On the 23rd, an interview with Kim Hieora for the film 'Savior' was conducted at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul. Kim Hieora arrived at the interview in a neat navy jacket, greeting each member of the press and lifting the atmosphere.
'Savior' is a mystery occult film where miraculous events occur to Youngbeom (played by Kim Byung-chul) and Sunhee (played by Song Ji-hyo) after moving to the blessed land of Obok-ri, only to discover these miracles come at the cost of someone else's misfortune. Kim Hieora plays 'Chunseo,' a character who has lived tenaciously for her son 'Minjae.' When her son suddenly becomes unable to walk, she struggles to find the reason.
For Kim Hieora, this project was like a true 'savior.' She returned to acting with this film after allegations surfaced in September 2023 that she was part of a notorious school gang during her school days, involved in bullying and extorting money from juniors. Notably, 'Savior' marks Kim Hieora's first commercial film.
When the bullying allegations arose two years ago, Kim Hieora immediately left for the United States. Reflecting on that time, she said, "I didn't go to the U.S. because of work. I felt like I had to do something. I needed to learn English, so I took English and composition lessons from composers and producers in LA. It was good to express the messages of difficult times through lyrics or music. I also fulfilled other senses and gained courage."
She continued, "Of course, it wasn't all happiness, but it was definitely necessary and a time of valuable experiences. I met many benefactors and had precious experiences," adding, "But I realized I'm inherently someone who needs to act. I felt this strongly during my break. I didn't feel the urge to try anything other than acting. I developed a thirst for acting, and in that state of urgency, I met the character Chunseo. I didn't have to try hard to understand Chunseo; that urgency naturally came through. My perspective has broadened. In the past, I understood a lot with my head and data, but now I find it much better to understand and empathize with various people. I feel I've deepened as an actor."
Ryu Yeji, TenAsia Reporter ryuperstar@tenasia.co.kr