Kim Hyang-gi Challenges Herself as a Mother in the Movie 'Hanran'... "I Was Curious About What Maternal Love Is"

Actress Kim Hyang-gi is taking on the role of a mother for the first time in the movie 〈Hanran〉, showcasing a new spectrum of her acting. In this work set against the backdrop of the 1948 Jeju 4·3 incident, Kim Hyang-gi plays the role of a young mother, Ah-jin, who embarks on a journey to find her daughter, who she has been separated from.

In an interview held in Jongno-gu, Seoul on the 18th, Kim Hyang-gi stated, "I wanted to deeply explore what the emotion of maternal love is," and added, "I wanted to understand the source of the superhuman strength that only looks at her daughter and moves forward, even in incredibly difficult moments."

Directed by Ha Myung-mi, 〈Hanran〉 depicts the desperate journey of a mother searching for her young daughter, Hae-sang (played by Kim Min-chae), against the backdrop of Hallasan in Jeju. Kim Hyang-gi shared that she read books related to maternal love to prepare for her role, studying the instinctive and natural aspects of being a parent.

In particular, to understand the historical context of the Jeju 4·3 incident, she focused on studying the movie 〈Jiseul〉 (2013) and materials compiled by the Jeju 4·3 Research Institute. She reflected, "It was painful to read books containing testimonies from grandmothers, and I became emotionally deeply empathetic while imagining their stories."

Having left a mark with her youthful face in the movies 〈Witness〉 (2019) and the 〈Along with the Gods〉 (2017) series, Kim Hyang-gi is stepping into her first mother role in this film 〈Hanran〉.

Regarding her first mother role as a 20-something actress, Kim Hyang-gi said, "The script was so excellent that I focused solely on the character itself," adding, "I approached it simply as an actress and did not consciously think about it as something special."

Child actress Kim Min-chae, who plays the role of daughter Hae-sang, is six years old, the same age Kim Hyang-gi was when she made her screen debut in 〈My Heart〉 (2006). Kim Hyang-gi reminisced, "During breaks in filming, I played with Min-chae, gathering acorns and observing grass and mushrooms, and I wanted to give her joyful memories, just like the memories I have of picking fruits with my mother on set during my childhood."

The preparation process for speaking in the Jeju dialect was also quite challenging. Kim Hyang-gi explained, "I received one-on-one lessons several times a week and repeatedly listened to recordings while on the go. At first, it felt awkward to approach it with the dialect, but thinking of it as a foreign language made it possible to express emotions more naturally."

Regarding the majority of the filming that took place in the mountains of Jeju, she expressed, "The fresh air and green scenery provided 'healing' after emotionally difficult scenes, and I feel satisfied that the greatness of nature I felt while filming was well captured on screen."