Kim Hye-ja Returns in 'Still Radiant' After 9 Years, Capturing a Reunion 60 Years in the Making

A sweeping story across time, powered by a master’s depth of experience

Beloved veteran actress 'Kim Hye-ja', who is celebrating the 65th anniversary of her acting career this year, is finally returning to the big screen. Distributor Plus M Entertainment officially announced on the 19th that her latest starring film, 'Still Radiant', will meet audiences in October. The film marks her first screen appearance in nine years, following the 2017 release 'The Way', drawing widespread attention in South Korea’s film industry.

'Still Radiant' closely follows the emotional upheaval experienced by Sun-ok when she reunites after 60 years with her closest friend, with whom she shared the brightest moments of her life. 'Kim Hye-ja' plays Sun-ok, who has lived while cherishing a special friendship deep in her heart, and is expected to showcase the full force of her 65 years of acting experience accumulated since her debut in 1961.

Cha Mi-kyung, the acclaimed actress who made a strong impression in the drama 'Unknown Seoul' and the film 'The Face', has been cast as Jung-im, Sun-ok’s closest friend, who meets her again after six decades. Their most radiant days, at age 17, will be brought to life by newcomers 'Park Seo-kyung' and 'Choi Joo-eun', who play the younger Sun-ok and Jung-im, respectively, bringing youthful vitality to the screen.

The film also features a strong ensemble spanning generations, including 'Moon Sung-hyun', 'Jo Sung-ha' and 'Lee Se-young', adding depth and dimension to the story. Director 'Song Il-gon', who has demonstrated a delicate directorial touch probing the human psyche in films including 'Only You' and 'Spider Forest', is at the helm, further raising expectations for the film’s quality and credibility.