[Photo &] Kim Hye-ja returns to screen after nine years with 'Still Radiant,' revealing a hidden resolve in a letter: "I hope they are not seen only through the lens of painful history"

The brutality of unforgettable 1942, history brought back to life on screen

Kim Hye-ja, one of South Korea's most celebrated actors, has returned to the big screen after nine years with 'Still Radiant', a film that sheds light on the lives of victims of Japan's wartime sexual slavery during its colonial rule of Korea. She was unable to attend the press screening held on the 15th for health reasons, but conveyed her deeply felt connection to the film in a handwritten letter, saying, "I hope you will not see the two girls merely as a scene from painful history."

Crushed innocence and a reunion after 60 years, a story spanning generations

In 1942, deep in the mountains of Gyeongsang province, Soon-ok (Park Seo-kyung) and Jeong-im (Choi Joo-eun) are inseparable girls who hold on to their laughter and hope despite grueling labor. But the brutal exploitation carried out by Japan after it launched the Pacific War ruthlessly shatters the peace of their small mountain village. 'Still Radiant' vividly portrays Soon-ok, having endured a horrific era, coming full circle after six decades to reunite with her best friend, Jeong-im. Director Song Il-gon, whose delicate filmmaking was recognized through 'Always' (2011) and 'Spider Forest' (2004), takes the helm, interweaving the girls' heartbreaking past with their present as gray-haired women and leaving a lasting impression.

A director's one-line appeal changes her retirement plans, as a master's devotion is etched on screen

'Kim Hye-ja' has returned to film production after a long absence following the 2017 release 'The Road'. She had initially planned to bring her acting career to a close with the 2025 drama 'More Beautiful Than Heaven', but director 'Song Il-gon''s persistent persuasion and heartfelt letter changed her mind. She explained why she joined the film, saying, "The line in the letter that read, 'Soon-ok does not cry. She is someone who believes to the very end that the time she spent with her friend remains radiant,' struck me deeply." She added, "It is a painful history that we must remember, but I believe that if we hold on to it without forgetting, even a small light from long ago can shine on us again." She expressed hope that the film would bring a small measure of hope to audiences.

Close-ups that capture the universe, praise for one of the finest actors alive

At a press conference held at Megabox COEX in Seoul, director 'Song Il-gon' stressed that casting 'Kim Hye-ja' was inevitable, saying, "What mattered above all was Soon-ok's gaze, which carries a warm compassion for humanity." He was confident in the overwhelming energy that would emerge when the mastery she had built over 65 years as a leading actor was projected onto the character of Soon-ok. He made extensive use of close-ups to heighten the characters' most radiant moments. "Her face contains a vast universe," the director said, praising the experience as "an extraordinary journey in which she explained every emotion through subtle expressions and glances alone, without dialogue."

An intergenerational ensemble, with a set filled with warmth

The younger actors who worked alongside her also expressed deep respect for the dignity of the veteran performer. Cha Mi-kyung, who plays the elderly Jeong-im, described the experience as "like a watercolor painting, with colors spreading beautifully across a blank sheet of paper." Choi Joo-eun, who plays the younger Jeong-im, thanked Kim for her warm consideration, saying, "Your encouragement to act freely gave me great courage." Jo Sung-ha, who plays the village headman, Mr. Gwak, praised her as "our country's most precious treasure and a living national cultural asset." Finally, director 'Song Il-gon' summed up the film's true value by echoing 'Kim Hye-ja''s hope that "the beautiful years must be remembered" and that "just as people become gentler after having a good cry, I hope audiences leave the theater with warm hearts."