Han Ye-ri, Kim Seol-jin Starring, Directed by Kang Mi-ja, <Spring Night> Press Screening Held

A poetic drama that captures the tragic and poignant love story of ‘Young-kyung’ and ‘Su-hwan’ who live in ruins with wounds and face death was successfully held on July 3 at 2 PM at CGV Yongsan I-Park Mall with the attendance of Director Kang Mi-ja and actors Han Ye-ri and Kim Seol-jin for a press/distribution screening and press conference. Director Kang Mi-ja, who returned to feature films after 16 years since , shared the emotional impact of at prestigious film festivals such as the Busan International Film Festival and the Berlin International Film Festival. Regarding the starting point of the film, which is based on the novel of the same name by author Kwon Yeo-seon, she expressed her unique affection for the novel and film, saying, “I felt a strong desire to express the emotions I felt while reading the original novel, which led me to make this film.” She also praised the performances of actors Han Ye-ri and Kim Seol-jin, who lead the film with delicate emotional lines, stating, “I wanted to capture the performances of the actors, which are the important content of the film itself, within a very simple format.”

Actor Han Ye-ri reunited with the director after 16 years since to take on the role of Young-kyung. She shared her reason for joining the film, saying, “After my first feature, the director contacted me, saying it would be a special film for him.” Regarding her role as Young-kyung, she expressed, “I felt that this person’s tears are something like alcohol,” and explained the high emotional density of the Young-kyung character, saying, “It was a situation where I didn’t need to hold back the button of tears or squeeze them tightly; I could just let them go, which felt liberating.” She emphasized the warm aspects of the tragic love between the protagonists Young-kyung and Su-hwan, saying, “I hope viewers don’t only see this film as painfully as it is.” 

Kim Seol-jin, who took on the lead role in his first feature film as a modern dancer and actor, recalled his acting experience with Han Ye-ri, with whom he has had a long relationship, saying, “I kept thinking about what I could do for Young-kyung and tried to stay close.” He also shared that the physical movements of Young-kyung and Su-hwan were “closer to plants,” stating, “I felt Young-kyung swaying like a long sunflower before it wilts,” and “I felt Su-hwan was like a root that is gradually decaying and drying out.” Drawing on the physical sensations developed through dance, he infused the physical pain and emotional flow into his performance, and despite it being his first lead role in a feature film, he is expected to add a solid center to the film by firmly grasping the character's emotions.  

Finally, Director Kang Mi-ja expressed her deep affection for the film, saying, “For me, is not over yet,” while Han Ye-ri expressed her hope that the film would be a work that can be occasionally revisited, like the poem recited by Young-kyung, mentioning the emotional depth that only film can realize. Kim Seol-jin left his thoughts, hoping the film would be remembered as one that allows for a re-examination of the aesthetics of repetition or slowness, adding to the emotion of the scene. The film , which gazes at the emotional lines of love and wounds, calmness and passion intersecting in the night, will be released on July 9.