Director Jo Jung-rae visited theaters with his film 'First Marriage', created by miracle.
The film 'First Marriage: A Song Called Again' (hereafter 'First Marriage'), which opens on the 19th, tells the story of the student song group 'Dalkwosori' who passionately shouted alongside the workers of Samhyung Industrial during their strike for survival rights in 1992.
This is the new work of director Jo Jung-rae, who attracted 3.58 million viewers with 'Return', based on the true story of the victims of the Japanese military's comfort women. It resurrects symbolic figures of the democratization and labor movements, such as the late Lee Nae-chang, Lee Cheol-kyu, Kim Gwi-jeong, and the late Kim Kyung-ho, the chairman. This work was also produced through citizen investment via a community funding campaign before production.
Ahead of the release, director Jo said, "I am very excited and looking forward to it. I have mixed feelings. I have been planning this for a long time, and although the production environment was difficult, it was particularly passionate. It is miraculous that we have come this far, so many thoughts are crossing my mind."
When asked why he made 'First Marriage', Jo replied, "I entered university in '92 and learned about the Gwangju Democratization Movement. In 1994, I cried a lot while paying tribute to the late Lee Nae-chang in Mangwol-dong, and I wanted to resurrect him in a film someday. Although I didn't know him personally, I was moved to tears and felt heartbroken for reasons I couldn't understand. It was sorrowful that young lives disappeared under mysterious circumstances. It has remained in my heart for a long time, and as time passed, I expressed those people in the film."
He continued, "It is not a political film. I am someone who makes films about what I know well, as I lack the ability. 'Return' and 'Gongdae: The Sound of the Clown' were like that too. I really like folk songs. At some point, folk songs became music that could only be heard at rallies. So I wanted to resurrect them along with the film."
Director Jo shared, "When the first synopsis came out, everyone around me asked, 'Why are you making something so minor?' They questioned whether the lives of workers and song groups would resonate in today's era. But for me, it was major. This film was also produced with support like 'Return', and many people sent their encouragement during filming," expressing his gratitude.
'First Marriage' was filmed over two months in Daejeon and Bucheon. Although it was not easy to secure factories and universities, it was completed thanks to the passionate actors and staff.
He said, "Filming took place over 20 days. It was challenging to find filming locations, and we faced rejections from various places. The environment was harsh, but the actors and staff worked together with the mindset that it was their film. I was truly moved by their passionate efforts for each shot, to the point of feeling sorry. The actors even helped carry equipment on set, and the post-production team also put their hearts into it," expressing his appreciation.
He added, "The actors in 'Dalkwosori' were selected through auditions. Since they had to sing folk songs, we checked if they could sing and play instruments. I was surprised by the number of applicants. There were many musically talented actors. Kim Jung-yeon was unanimously chosen. Especially, the scene where she sang the last song was taken directly from the actual performance. She expressed emotions very well," he praised.
Regarding actors Park Cheol-min and Kim Dong-wan, who worked with him again after 'Gongdae: The Sound of the Clown', he said, "Park Cheol-min joined after much consideration. In previous works, he improvised a lot, but this time he expressed what was in the script and added weight to the play. Kim Dong-wan willingly participated even with a small role. Although the film contains a version in Seoul dialect, he also performed in dialect and prepared very hard. Some scenes were edited due to time constraints, and I feel sorry and grateful," he revealed.
The film features folk songs that have continued from the 1980s to the present, including 'Four Seasons', 'Song of May', 'When That Day Comes', 'Marching Song for My Beloved', 'My Friend', 'Umbrella', and 'Jeonnohyeobjin Army Song'. It also includes original songs created specifically for the film, 'Like Wildflowers' and 'Dreaming Whale'.
He said, "I arranged the folk songs I love as much as possible to fit the situation," adding, "While many folk songs are combative and intense, there are also many that are good and popular in their own right. 'Don't Frown' actually started from folk songs."
He also mentioned, "You might think it's an old story, but many people have shed blood to protect the democracy we have today. The fact that we can voice our opinions freely now is possible within a democratic system. I wanted to capture that," reflecting on the meaning of the film 'First Marriage'.
Furthermore, he emphasized, "'First Marriage' is not a political story. However, I feel that democracy is in crisis not only in our country but around the world. People are becoming desensitized to war and death, and polarization is increasing. Violence is sometimes justified. So I thought we might be missing something right now, and I hope we can reflect on how democracy has come this far in such a situation. Perhaps it is a story we need right now."
"‘First Marriage’ is not a political film. It is a film that talks about what is obvious. It is not about extreme opposition but a story about how we can all live peacefully together. I hope it becomes a film that reminds us of our conscience and our true selves. I am planning a drama that deals with food and restaurants for my next project, and there are also stories about people who were forcibly conscripted in Hokkaido. I don't know which will come out first, but I want to tell stories about people. Ultimately, all stories are about people and about me. In an era where the value of each person is diminishing, I hope we can all return to our original intentions."
[Yang So-young, Star Today Reporter]
