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| Actor Han Ji-min / Courtesy of BH Entertainment |
By Kwak Yeon-soo
Actress Han Ji-min said her new film "Josee," a remake of Isshin Inudo's 2003 Japanese film "Josee, the Tiger and the Fish," changed her perception of love and life.
"Getting over a breakup or losing a family member or having to say goodbye to one's dog isn't easy. It often takes time to heal and move on. But after filming Josee, I realized that I should look on the bright side and remain hopeful even when saying goodbye to loved ones," Han said during an interview with The Korea Times via Google Meet, Thursday.
"I also learned that I should be honest about my feelings. In the past, I tried very hard not to argue with people because I was too conscious about what others would think about me or my actions."
The romance drama "Josee" follows an ordinary college student named Young-seok (Nam Joo-hyuk) falling for Josee (Han), a woman in a wheelchair. Despite the social prejudice, the two fall in love. With the support of Young-seok, Josee learns to step out of her comfort zone and face the outside world.
"Compared with the original Japanese film, our story focuses more on the process of the two characters falling in love. It doesn't explain much about the breakup process. I agreed with director Kim Jong-kwan that there can't be one clear reason to end the relationship. So we decided to concentrate on the growth of Josee's character," she said.
The 38-year-old actress said she was attracted by the subtle and complex characteristic of Josee.
"Josee has her own universe created by extensive reading. So she has her own way of expressing her thoughts and feelings," Han said.
"Josee's role required some very sensitive and delicate acting because I've never played a character who often lies or says the opposite of her true intentions."
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| A scene from the film "Josee" / Courtesy of Warner Bros. Korea |
Han added that she looked up videos of people with disabilities to portray the character who is paralyzed from the waist down.
"While preparing for the role, I moved around in my place in a wheelchair or tried to get around without moving my legs," she said.
On partnering with Nam for the second time after the TV series "The Light in Your Eyes" (2019), Han said, "When we were filming The Light in Your Eyes, Nam expressed his nervousness about acting alongside veteran actors including Kim Hye-ja. So, I rooted for him and made sure he was comfortable on set. This time, however, I relied on him and learned a lot from him. Despite his young age, he's extremely knowledgeable."
The film is set for release in Singapore, Dec. 10, and Taiwan the following day, according to Warner Bros. Korea. It will then hit screens in Vietnam, Indonesia and Hong Kong, Dec. 18, 23 and 31, respectively. The film has also been sold for release in other countries, including China, Japan, Canada and the U.S.
"Josee" will also hit local theaters, Dec. 10.
