“I wanted to talk about the beauty of small, insignificant things”: ‘The Table: Day and Night’ Press Screening and Press Conference Wrap Up

The film 〈The Table: Day and Night〉 held a successful press screening and press conference ahead of its November 4 release. A delightful, lovely film about conversations between day and night, who spend time at a café as the seasons pass, 〈The Table: Day and Night〉 wrapped up its press screening and press conference on Monday, November 2, at CGV Yongsan I'Park Mall.

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Director Kim Jong-kwan and cast members Kim Min-ha, Joo Jong-hyuk, Han Sun-hwa, Chang Ryul, Sim Eun-kyung, Jeon So-young and Kim Dong-hwi attended the press screening, sharing a range of stories about the film and building anticipation for its release. Asked what inspired him to direct the film, Kim Jong-kwan said, “There’s a scene where Hyeon-oh says that there’s another universe inside a small watch. I wanted to make a film that shows how simply looking at life’s fleeting moments can make you think about where they came from and where they’re headed. There are all kinds of films in the world, but I thought someone should make a film that talks about the beauty of small, insignificant things. This kind of project depends on the actors’ focus and passionate performances. We were able to complete the film because the actors who suited each character connected with what the film was trying to say and enjoyed being part of it.” He reflected on the film’s origins and production.

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The actors were then asked to share their thoughts. Asked how they felt when they first received the script and about attending the Busan International Film Festival as the opening film, Kim Min-ha said, “I’ve been a longtime fan of Director Kim Jong-kwan, so just receiving the script felt like an honor. When I first read it, it felt like I was reading someone’s diary. I was drawn to how all these different stories unfolding in one place came together to form a single picture. The two days of filming and the news that it had been selected as the opening film both felt like a dream. I hope this film can become a dream for audiences, too.” Joo Jong-hyuk recalled, “When I first read the script, it brought back memories of when I used to work at a café. Attending the Busan International Film Festival as the opening film was a very happy experience. I got to meet and celebrate with wonderful actors for the first time and talk with so many people who love movies.” Han Sun-hwa said, “I’ve been a longtime fan of Director Kim Jong-kwan, and I especially love 〈The Table〉, so when I received the script, I was so honored I could hardly believe it. I was very happy to play one of the people who sit across a table and talk in a café. I was also moved by the fact that the film had been selected as the opening film of the 31st Busan International Film Festival and that we could present it before filmmakers from around the world.” Chang Ryul shared, “I read the script while traveling, and Sang-mi and Young-min’s episode felt like a little journey in everyday life. I was drawn to the energy Sang-mi gives Young-min and to the story’s ability to help you step away from your routine and see life from a new perspective. From the moment I arrived at the Busan International Film Festival to all the time I spent with Director Kim Jong-kwan, it all felt like a new and special journey.”

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Sim Eun-kyung said, “When I first read the script, the character’s tone and manner felt like a challenge because it was unlike anything I’d acted in before. I especially wondered how I could express the cinematic space that is so characteristic of Director Kim Jong-kwan using only dialogue and imagination. Thanks to the director, I was able to take on a new character and try a new kind of performance. When I heard that the film had been selected as the opening film, I felt honored that we could present it, and because it was a work by Director Kim Jong-kwan, it held an even more special meaning for me.” Jeon So-young said, “When I first read the script, I wanted to be part of a pivotal moment in Na-kyung’s life. Since this was a character I hadn’t shown audiences before, I leaned on the director a lot as I took on this new challenge. I’d attended the Busan International Film Festival as an audience member every year and dreamed of walking the red carpet someday. I was so happy and honored to be part of the opening film. It was an overwhelming experience—every moment felt like a dream.” Kim Dong-hwi said, “I’d been a longtime fan of Director Kim Jong-kwan, and I studied his work back in school, so I was happy from the moment I was offered the role. At first, I worried about whether I could pull off Jong-su, but the director’s faith in me gave me the courage to try. This film was a new challenge for me, too. Being onstage after the film was selected as the opening film of the world-renowned Busan International Film Festival left a deep impression on me. It was an honor beyond words.”

Asked about what makes each couple in the film’s episodes appealing, Kim Dong-hwi went first: “What’s appealing about Na-kyung and Jong-su as a couple is their youthful freshness, and the tension that remains between them even though they’ve been together for a long time. I was struck by how they try to show each other one last bit of respect even as they’re breaking up.” Jeon So-young added, “We talked a lot while filming about our lines and emotions, and I think the easy rapport we built through those conversations is another thing that makes our couple special.” Sim Eun-kyung said, “The appeal of our couple is that they don’t agree on anything, from A to Z. Hye-jin doesn’t think much of Dong-nam, but as they talk, they gradually warm to each other and realize that even people who are different from them can share common ground. I think their awkward but lovely efforts to meet each other halfway, even though they don’t quite fit, are what make them appealing.”

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Chang Ryul said, “I think our couple works because one of them talks a lot while the other is more reserved. Young-min, the character I played, had to respond to his scene partner’s performance, so I watched Han Sun-hwa and felt a sense of awe and drew a lot of inspiration from her. I was happy to act alongside her.” Han Sun-hwa replied, “I’ll never forget the way Chang Ryul brought his eyes into our scenes together. He was a wonderful scene partner who could meet Sang-mi’s energy.” Joo Jong-hyuk then said, “The scene where Yoo-jin and Hyeon-oh appear in the same frame is very short, but in that moment, I felt we were perfectly in sync. I still can’t forget the atmosphere of that moment, when even the rhythm of our inhales and exhales matched perfectly.” His lively remarks brought a cheerful energy to the room. Kim Min-ha responded, “The charm of Yoo-jin and Hyeon-oh is that their relationship is tantalizingly close, but never quite there. What makes our couple special, I think, is that it leaves you wondering whether the two of them will ever meet.”

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Wrapping up the press screening and press conference on a warm note, Director Kim Jong-kwan’s new film 〈The Table: Day and Night〉, starring Kim Min-ha, Joo Jong-hyuk, Han Sun-hwa, Chang Ryul, Sim Eun-kyung, Lee Hee-jun, Jeon So-young and Kim Dong-hwi, is ready for release and opens in theaters nationwide on November 4.