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INTERVIEWKim Hye-soo on inner struggle, criticism, role in 'The Day I Died'

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Kim Hye-soo. / Courtesy of Hodu&U Entertainment
Kim Hye-soo. / Courtesy of Hodu&U Entertainment

By Kwak Yeon-soo

Kim Hye-soo, who started acting in the 1980s, has definitely made her mark on the entertainment industry. She is well-known for her iconic roles in films like "Tazza: The High Rollers" (2006), "The Thieves" (2012) and "Default" (2018).

After starring in the recent hit TV series "Hyena" as a quirky yet brilliant lawyer, the actress chose the complete opposite character in the mystery thriller "The Day I Died: Unclosed Case."

In the upcoming film, Kim plays Hyun-soo, a police detective assigned to investigate the suspicious disappearance of a teenage girl named Se-jin (Roh Jeong-eui).

While tracing Se-jin's last day before she disappears from a cliff, Hyun-soo finds out about the girl's intimate relationship with a local island resident (Lee Jung-eun), who lost her voice and lives with her comatose niece. With a resident's help, Hyun-soo gets one step closer to the truth.

One notable aspect of the mystery thriller is that it dives deeper into Hyun-soo's emotional state and displays how the character heals her own emotional wounds that are exposed during the investigation.

On playing Hyun-soo, who struggles with arm paralysis and insomnia due to a years-long fight with her unfaithful husband, Kim said she could relate to the character because she, too, has experienced feelings of despair.

"I chose to take on the film because at the time I received the script, I was suffering from emotional distress," she told The Korea Times, Thursday.

Referring to her own broken ties with her own mother, the veteran actress shared that, like Hyun-soo, she experienced the worst possible betrayal from someone she loved and trusted unconditionally.

"There were lots of scenes laden with many complex emotions, and I was able to relate to her because I've also been in a dire situation," she said. "People often say, 'the least you can do is worry about celebrities,' but we're also humans. There's always a dark side of the bright side."

Kim Hye-soo / Courtesy of Hodu&U Entertainment
Kim Hye-soo / Courtesy of Hodu&U Entertainment

Asked about her tips for coping with emotional pain, she shared some sage advice.

"I think overcoming is impossible. And I cannot say that I now have the ability to avoid pain and sorrow. I just let the time pass by," she said.

"A few years later if you look back at the time, it feels like nothing and you start to see things that you couldn't in the past. You also realize that there was always somebody who helped you get through the hard times."

On being a highly desired actress with plenty of opportunities for more than 30 years, she said she did not want to put limits on trying her best.

"I don't know if becoming an actor was the best decision, but I certainly feel grateful for it," she said. "There were times when I tried to guard myself or quit, but I've learned that they all shaped me to become who I am now. I will continue to devote myself fully to acting."

"The Day I Died: Unclosed Case" will hit local theaters, Nov. 12.


Kwak Yeon-soo yeons.kwak@koreatimes.co.kr


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