Cynthia shares her experience of taking on a romantic film with 'Even If This Love Disappears from the World Tonight' (hereafter 'EITLD').
Recently, Cynthia, the lead actress of 'EITLD', was interviewed at a café in Samcheong-dong, Seoul.
Released on the 24th, 'EITLD' is a youthful romance about Seo-yoon (played by Cynthia), who loses her memory every day, and Jae-won (played by Choo Young-woo), who helps her remember. The film is an adaptation of Misaki Ichijo's bestselling novel, which sold over 1.3 million copies worldwide. The Japanese version of the film was a massive hit, surpassing the 20-year record of 'Love Letter' with 1.21 million viewers in Korea. In this film, Cynthia plays Seo-yoon, a high school student suffering from anterograde amnesia due to an accident.
For Cynthia, who has mostly appeared in genre films like 'The Witch: Part 2' and 'The Outlaws', 'EITLD' marks her first foray into romance. She expressed, "When I first received the offer, I had already enjoyed reading the original novel. I learned during 'The Outlaws' how precious it is to act out a story I love. I thought this would be another great opportunity, so I accepted without hesitation."
She added, "I didn't intend to only do genre films, but somehow I ended up in intense action or crime projects since my debut. Doing a romance with peers and experiencing youthful love was a new experience for me," she said with satisfaction. "I learned how to express delicate and pure emotions more effectively," she shared.
When asked which genre suits her better, Cynthia replied, "I felt the charm of both." She continued, "I want to excel in both. I decided to keep an open mind and challenge myself with various genres without limitations."
'EITLD' has both a novel and a Japanese film adaptation. However, Cynthia chose not to watch the Japanese version to avoid influence, opting instead to create her own character. She watched the Japanese film only after completing her shoot and noted, "The locations were completely different. The Japanese film featured many famous spots in Japan, while the Korean version showcased beautiful landscapes in places like Yeosu. The distinctiveness of the locations was clear." She added, "The locations and actors were different, so naturally, it felt different. But the message conveyed was the same. I felt the power of the plot."
Regarding the process of building the character of Seo-yoon, she said, "While the basic setting is her memory disorder, I didn't want to focus solely on that. Instead, I wanted to showcase Seo-yoon's pure personality and simple traits. Seo-yoon is a friend who sees the world beautifully," expressing her affection for the character. She also mentioned, "Seo-yoon has the will to live without giving up, even in desperate situations. I hoped that aspect would be well portrayed."
Kim Ji-won, TenAsia Reporter bella@tenasia.co.kr