[Interview] Director Eom Ha-neul of '404 Still Remain, Our 5 Minutes', "Melodramatic Moments That Induce Repeat Viewings" ②

Cineplay Lee Hwa-jeong Guest Reporter

※ 〈404 Still Remain, Our 5 Minutes〉 Director Eom Ha-neul's interview continues in part 1.

If the introverted Kyung-hwan faces injustice every time, the extroverted and confident Jae-min is quite the opposite. As you mentioned, Jae-min might have quickly closed his heart due to past wounds. It could be a tremendous expression of self-defense.

That's right. I think so too. Audiences sometimes ask about Jae-min's heart. "Is Jae-min heterosexual? Or is he into guys?" I believe I've conveyed everything through the film, so I didn't want to define it strictly. The melodramatic device of this film was largely intended to resonate with Kyung-hwan's heart as we see the two getting closer.

Nevertheless, Jae-min's gestures that excite Kyung-hwan, such as suddenly holding hands and running through the market, leaning in close, or grabbing shoulders, are quite intentional devices to induce excitement and clichés of melodrama. The references to 〈Peter Pan's Dream〉 and director Kwak Jae-yong's 〈The Classic〉 (2003), as well as the inclusion of 〈My Sassy Girl〉 in this work, show an exploration and utilization of Korean popular melodrama.

Yes, that was intentional. The first film I saw in a theater with my family was 〈My Sassy Girl〉 (2001). Director Kwak Jae-yong has been making melodramas since 〈A Watercolor on a Rainy Day〉 (1989). Moreover, if we go further back, there’s director Kwak Ji-kyun of 〈Winter Wanderer〉 (1986). I also love Korean melodramas from the 1990s to the early 2000s. So, it feels like a flag saying, "This is something I like and included." (laughs) I shamelessly put it in.

The use of space in melodrama and romance comics is also notable. The back seat of a bus is representative. If the two characters cannot be free from the gaze of discrimination and hatred in the classroom, this place serves as an emotional refuge for them. Although it’s a scene that could easily become clichéd due to its use in many works, it creates a warm emotional exchange in this small space, where 'their 5 minutes' exist, without missing the scenery outside the window and the feeling of winter. The most beautiful scene in this film was created.

When I first wrote this scenario in 2014, I simply wrote, "Kyung-hwan looking out the window, music playing, the view outside is blurry, and 2-3 minutes pass." Kyung-hwan's love for a certain path was described by looking out the window. But after that, as I shot more shorts and continued to touch this story in different forms, I developed a desire to show not just the outside view but also the temperature, air, and expressions of the moment. So it expanded to what it is now. Watching that made me think, 'I haven't been living lazily all this time; I have indeed increased what I can express.'

The music connecting the characters is by the group Globe. If Jae-min likes the dance song 'Faces Places' that shows the identity of the band, Kyung-hwan prefers the ballad 'Departures' by Globe. The song selection allows for various interpretations. What led you to use Globe's music?​

The song I decided on when I first wrote the script was 'Departures.' I thought, "This has to go in no matter what." So, after listening to all of Globe's songs again, I felt that 'Faces Places' would fit from Jae-min's perspective. 'Departures' was actually written by a Globe member after a fight with his girlfriend the next day. The lyrics talk about walking together on a snowy road, saying, 'I just need you...' so it matched well with Kyung-hwan. Jae-min, on the other hand, is the type to recall certain times, faces, and places, so 'Faces Places' suited him. The choice was simple, but afterward, I received a lot of help from the song.

One of the changes in the queer genre is the depiction of relationships with surrounding characters. There was an effort to break away from a clear good vs. evil narrative towards minorities. I found it important to express the 'unintentional discrimination' shown by the close friend character 'Sol.' It reflects a perspective of ordinary people, which is different from 'openly' and 'intentionally.'

I didn't want to portray someone as completely evil or purely good. So, after some thought, I concluded that this friend cannot be seen as entirely good and wrote the scene. The various expressions and attitudes shown by this friend actually reflected my own experiences in school. Personality-wise, I also liked to joke around like Sol. Yet, I couldn't help a friend who was being discriminated against. Perhaps Sol represents the perspective of ordinary people, and that’s the part I reflected in the character.

What was the casting process like?​

I was initially trying to cast Kyung-hwan, but as the process slowed down, I cast the actor Hyun Woo-seok for the role of Jae-min first. I originally set the character as a middle school student, but many friends said they couldn't do it after the second script was sent following auditions. I think the young kids felt burdened. So, I adjusted the character setting to a high school student. This actually broadened the range of actors I could choose from. Earlier, Woo-seok appeared as the leader of a runaway gang in 〈Big Sleep〉 (2023), and when I saw his rough appearance in the film and then met him in person, he seemed very cheerful and innocent. I thought, 'With this image, we could work together.'

Actress Shim Hyun-seo has been recognized since she was very young for her role in the musical 〈Billy Elliot〉 and showcased her dance acting in the acclaimed short 〈June〉 (2018). Through this work, she shows that she has grown up well and has become a 'serious' good actress.

Yes, she seems to be focusing more on acting now. While looking for the role of Kyung-hwan, I thought the age difference between the two actors shouldn't be too large, so I casted them. It took a bit longer to find the right actor for Kyung-hwan. Originally, I wanted to have a significant height difference between Kyung-hwan and Jae-min visually. I considered actress Hyun-seo, but the two actors were only 1 centimeter apart in height, which didn't match the picture I had drawn. But then I thought, 'Am I falling into my own trap, trying to find only those who fit this?' So I decided to meet with Hyun-seo regardless of height. Since she is still a teenager, I am looking forward to seeing more of her.

Lastly, the scene that is the title 'Our 5 Minutes' gives a very lyrical resonance. I intentionally structured the scene to align with the 5 minutes during which 'Departures' plays over the credits. During the period of adolescence and identity establishment, for the two, it is a physically short time but also an eternal moment.​

The title '5 minutes' was actually named considering the length of the song. However, as I wrote, I realized that what truly matters is the moment Kyung-hwan remembers those 5 minutes, which is significant. So I wanted to show Kyung-hwan's happy moments for just 5 minutes. To be precise, it's 4 minutes and 50 seconds, but I made the credits a bit longer.