fan," and added, "'Lobby' features a loyal role of my senior, and my personal feelings were a great help. He is a senior I really admire as an actor, and since I'm a fan," she added.
'Invasion' will be released on the 12th.
