"Working with Director Park Chan-wook reignited my passion for acting. It made me want to look at acting from a slightly different perspective."
After taking a break for marriage and motherhood, Son Ye-jin returns to the film industry with Park Chan-wook's 'No Choice'. She expressed her thoughts on this comeback, saying, "It feels like one chapter of my acting life has ended, and I'm moving into the second chapter. Working with Director Park at this timing had a positive impact on me. Watching other talented actors perform was also a great motivation."
'No Choice' tells the story of Man-soo (played by Lee Byung-hun), who, after being suddenly laid off from a paper company where he worked for 25 years, makes the drastic decision to 'eliminate competitors' in his quest for reemployment. Son Ye-jin plays Mi-ri, who steps into the workforce after her husband Man-soo loses his job. Although she rarely discusses work with her husband, Hyun Bin, she shared the script with him when she was offered the role.
"When I closed the script, I felt the narrative was intense. It was a script from Director Park Chan-wook, and at first, I was skeptical because it seemed like a peaceful family story. I wondered if he was going back to 'Joint Security Area'. But as expected, scenes typical of Director Park emerged, painting a picture. It's paradoxical, sarcastic, with elements of black comedy. The script is a tragic narrative, yet it has comedy, making it intriguing and fascinating. So, I said, 'Take a look at this.'"
The film is noted for being brighter and less brutal than Park Chan-wook's previous works. Son Ye-jin commented, "If you look at the dark side, there are some cruel or unsettling parts, but I think this film is like Park Chan-wook's version of a human drama." She added, "Man-soo's choices in the film are so dramatic that they might not seem realistic. Among them, my character Mi-ri is the most realistic."
"Mi-ri doesn't express herself dramatically or prominently. She tends to express herself in a restrained manner. Except for when she snaps at her husband during a fight, she mostly shows everyday life. She portrays a cheerful and optimistic mother."
Has Son Ye-jin ever felt emotions like despair from unemployment or being laid off, similar to the characters in the film? She said, "I've never experienced unemployment, but as an actor, it's a profession where you have to live cautiously. If I were to do something immoral or illegal, I could be unemployed the next day."
"How many people think, 'If I work hard, I can do my job until the end'? No matter how hard I work, there are many variables from society or the workplace in modern society, and that's what our film talks about. Man-soo loses his job not because he's incompetent but due to restructuring."
Son Ye-jin added, "I, too, could be unemployed if I make a mistake at any time. Especially in our country, there's a stricter moral standard, so I'm always cautious and careful." She continued, "Having worked in this field for over twenty years, this attitude has become ingrained in me. I try not to make mistakes or even spit anywhere because if someone captures that moment, I become the person who litters." She emphasized, "There's a certain level of anxiety embedded within me."
During filming, Son Ye-jin initially struggled with Director Park's detailed instructions. She said, "The director doesn't take any line lightly. He discusses each line and word meticulously. At first, I was flustered. I have my own way of speaking and the tone I've prepared, so even if he asked me to lower the ending, it wouldn't suddenly change." Particularly during the first shoot, the 'eel scene', she felt overwhelmed. This scene involves Man-soo having a barbecue with his family using 'expensive eel' gifted by his company, which later turns out to be the company's 'final favor' before firing him.
"I thought 'eel' was an important word, but the director told me not to emphasize it. After eight or ten takes, I started sweating and feeling cold sweat. Haha. I thought, 'I'm in big trouble now. What should I do?' I thought, 'The director is so meticulous, I'm doomed.' But as we moved into the latter half, it became fun. Thanks to the director's tips like 'be more fed up' or 'do it while shaking your head', I was able to deliver more natural and better performances. It was a great help."
When asked if she discovered anything new about herself through this project, Son Ye-jin said, "In the film, when my son has a nightmare, Mi-ri doesn't say much to him. There's a look in her eyes that reassures him not to have bad thoughts because of the nightmare. I wonder if I could have related to this scene if I hadn't given birth and raised a child." When asked what kind of mother she is in real life, she replied, "A mother who tries her best for her child."
"I don't think a mother who buys all the toys her child asks for is necessarily a good mother. I raise my child while contemplating what is needed at this time and how I should treat my child to ensure they grow up mentally and physically healthy."
Son Ye-jin married actor Hyun Bin in 2022 and gave birth to a son that same year. The couple previously worked together in the film 'The Negotiation' and the drama 'Crash Landing on You'. After 'Crash Landing on You', they became a couple and built a happy family. When asked if she would consider working on a third project with Hyun Bin, Son Ye-jin responded.
"I'm open to it. But I'm not sure about him. I don't think I've asked him. Hahaha. 'Crash Landing on You' was well-loved, and it was a fun, sweet romance with a lot of comedy, so it might be hard to do another romance. What if we meet in a pure comedy or action? I think it would be fun, but I'm not sure if such an opportunity will come."
Kim Ji-won, TenAsia Reporter bella@tenasia.co.kr