Jeon Do-Yeon 전도연 [Drama “Crash Course in Romance” | Movie “Kill Boksoon” (NETFLIX)]

[Helena]

https://www.koreanfilm.or.kr/eng/news/features.jsp?blbdComCd=601013&seq=612&mode=FEATURES_VIEW
ARCHIVES - Actor Jeon Doyeon

by Lee Yoochae (Photos by Cine21) | Mar 31, 2023

THE CONTACT, THE HARMONIUM IN MY MEMORY, SECRET SUNSHINE

The tvN series Crash Course in Romance is about to end soon and to allow the return of shining Jeon Doyeon. Playing Nam Haengseon, the owner of the Korean side dish store ‘National Team’, she exhibited the same refreshing candor she had in The Harmonium In My Memory, My Mother, The Mermaid, and You Are My Sunshine, while having us recall the grief-stricken face that she had in Secret Sunshine. After her debut as a model for a commercial in 1990, she learned the basics of playing in TV series and quickly forged strong links with the film industry through films like The Contact, A Promise and Happy End. After she made history by becoming the first Korean to win Best Actress at the Cannes Film Festival in 2007, she has remained as busy as ever. She never took a long hiatus, constantly living up to her reputation or challenging it. The melancholy of seeing this series end gives us joy as well, to see her come back on March 31 in the Netflix original movie Kill Bok-soon. We look back on Jeon Doyeon’s career in photos.  

In 1997, on the set for The Contact, Jeon Doyeon looked absorbed in her thoughts. Her role, Suhyeon, a woman who has long had a crush on her friend's lover, but the lukewarm reaction of the film industry she had received so far after acting on TV and the pressure of her first film might have played a part. But The Contact eventually became the movie that made her an actor beloved by the industry. 

Jeon Doyeon's first Cine21 cover (No. 156) when she was 25 and just started filming her second film A Promise (1998). With her vivid costumes and confidance, you can see how she generated that many positive reviews for her performance.

Spoiler

 

On  the set of Happy End (1999), you would have been hard-pressed to recognize the innocent 17-year-old girl from a mountain village Jeon Doyeon played in The Harmonium In My Memory (1999). The character she played in this movie is Choi Bora, a married woman and mother who has had an affair with her ex-lover Kim Ilbeom (Joo Jin-mo). On that day, she was filming the climax scene where she asks Ilbeom for a break up, with much dedication, discussing how to handle the emotional aspects of each shot with director Jung Jiwoo.

Jeon Doyeon, who appeared on the cover of the issue 284 of Cine 21 wearing an ivory dress, couldn’t stand still during the photoshoot as she kept saying, “It’s embarrassing, I can’t pose.” In an interview, she confessed that the break she endured until filming the melodrama I Wish I Had a Wife (2000) had been painful. “If I don’t work and don’t love, I get depressed. The stress I get from work is something I enjoy, actually. I guess I really enjoy this line of work.”  

In February 2002, ahead of the release of No Blood No Tears (2001), Jeon Doyeon visited the Cine 21 office with director Ryoo Seungwan. Since they were both 29 years old, the main concept was to have a talk without formalities. As she became bold enough to call the director by his given name, she confessed that she felt sorry for disappointing him on the set and that she wanted to do better the next time. 

In March 2004, Cine 21 accompanied the on-location shooting of My Mother, The Mermaid (2004) in Cebu, Philippines. In the photos taken there Jeon Doyeon clearly looked exhausted. In the film, she played both a woman in her 20s, Nayeon, and her haenyeo (woman diver) mother Yeonsun when she was 20. In Cebu, she would stay in the water until she reached her physical limit to be fully immersed in the parts of the shooting underwater. 

She said, “I tend to enjoy physically demanding roles, and I was given scuba training before filming.” She could bear a lot, swallowing a lot of seawater, but she eventually burst in tears when she was stung by a jellyfish.  

In April 2005, while filming You Are My Sunshine (2005) on location in Yeongju city, in North Gyeongsang Province, Jeon Doyeon, who played the role of a woman working for a “ticket tea shop” (a form of sex work service provided under the cover of a coffee delivery service) at the Soonjeong Coffee Shop, is filming a scene in which she cuts apples. The recipient of such carefully prepared fruit juice is Seokjoong, a clumsy young man from the countryside, played by actor Hwang Jungmin.  

  
Jeon Doyeon, who won Best Actress at the 60th Cannes Film Festival for her role as Shinae in Secret Sunshine (2007), exuberantly poses in front of reporters from all over the world. In her acceptance speech, she named the two people she was particularly grateful to: “If it wasn't for Director Lee Changdong, I couldn’t have achieved this. And I believe the character of Shin-ae couldn’t have worked so well without Song Kangho, my dear friend Kangho. I will never forget it.” 

Jeon Doyeon then became a mother, but above everything else, what kept her awake at night during that period was that she couldn't find any scenario that triggered her interest. For her, The Housemaid (2010) is the title that calmed her impatience. Her role in the film is Eunyi, a maid who is “innocent to a fault, just taking things as they come and reacting.” When she took her first steps back on set, she received “a kind of direction I had never received before”, and she was surprised to find a new interest in acting as she followed Im Sangsoo’s instructions. “I remained light-hearted even though there wasn’t a single scene that wasn’t difficult.”  

Ahead of the release of Way Back Home (2013), Jeon Doyeon said, “I still can’t really sort out my feelings living as Jeongyeon.” That's because her character Jeongyeon is a woman who was accused of drug trafficking and imprisoned for two years in Martinique, a remote island that is a French territory. Although it is a person with an undeniably remarkable story, to Jeon’s eyes Jeongyeon is “just an ordinary Korean person”, so she shaped her performance by focusing on the idea of “mundanity”. With director Pang Eunjin, who is also a senior actress, “I thought the shooting would be tricky because we were going to film for about a month in an unfamiliar place, the Dominican Republic, but I grew close to her and our collaboration was hassle-free.”
 

Jeon Doyeon initially declined to appear in Birthday (2018) because she just “didn’t dare” to take on the role of a mother who lost her son in the 2014 Sewol Ferry disaster. When she was offered the scenario again, she accepted the role and decided to believe in the sincerity of this project, which “gives comfort those who have to live on.” Her strict rule was “not to let my feelings get the better of me.” Otherwise, “I wouldn’t have been able to determine whether the things I was feeling were Soonnam’s emotional state or the emotions I could feel while acting. I thought I should stay grounded and not be swept away by this whirlpool of sorrow.”

We met Jeon Doyeon in March 2020 to commemorate the opening of the CGV Arthouse Jeon Doyeon Hall (December 11, 2019). She said, “I try to accept as much as I can the meanings others attribute to me,” and she remained composed when she celebrated the good news. After the glory of the Cannes Film Festival, she strived to find a way to reduce the burden that comes with such a prestigious accolade, but with her accepting the honor of having a cinema auditorium named after her, she decided to carry that burden comfortably. After such a long filmography, Jeon Doyeon’s only plan is to “not think twice. Since I’ve been taking careful steps until now, I wonder if it isn’t time for me to just do whatever I like.  If I remove the ‘actor’ in me, I will be a big empty shell. And that voild couldn’t be filled with anything else. There is nothing that could ever replace it.” 

 

[Helena]

https://elle.com.sg/2023/03/31/jeon-do-yeon-on-action-scenes-and-how-her-aunt-is-the-inspiration-behind-the-name-kill-boksoon/
JEON DO YEON ON ACTION SCENES AND HOW HER AUNT IS THE INSPIRATION BEHIND THE NAME “KILL BOKSOON”

BY FARISIA THANG | MARCH 31, 2023

Photos : Netflix

 

We last saw the legendary Jeon Do Yeon on screen as the warm and indignant Nam Haeng Seon, a former national athlete who now runs a banchan store, in Crash Course in Romance. But we’re about to get a 180° preview of the actress as a legendary contracted killer in the movie Kill Boksoon. As a lethal killer with 100 percent success rate on her contract killings, Boksoon is also a single mother who struggles to connect with her daughter. In this John Wick-esque thriller,

As told to ELLE Singapore in a press conference, Director Byun Sung Hyun along with actors Jeon Do Yeon and Sul Kyung Gu go into detail on this Korean thriller. The action sequences, working together behind the scenes, and how Jeon’s aunt was the inspiration for the name of the character.

 

Congratulations on Kill Boksoon being invited to the Berlin International Festival. How do you feel?

Director Byun Sung Hyun: I remember when I was invited to the Cannes International Film Festival with The Merciless, you asked me the same question and you scolded me for saying that I was lucky. But I still feel the same way. I did not see it coming at all and I thought this film wasn’t the type of film that’d be invited to Berlin, because our film is a rather specific genre show. But I was deeply honoured and delighted that we were invited to Berlin.

The whole setup of a killer being a mom who raises a child is quite novel. Is it true that the character Boksoon and this whole narrative started from Do Yeon?

Director Byun Sung Hyun: Kyung Gu was working on a movie called Birthday with Do Yeon and he called me to the set because he knew that I’ve been a long-time fan of Do Yeon. That’s when he introduced me to her. Do Yeon called me once and proposed that we work on this one project together. I said that I actually want to work on my own with you. So I said, will you be interested in my script? And she was willing to. So I really thought long and hard about what kind of movie I can work on together with Do Yeon.

She’s been in so many great movies, most of them being quite dark and deep. Because her dark and deep movies are really great movies, I didn’t want to fight them head-on. I wanted to go around it. That’s why I chose an action-genre film. I don’t think she was in many action movies so I thought I would write an action movie. I just made up my mind that I wanted to do an action film and I met up with Do Yeon and talked with her to get ideas. I felt that the mum Jeon Do Yeon and the actress Jeon Do Yeon are two quite different people, hence the thought of the job of raising a child and the job of killing people. If I replace acting in her life with killing, that would be very contradictory and ironic. That’s how it all started.

How did you feel when you knew it was going to be an action film?

Jeon Do Yeon: I was intrigued. I wanted to try it — I actually want to try a lot of different genres but chances don’t come that easy. So I was very happy when he proposed an action film. It was my first time deciding to go into a project without reading the scenario so I was happy but I did have my reservations too.

At first, I was quite scared and unsure but I kept telling myself that I have to pull it off no matter what. No matter what happens, I’m going to get this done. And I had to keep practising because the set piece wasn’t me with the action team but me with the other actors, and sometimes the actors might get quite emotional once we’re rolling. So we had to make sure that we had lots of practice so we don’t accidentally get anyone hurt. Also, Director Byun prefers long takes when it comes to action sequences — while it was scary it gave me catharsis when I finished a scene. So I have a lot of different feelings swirling inside me.

This is your third collaboration with each other after I Wish I Had a Wife and Birthday. How was everything?

Jeon Do Yeon: I felt reassured. I always say that he’s like a big mountain. He’s not the expressive type, but he’s always there for me and has got my back. Especially when shooting Kill Boksoon, he waited for me and looked out for me.

Sul Kyung Gu: Jeon Do Yeon is Jeon Do Yeon. End of sentence. One thing I do want to say is that I was watching her do action scenes and I felt so bad as I could really feel that she was trying to overcome her own limits. And she did. She overcame herself. That’s why I thought, “There is Jeon Do Yeon”. And I told her that nobody other than you can pull this role off.

There are many slow-motion shots and camera rotations in the film. Are there some films that you homaged or drew inspiration from?

Director Byun Sung Hyun: I have always been a big fan of Scorsese films — I always watch them. A lot of people tell me that there’s a little bit of Tarantino in my films too. As I said before, I am a big fan of Kyung Gu and Do Yeon and Korean films in the early 2000s. I try to take after those films. For action scenes, I try to follow the style of director Lee Myung Se, but his style is just so immaculate I can’t be half as good.

 

How did you come up with the name Gil Boksoon?

Director Byun Sung Hyun: I actually couldn’t decide on the name. I came up with the daughter’s name Jae Young. I don’t care much about names, so I would just use the names of people who are around me at the time I am writing the script. When I was talking with Do Yeon about the script, Do Yeon’s aunt called her and on her phone, it said “Auntie Boksoon”. So I said I wanted to use that name and Do Yeon said over her dead body, so I felt rebellious and kept the name.

Does your aunt know about this?

Jeon Do Yeon: I did tell her. She said it is an honour. I didn’t not like the name; it’s just that when you think of Boksoon, the character, she’s supposed to be sophisticated and chic, but the name Boksoon is quite old-fashioned and adorable. So I had reservations as to whether the name fits the character, but now in hindsight, I don’t think it’d have worked without this name!

Hwang Jung Min also makes a special appearance in the film. How did that come about?

Director Byun Sung Hyun: I seriously did not even dream of having Jung Min make a special appearance. I was talking with Do Yeon — at first, I wanted to cast a Japanese actor but because of the COVID situation, if someone flew over from Japan there was mandatory quarantine and everything. I wanted a veteran, seasoned actor for the role but I didn’t really have connections so I was asking Do Yeon what I should do, and she asked me how Jung Min sounds. I told her if he says yes that would be beyond my dreams but I don’t even know how to get through to him. Then I got a phone call from him the next day. He didn’t even read the scenario and said yes. After one text message from Do Yeon, he called me the next morning. And I’d like to use this opportunity to thank him.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

 

Kill Boksoon is available on Netflix.

[Helena]

[ netflixkcontent ] They look bloody great 

#killboksoon #netflix #jeondoyeon #sulkyunggu #kimsia @kimsia_official #byunsunghyun 

Spoiler

 

 

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[SUB] EP.1-1ㅣThe business trip that makes brutal killers nervousㅣThe Game Caterers 2 X Kill Boksoon
https://youtu.be/LsrJNUT0eTk

 

[SUB] EP.1-2ㅣKiller customized 'new game' knocks killers outㅣThe Game Caterers 2 X Kill Boksoon
https://youtu.be/U6z9qdx538s 

[Helena]

https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2023/04/05/entertainment/movies/Korea-Netflix-Film/20230405154636992.html
'Kill Boksoon' ranks most-watched non-English film on Netflix on weekly chart

BY CHO YONG-JUN [cho.yongjun1@joongang.co.kr] | April 5, 2023

 

Netflix original film ″Kill Boksoon″ was the most-watched non-English film on Netflix for the week of March 27 [NETFLIX]

Netflix original film "Kill Boksoon," was the most watched non-English film on Netflix for the week of March 27, announced the global streaming service on Wednesday.

The film garnered over 19 million total hours viewed only three days after its release on March 31.

The film also landed at No. 1 on Netflix’s Top 10 most-watched film chart in Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Vietnam, and ranked in the Top 10 in 82 other countries including Canada, Germany, Spain, Brazil and New Zealand.

“Kill Boksoon” is a black comedy crime action film starring actors Jeon Do-yeon, Sol Kyung-gu and Kim Si-a. Jeon plays a single mother, Boksoon, who is secretly part of an assassins’ organization. The movie depicts Boksoon facing the dilemma of renewing her contract with MK ENT, a secret assassins’ organization while facing issues at home with her teenage daughter.

“Kill Boksoon” is the second movie from Korea that topped the most-watched non-English film chart on Netflix this year, following sci-fi flick “Jung_E” in January.

 

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https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20230405006300315
Actor Jeon Do-yeon says done enough action with 'Kill Boksoon'

By Shim Sun-ah (sshim@yna.co.kr) | April 05, 2023

Actor Jeon Do-yeon of the Netflix crime action film "Kill Boksoon" is seen in this photo provided by the global streaming platform. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

SEOUL, April 5 (Yonhap) -- Actor Jeon Do-yeon said Wednesday the experience of doing Netflix's new Korean crime action "Kill Boksoon" was so challenging that she has no immediate plan to undertake another project of the genre.

She played Gil Bok-soon, a top assassin who leads a double life as a single mother of a teenage daughter, in the latest film by director Byun Sung-hyun. It marked the Cannes-winning actor's first title role in an action-packed flick.

"I don't know what will happen after much time has passed, but for now, I think I've done enough for an action genre work," the 50-year-old actress said during a group media interview at a Seoul cafe to promote the film. "It was really hard," she recalled.

To make herself fit for the role, she had to quit drinking, control her diet and exercise hard to increase muscle mass for the first time in her 30-year-long acting career. Practicing action took four months.

Released Friday, the movie topped Netflix's weekly chart on most-viewed non-English films for the week of March 17-April 2, with 19.61 million viewing hours.

It was also critically acclaimed when it premiered at a special section of the Berlin International Film Festival held in February before its release on the streaming platform.

The actress said she volunteered to work with the director, as she was interested in the young director's unique way of writing and directing films.

The director, who previously helmed the crime actioner "The Merciless" (2017) and the political drama film "Kingmaker" (2022), was known among actors for his meticulous directing style of putting every movement by actors under his control during filming.

But she felt "frustrated" soon after the filming began.

"As soon as the filming of the first scene was over, I had a heated argument with the director, saying, 'Is it right to confine and not respect an actor's emotions like this?,'" she said, drawing laughter from reporters.

As Gil was a character that the director created with the versatile actress in mind from the stage of writing his screenplay, he visited her house to know how the life of a mother with a teenage girl is like.

She is married with a 15-year-old daughter in real life.

The resulting character looked very strange in her eyes at first because of the wide gaps in her behavior when she is with her co-workers and with her daughter.

"When I complained about this to the director, his answer was: 'You are just like that.' So, it made me wonder that I'm like this as looking at myself objectively is difficult. It was fun."

She is now spending happy days because of the back-to-back success of two latest titles from her, including the popular tvN drama "Crash Course in Romance."

She said she did not expect the drama to be such a hit and regrets that she didn't have much time to savor the drama's success.

Asked if she feels burdened about heightened expectations of her fans after the successes, she said, "Actually, it's better to get expectations than not to have any. So, I want to receive as much anticipation as possible."

Regarding her future path, she said she is also curious about what projects she will come to pursue. (END)

[Helena]

https://k-odyssey.com/news/newsview.php?ncode=1065596694013806
(Interview) Jeon Do-yeon says she enjoyed watching new self as assassin

YonhapNews / 2023-04-05 16:04:53
(This article is translated from Korean to English by Ha eun Lee)

▲ This photo, provided by Netflix, shows Jeon Do-yeon. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

▲ This file photo shows audience waiting to watch 'Kill Boksoon' at this year's Berlin Film Festival. (Yonhap)

SEOUL, Apr. 5 (Yonhap) -- “It was very cathartic to have viewers get to see a completely different side of me in an action series as a killer Jeon Do-yeon.”



During an exclusive interview with Yonhap News Agency at a cafe in Seoul, veteran actress Jeon Do-yeon expressed her feelings about trying to have a breakout transformation on her image via Netflix’s recently released original thriller “Kill Boksoon.”



Jeon, who successfully transformed into a renowned assassin, said, “I did hours of practice for action scenes for about four months,” adding, “I also worked out and even followed some dietary restrictions for the first time to gain muscles.”



The crime action film follows the story of Gil Bok-soon, a single mother to a teenage girl who lives a double life as a legendary assassin at work. Director Byun Sung-hyun, who was in charge of writing and directing, said Jeon, who also lives a double life as a prominent actress and a mother, inspired him to write the scenario.


“Whenever I am at work, I always pour my utmost effort, and when I am at home, I also try my best to be a better mother,” the actress-cum-mother said. “I think I actually resemble Bok-soon in the film.”



“When a child reaches a certain age, the time comes when the mother’s efforts no longer matter. There are moments when children stop talking as they grow up into teenagers and start pondering over themselves. However, I tend to leave all the decisions to my child. Instead, I tell her to take responsibility for all the consequences,” the actress with a daughter said.



As for working with Director Byun, she shared her candid thoughts, saying, “His method of locking up the cast in one place and filming first seemed to be very new and interesting. But as soon as the filming began, it turned out to be slightly frustrating.”


“He gave me direction for every move and even for the angle of my face. I did not move in the way I wanted to. We even fought over whether it is okay to lock up the cast without respecting their feelings," she said, drawing laughter from reporters. "But looking back, I know that I should thank him since it was him and his way of directing that unveiled a new side of me, even the smallest ones.”



Her first Netflix film was invited to the non-competitive category of this year’s Berlin Film Festival, where the film had its screen debut. The film then received rave reviews for capturing Jeon’s unknown and completely new sides.


The actress said, “I was proud to listen to the compliment that I can not only act realistically as I did in ‘Secret Sunshine’ but also do something else. After winning at the Cannes Film Festival for ‘Secret Sunshine,’ people tended to believe that I was given so many scenarios to choose from. I also wished for that. However, that actually never happened. People must have thought that I would only star in some serious and artistic works. Now that I have starred in ‘Kil Boksoon,’ I wish more would get to know that I am capable of doing diverse genres.”



Nevertheless, the actress added that she has no intention of challenging herself once again for an action movie for the time being.



“I think I have done enough. I am not sure what I will think after some time, but for now, I think I graduated from the action genre.”


“Kill Boksoon” also marks Jeon’s first-ever online over-the-top streamed work. In regards, she said, “There is something different with the kind of stress I feel when it comes to Netflix's original series. We have to rake up high viewing time and also top the chart. So, I am streaming the movie on repeat at home.”



Unlike her worry, her red-hot film is continuing its hot streak: Her Netflix debut film touched down in third place in Netflix’s movie chart based on data released by FlixPatrol on the second day of its release while topping the streamer’s non-English film chart on the third day.


Jeon said, “I am so grateful. I am beyond grateful that we seemed to have lived up to the public expectations of ‘Kil Boksoon.’”



The actress recently showed off her lovely charm by taking the lead role in tvN’s recently wrapped-up popular rom-com “Crash Course in Romance,” while showing off a completely different charm with “Kill Boksoon.” “I am curious and looking forward to what projects I will come to pursue,” the mega-hit actress said.


“I wish more people to have higher expectations of me and my acting. I love this job and always thought this job as a part of me. That is why I always think about my future works rather than solely looking back to my past career.” (END)
 

(C) Yonhap News Agency. All Rights Reserved

[Helena]

https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2023/04/06/entertainment/movies/Korea-Kill-Boksoon-Jeon-Doyeon/20230406130055570.html
Jeon Do-yeon is single mother by day, assassin by night in 'Kill Boksoon'

BY LEE JIAN [lee.jian@joongang.co.kr] | April 6, 2023

 

Jeon Do-yeon as the female assassin Gil Bok-soon in the new Netflix film "Kill Boksoon" [NETFLIX]

Imagine a K-pop entertainment company, like SM or YG, but instead of dolled-up idols, the place is full of professional and wannabe assassins. And this agency's top-rank killer is Gil Bok-soon, portrayed by the equally legendary Jeon Do-yeon. 

Jeon is the first Korean actor to win an award at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival, 16 years ago. 

“Boksoon and I have many similarities, like our hobbies and the fact that we are both mothers, all made intentionally so by the director [Byun Sung-hyun] who also wrote the screenplay,” she told reporters during an interview in central Seoul’s Jongno District on Wednesday. She then bashfully, yet with grounded confidence, added that she, also, was “top-tier” in her field, like her latest part. 

“Kill Boksoon” is a blood-splattering action thriller about ace assassin Gil Bok-soon as she leads a double life as a high-stake killer and a single mother to a teenage daughter. It premiered at the Berlin Film Festival in February before being released on Netflix last week. 

The movie is proving to be a smash hit, becoming the most-watched non-English film on Netflix for the week of March 27. It also landed at No. 1 on Netflix’s Top 10 most-watched film chart in Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Vietnam, and ranked in the Top 10 in 82 countries including Canada, Germany, Spain, Brazil and New Zealand. 

Hearing this news from reporters during her press interview at a cafe in Jongno District on Wednesday, Jeon couldn’t help but hide her relief with a wide, endearing smile. 

“I am so incredibly thankful,” she said. “You need wins like this occasionally, and I couldn’t be more glad that it is here today.” 

Being her first serious action film, there was a lot of pressure riding on this role for her, and she said she had to put in a massive amount of effort, both physically and mentally. 

“The action scenes — and there was an endless amount — were beyond difficult,” she said, adding that she had to go to the hospital at one point. “But I needed to do it well, if not just for the cast and crew of the film, but for myself.”

 

Jeon Do-yeon on the set of "Kill Boksoon" filming an action scene [NETFLIX]

Jeon is known in the movie industry for being a relentless perfectionist who may be petite but bears a mighty soul. Director Byun was inspired by this side of Jeon and wanted to incorporate her as a person into the fictional Bok-soon character. 

“The director came to my house, and observed me and my relationship with my 15-year-old daughter,” she said. “The three of us spent a lot of time together. He saw me at my best and my worst with her.” 

A fierce predator on set and a learning mother at home, “I try my best in both of those positions, like Bok-soon,” she said. 

“Kill Boksoon” comes just a few weeks after the finale of the rom-com “Crash Course in Romance,” in which Jeon also starred, but as a cheerful and innocent banchan (side dish) store owner who falls in love with her niece's math tutor, portrayed by Jung Kyung-ho — a stark contrast from Bok-soon. 

Though she wasn’t given much time to revel in the success of the drama series, which recorded the 10th-highest viewership ratings in local cable television history, Jeon said that she was grateful for the opportunities to tackle different roles. 

“Ever since my Cannes win, I’ve been craving more diverse roles,” she said. “Everyone, including myself, thought that after winning that award, I would get to play whatever I wanted to, but the reality was the opposite. I was offered only very serious roles because I guess the producers and directors assumed that I would only want to do sophisticated, award-winning films.” 

 

Actor Jeon Do-yeon [NETFLIX]

Before Jeon, a Korean actor winning at Cannes was unprecedented. Not only that, but she was also only the fifth Asian actor to achieve the feat. Jeon won Best Actress for her performance as a grieving widow in “Secret Sunshine” (2007).   

Jeon debuted as an actor in 1992 through the television series “Our Paradise” and rose to popularity through films “The Contact” in 1997 and “A Promise” in 1998. 

Over 30 years into her career and at the age of 50, Jeon said that she doesn’t think about how long she’s been at this job. 

“There are still so many more things that I haven’t done and want to do as an actor. I want to continue breaking myself through trying new roles. That’s what I look forward to.” 

[Helena]

http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20230405000674
Jeon Do-yeon says she approached director Byun Sung-hyun of ‘Kill Boksoon’

By Kim Da-sol (ddd@heraldcorp.com) | Apr 5, 2023

Jeon Do-yeon (Netflix)

Jeon Do-yeon said it was she who first approached Byun Sung-hyun, director of the Netflix action film “Kill Boksoon.” She was looking to collaborate with young and rising filmmakers after her own silver screen projects had faltered.

“I had spent quite a long time waiting for the right project to come along, but I wanted to become more of an independent actor. So I approached a number of young and rising directors and director Byun was one of them,” Jeon told The Korea Herald in an interview in Seoul, Wednesday.

According to Jeon, the director found Jeon and the character Gil Bok-soon similar to one another.

In the film, Jeon plays lead character Gil Bok-soon, a legendary female assassin who juggles killing and parenting her teenage daughter Jae-young (Kim Si-a).

“Byun visited my house often and he found it funny to see me panic at home doing household chores and hardly communicating with my 15-year-old daughter. To be honest, ‘Kill Boksoon’ is not just about action but is a family movie of a struggling working mom,” Jeon said.

She explained that the life of a working mom is a universally interesting topic and the story of a killer who is not merciless and grows by raising a daughter attracted her to the film, and global audiences connect with that as well.

 

On Wednesday, “Kill Boksoon” topped Netflix’s non-English film chart.

“I thought that I wouldn’t worry or care about viewer numbers because it’s released on Netflix, but I do feel super excited,” Jeon said.

“I want to show more parts of me, although the audience may think Jeon Do-yeon is just a queen of drama and there is nothing else to expect from me,” she added, joking she was now done with action projects.

Jeon’s first-ever action film, “Kill Boksoon” released on Netflix on March 31.

 

—

https://zapzee.net/2023/04/06/jeon-do-yeon-says-her-real-life-parenting-shaped-her-character-in-kill-boksoon/
Jeon Do Yeon Says Her Real-Life Parenting Shaped Her Character in ‘Kill Boksoon’

By HANA LEE

 

Credit: Management SOOP

Jeon Do Yeon talked about her daughter in an interview for Netflix’s Kill Boksoon.

In the drama, Jeon Do Yeon portrays legendary killer Bok Soon, who has a teenage daughter. She also took on the role of Nam Haeng Seon, an aunt who cares for her nephew as if he were her own son in Crash Course in Romance. During the interview, Jeon opened up about her parenting style, saying, “One thing I have in common with the characters is that I am a clumsy mother.”

“As a mother, I did not know how to communicate well with my children. I’m not saying that acting is easy, but in acting, you clearly know what to do, and there is an end to it once the results come out. However, parenting is different because there is no clear answer to it. For me, parenting is more complicated than acting. Fortunately, I think I have recently passed the point of feeling frustrated as a mother. My daughter now understands what I lack as a mother, and I also trust her and leave everything to her, as I think she is at the age where she can take responsibility for her decisions,” she revealed.

Credit: Netflix

Director Byun Sung Hyun based the mother-daughter relationship in Kill Boksoon on countless observations he made about how Jeon Do Yeon and her daughter actually interact in real life. According to the actress, “The roles of mothers that I’ve played before have been too stereotypical. However, I believe that the characters I portrayed in both Crash Course in Romance and Kill Boksoon accurately reflect how mothers are in real life.”

Jeon Do Yeon also shared, “When my daughter was little, I used to attend parent gatherings all the time. Since I didn’t have much knowledge about education, I would try to learn from other moms and catch up with them. It was just like the characters I played in Gill Book Soon and Nam Haeng Seon.”

Source ( 1 ) 

[Helena]

https://cinemadailyus.com/interviews/kill-boksoon-interview-with-actress-jean-do-yeon/
Kill Boksoon : Interview with Actress Jeon Do-yeon

By Nobuhiro Hosoki | April 5, 2023

 

Synopsis : At work, she’s a renowned assassin. At home, she’s a single mom to a teenage girl. Killing is easy. It’s parenting that’s the hard part.
•    Rating: TVMA (Language|Smoking|Violence)
•    Genre: Action, Mystery & thriller
•    Original Language: Korean
•    Director: Sung-hyun Byun
•    Writer: Sung-hyun Byun
•    Release Date (Streaming): Mar 31, 2023
•    Runtime: 2h 17m
•    Distributor: Netflix

Q: I know there’s a lot of secrets between mother and daughter in the end when it seems that everything is on the table, there’s a closeness between mother and daughter again. Do you think that that’s because secrets are revealed or because mother and daughter both realized that they just wanted to protect each other?

A: Instead of revealing the secrets, for Boksoon and Jae-yeong I think they’ve kind of ‘shared’ their thoughts on those secrets, and that’s how they got to grow together as people. I think it’s a very open end for the movie. I personally don’t think that you have to expose of all your secrets in order to have a good relationship. Sometimes I think secrets are needed to have a healthier relationship. I have a daughter myself, and looking at my mother-daughter relationship, I think there is a place where people do need secrets. So, I don’t think it was necessarily because they shared their secrets. But after sharing their secrets, they could have talks and that’s what was more important.

Q: I recently watched your Korean drama “Crash Course in Romance’.” Your character in Kill Boksoon is very different from “Crash Course in Romance. Did you feel like a bit of catharsis playing in this particular role? Because it’s very different from some of the other roles you’ve done.

A: I would say that I didn’t really feel a sense of catharsis when I was shooting for Kill Boksoon, but the fact that Director Byun came to me with this this movie and asked me to do “Kill Boksoon” did give me a sense of catharsis because this is what I have to work on as well. I think people have a very low expectations for female killers or, you know, female action movies and I kind of want to make sure that I go beyond that and make sure that people are interested in female killers in action. So that was the part that I felt a lot of catharsis.

Also, my character Haeng-son in ‘Crash Course in Romance,’ and then in Kill Boksoon, are two polar opposites – as you said. But you know, me as an actress, and then Haeng-son and Boksoon, they all have something in common. And that is that we are all very hardworking moms that try really hard to look after a kid.

Q: A key part of the film and its action sequences is how the characters imagine the fights playing out with the potential moves being shown on screen. What was it like filming the same scene in different positions and different conclusions?

A: I felt like I was caught up in an endless cycle of action scenes going on and on again. So I would film one position, and then I will think about it and then I’ll go shoot another sequence of the same action scene. So, I think it was, you know, five times or ten times more action than I would expect from an action scene. So, it was a struggle for me, yes.

Q: In the beginning of the film, your character fight who is actually Yakuza guy, where you are a Japanese character. Can you talk about practicing in Japanese languages and delivering those lines?

A: I think it’s always difficult to act in a different language that’s not your mother tongue, whether it be English or Japanese. But, I really tried hard to understand what I was saying in Japanese. I could just memorize the lines but I wanted to make sure that I know what I’m saying, so that I could put feelings of Boksoon into the lines. Thank God, I didn’t have really long lines. But, I just want to say that I really tried to understand what I’m saying so that I could add those emotions in the lines when I was speaking Japanese.

Q: I have seen the different characters that you’ve been playing over the years and now Kill Boksoon is such a different movie for you. And because aspiring Korean actresses take you as an inspiration because of the roles that you have done in the past, what’s been important for you when you select the roles you have selected over the years?

A: From the very beginning of my career, up until now, it was always the scenario that came first. I wanted the scenario to be something that I could relate to, and it had to be a story that I want to tell the audience. But this time it was quite different, because I chose to do the film without even looking at the scenario in the very beginning stages. So actually Director Byun and I would talk and we would kind of make the story together. So it was a very new type of challenge for me.

At first, when I read the scenario – because I didn’t look at the scenario when I chose to do it – I didn’t know if I could pull this off well or not. But you know, over the past years directors have come to me with different genres and I am very thankful for Director Byun for coming to me with such a genre that nobody would expect me to do. Because he chose me, I wanted to show people that I could actually be a very versatile actor who could pull off unexpected genres.

And in the movie there’s this phrase that says something about a dull old knife. They say it actually gives a bigger wound to you when you use a dull knife, it hurts even more. And Director Byun said that as a kind of tribute to seasoned actors like me. So, I think this was kind of like proof to me that people with longer experience can be versatile. They can be really good. So I really wanted to make sure that I pulled this off really well.

 

—

https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/art/2023/04/689_348570.html
Jeon Do-yeon discusses her similarities with iconic character in 'Kill Boksoon'

By Kwak Yeon-soo | 2023-04-06 

 

Actress Jeon Do-yeon / Courtesy of Netflix

Jeon Do-yeon discussed her similarities to Gil Bok-soon, her character in the Netflix film "Kill Boksoon," saying she is very confident but has self-doubt when it comes to parenting her teenage daughter.

"Director Byun Sung-hyun regularly came over to my place and observed my relationship with my 15-year-old daughter. Obviously, he was trying to get ideas for his movie script," she said during an interview with The Korea Times, Wednesday.

"After a while, Byun asked me, 'You're so bold, candid and confident in real life. How come you always play the roles that are either sacrificing heroes or suffering victims?' He said he wanted to give me the part that's empowering and at the top of the food chain."

"Kill Boksoon" tells the story of Gil Bok-soon, a single mother and hired killer who struggles with her work-life balance. Right before her contract renewal, she becomes involved in an unavoidable kill-or-be-killed situation. For her role, Jeon underwent a four-month training process.

"The action was so difficult that I thought I would never do it again. Some scenes were done repeatedly to the point I thought to myself, 'This can't be real.' For instance, we filmed the grimy restaurant scene for a month," she said. 

Jeon said she has anticipated working with young directors. In fact, she had a list of young and rising filmmakers with whom she wanted to work with and Byun's name was on it.

"I really like doing things that make me feel uncomfortable. Working with young directors was one way to come out of my comfort zone. Director Byun's style is to do long takes when it comes to the action, which gave me catharsis when I finished shooting," she said. 

But she had disagreements with director Byun on set in the beginning. "It was a bit frustrating not being able to control myself. Byun wanted to control everything, even the movement of my face," she explained.

What she likes the most about the film is that it's not just an action film, but is about family drama, coming-of-age and romance. "Some say this is an entertaining movie to kill time, but it contains a lot of metaphors and symbols. Watching it more than once will help viewers to understand those hidden messages," she said.

"Kill Boksoon" topped Netflix's weekly chart on most-viewed no-English films for the week of March 27-April 2. It topped Netflix's Top 10 most-watched films charts in Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Vietnam.

When asked if she would do a "Kill Boksoon" sequel, Jeon responded with a no.

"I gave it my all and I'm happy I did it. But I wouldn't be able to do it again. Director Byun agreed with me and said he wouldn't make another action movie," the actress said.

[Helena]

https://zapzee.net/2023/04/07/the-59th-baeksang-arts-awards-full-list-of-nominees-revealed/
The 59th Baeksang Arts Awards: Full List of Nominees Revealed

By HANA LEE

 

The 59th Baeksang Arts Awards announced its nominees for the television and film categories!

 

 

Film Category

Best Film: Next Sohee, The Night Owl, Hansan: Rising Dragon, Hunt, Decision to Leave
Best Director: Kim Han Min (Hansan: Rising Dragon), Park Chan Wook (Decision to Leave), Ahn Tae Jin (The Night Owl), Lee Jung Jae (Hunt), Jung Ju Ri (Next Sohee)
Best New Director: Kim Se In (The Apartment with Two Women), Park Yi Woong (The Girl on a Bulldozer). Ahn Tae Jin (The Night Owl), Lee Sang Yong (The Roundup), Lee Jung Jae (Hunt)
Best Actor: Ryu Jun Yeol (The Night Owl), Ma Dong Seok (The Roundup), Park Hae Il (Decision to Leave), Song Kang Ho (Broker), Jung Woo Sung (Hunt)
Best Actress: Bae Doona (Next Sohee), Yang Mal Bok (The Apartment with Two Women), Yum Jung Ah (Life Is Beautiful), Jeon Do Yeon (Kill Boksoon), Tang Wei (Decision to Leave)
Best Supporting Actor: Kang Ki Young (Bargaining), Kim Sung Cheol (The Night Owl), Park Ji Hwan (The Roundup), Byun Yo Han (Hansan: Rising Dragon), Im Si Wan (Emergency Declaration)
Best Supporting Actress: Park Se Wan (6/45), Bae Doona (Broker), Ahn Eun Jin (The Night Owl), Yum Jung Ah (Alienoid), Lee Yeon (Kill Boksoon)
Best New Actor: Roh Jae Won (Missing Yoon), Jinyoung (Christmas Carol), Byeon Woo Seok (20th Century Girl), Seo In Guk (Project Wolf Hunting), Ong Seong Wu (Life is Beautiful)
Best New Actress: Go Youn Jung (Hunt), Kim Si Eun (Next Sohee), Kim Hye Yoon (The Girl on a Bulldozer), IU (Broker), Ha Yoon Kyeong (Gyeong-ah’s Daughter)

Best Screenplay: Park Gyu Tae (6/45), Lee Jung Jae & Cho Seung Hee (Hunt), Jeong Seo Kyeong & Park Chan Wook (Decision to Leave), Jung Ju Ri (Next Sohee), Hyun Gyu Ri & Ahn Tae Jin (The Night Owl)
Best Technical: Ryu Seong Hee (Decision to Leave – Art Direction), Lee Mogae (Hunt – Cinematography), Jeong Seong Jin & Jeong Chul Min (Hansan: Rising Dragon – VFX), Jo Yeong Wook (Decision to Leave – Music), Hong Seung Chul (The Night Owl – Lighting)

 

TV Category
Best Drama: My Liberation Notes (JTBC), The Glory (Netflix), Our Blues (tvN), Extraordinary Attorney Woo (ENA), Little Women (tvN)
Best Director: Kim Kyu Tae (Our Blues), Kim Seok Yoon (My Liberation Notes), Kim Hee Won (Little Women), Yoo In Shik (Extraordinary Attorney Woo ), Lee Joo Young (Anna)
Best Screenplay: Kim Eun Sook (The Glory), Moon Ji Won (Extraordinary Attorney Woo), Park Hae Young (My Liberation Notes), Jeong Seo Kyung (Little Women), Hong Jung Eun & Hong Mi Ran (Alchemy of Souls)
Best Technical: No Young Shim (Extraordinary Attorney Woo – Music), Ryu Seong Hee (Little Women – Art Direction), Song Nak Hoon, Cho Jin Hyun, Hwang In Wook (Inkigayo – Cinematography), Hwang Jin Hye (Extraordinary Attorney Woo – VFX), Jang Jong Kyung (The Glory – Cinematography)
Best Actor: Son Suk Ku (My Liberation Notes), Lee Byung Hun (Our Blues), Lee Sung Min (Reborn Rich), Jung Kyung Ho (Crash Course in Romance), Choi Min Sik (Casino)
Best Actress: Kim Ji Won (My Liberation Notes), Kim Hye Soo (Under the Queen’s Umbrella), Park Eun Bin (Extraordinary Attorney Woo), Song Hye Kyo (The Glory), Suzy (Anna)
Best Supporting Actor: Kang Ki Young (Extraordinary Attorney Woo), Kim Do Hyun (Reborn Rich), Kim Jun Han (Anna), Park Sung Hoon (The Glory), Jo Woo Jin (Narco-Saints)
Best Supporting Actress: Kim Shin Rok (Reborn Rich), Yeom Hye Ran (The Glory), Lee El (My Liberation Notes), Lim Ji Yeon (The Glory), Jung Eun Chae (Anna)
Best New Actor: Kim Gun Woo (The Glory), Kim Min Ho (Recruit), Moon Sang Min (Under the Queen’s Umbrella), Joo Jong Hyuk (Extraordinary Attorney Woo), Hong Kyung (Weak Hero Class 1)
Best New Actress: Kim Hieora (The Glory), Roh Yoon Seo (Crash Course in Romance), Lee Kyung Seong (My Liberation Notes), Joo Hyun Young (Extraordinary Attorney Woo), Ha Yoon Kyeong (Extraordinary Attorney Woo)

 

The 59th Baeksang Arts Awards will be held on April 28th.

Source: https://www.baeksangawards.co.kr/candidate/2 

[Helena]

https://k-odyssey.com/news/newsview.php?ncode=1065568012440123
Director Byun Sung-hyun from S.Korean Netflix Movie 'Kill Boksoon' "Jeon Do-yeon was my inspiration for the movie"

YonhapNews / 2023-04-07 08:06:24

(This article is translated from Korean to English by Joonha Yoo)

 

▲This photo, provided by Netflix, shows director Byun Sung-hyun. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (yonhap)
 

Spoiler

▲These photos, provided by Netflix, show scenes from the movie 'Kill Boksoon.' (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (yonhap)
 
SEOUL April 7 (Yonhap) -- Director Byun Sung-hyun, who participated in an interview regarding the Netflix original movie “Kill Boksoon” at a small café in Jongno district on Thursday, said “Actress Jeon Do-yeon is a perfect actress in my perspective. When thinking of such perfect actress I tried to come up with something that she might not have encountered often, as far as genre wise. That is how I came to offer the actress with the action genre.”


In the interview, director addressed that he started the process of writing the scenario with actress Jeon Do-yeon in his mind.



“I have been fan of actress Jeon Do-yeon for a while now, I guess instead of fan it would be more fitting to address her as a role model. She was someone so famous and well known to a point where it was just impossible for someone like me to meet, therefore when I first encountered actress Jeon Do-yeon I was nervous to a point where I was shivering.



Netflix original movie “Kill Boksoon” released on March 31, depicts a story of legendary contract killer Gil Bok-soon. Although female protagonist Gil Bok-soon acted by Jeon Do-yeon plans to exit out of the business for her daughter, however, she gets caught up in a unavoidable battle which brings her back to the industry of contract killers. 



Director Byun addressed “I tried to incorporate realistic story with an unrealistic environment. Since the movie depicts an unrealistic environment and atmosphere, I thought I create the plot as realistic as possible. Story I wrote was inspired by actress Jeon Do-yeon. The irony set by the fact that actress Jeon Do-yeon is a top star but at the same time a mother of somebody helped me plot out the movie.”


Movie “Kill Boksoon” is a first fully grounded action movie for both actress Jeon Do-yeon but also director Byun. 



“When I first approached actress with the idea of ‘Kill Boksoon’ Jeon Do-yeon answered with ‘I am not sure whether I am good with action genre,’ however, I had confidence in the actress and knew she will make it work despite of the situation. She is very competitive actress, throughout the process of production I have learned a lot from the actress.”



However, director Byun Sung-hyun also stated that he doesn’t plan on leading the production of action movies for a while. 



Director Byun continued on by stating “I am not a big fan of action movies, I don’t know how people will change, however, at the moment, I don’t plan on working with the production of fully fledged action movie like ‘Kill Boksoon’ I might write a scenario, however I don’t think I will lead the production as a director. The reason being, I am not comfortable watching the actors and actresses suffer within the scene of production.” 




Regarding the controversy of the looking down upon certain provinces, director addressed “Despite of the risk actress Jeon Do-yeon took, I feel like I have failed to fulfill my duty as a director to support her role and provide good image upon the premiere of the movie, therefore I feel really bad.”



The scenes which were subjected to controversy were the parts where the contract killers received their offer. Throughout the movie the contract killers received their mission through an envelope with Suncheon, and Jeolla written on top, therefore some of the audiences raised a question of looking down upon those who live within those areas. 



“I never once thought of such thing before, therefore I was shocked and didn’t know what to do. Within the movie, contract killers with lack of ability are offered with missions done domestically therefore the scene existed, however I blamed myself for such problem because if it was a different director then such problem would not have surfaced.”


Director Byun who is well known for his usage of color, managed to emphasize the scenes by using the contrast of colors red and green, and showcased the green house with flamboyant interior design to attract the audience’s interest. Moreover, the battle between the protagonist and the yakuza is shot in an angle to provide unique experience to the viewers. 



Continuing on, director thanked art director for the success of the production of “Kill Boksoon.” 



“Art director Han Ah-rum is a person I visit to showcase the scenario I have came up with. Director would come up with a design and I would revise the scenario accordingly and work to come up with better and improved movies. Recent days I have gone through some thought changes, and now one of my first priorities are actors and actresses.”

“I try my best to shoot the scene more artistically, therefore actors and actresses way of dealing with emotions are very important. Directors are the ones who give directions to actors and actresses, therefore most of the work are done by those who appear on the screen. We as staff members are given the task of putting spotlight on to hard working actors and actresses who work very hard in front of the camera using lights, camera angles, and more.” 



Another main actor who appears in the movie “Kill Boksoon” is Sol Kyung-gu. Director Byun has casted actor Sol Kyung-gu in three of his movies starting from “The Merciless,” from 2016, “Kingmaker” in 2021, and “Kill Boksoon” in 2023. 



Director addressed “Out of South Korean actors and actresses, Jeon Do-yeon is my favorite actress of all time and I like actor Sol Kyung-gu” addressing his love for the way he acts.



“Recently I saw a comment regarding how some of the audiences are tired of seeing the chemistry of Sol Kyung-gu and Byun Sung-hyun, until I saw the comment I didn’t really have any thoughts regarding the continuous casting of actor Sol Kyung-gu, however, now that I have seen the comment I have decided to work more closely with actor Sol Kyung-gu because I have a trait jokester. However this time I would like to try out a character distinctively different from the one he showcased in the film ‘Oasis’ in 2002.” (END)
 

(C) Yonhap News Agency. All Rights Reserved

[Helena]

Unveiling secrets from the set of Kill Boksoon | Kill Boksoon Commentary [ENG SUB]

Watch Kill Boksoon on Netflix: https://www.netflix.com/title/81478985

Subscribe to Netflix K-Content: https://bit.ly/2IiIXqV 

#KillBoksoon #JeonDoyeon #SulKyunggu #Kimsia #Esom #KooKyohwan #LeeYeon #ByunSunghyun

Spoiler

 

Behind The Scenes Talk With Jeon Do-yeon, Si-ah Kim, Sung-hyun Byun | Netflix

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

—

https://www.lifestyleasia.com/kl/entertainment/movies/kill-boksoon-star-jeon-do-yeon-shares-about-netflix-action-film-interview/
LSA Exclusive: ‘Kill Boksoon’ star Jeon Do-yeon talks about the challenges of her first action role

By JIANNE SORIANO | 12 Apr 2023 02:00 PM

 

 

With more than three decades in the entertainment industry, you would think that Jeon Do-yeon has done all the roles she can possibly do! But with Kill Boksoon, Netflix’s first South Korean original film offering from the year, Jeon Do-yeon welcomes a new chapter in her career. This time, she takes on her first role in an action film.

Jeon Do-yeon is a household name in South Korea, often cited as a role model for young actresses and for good reasons. Unlike her peers, she’s not afraid to take on bold roles. Throughout her career, she has had a streak of blockbusters, arthouse films, and TV dramas. She received the Best Actress award at the 60th Cannes Film Festival for performing in Secret Sunshine (2007). She became the first Korean actress to win the title.

Most recently, the decorated actress was in another series that aired on Netflix, Crash Course in Romance, where she played a single mother. Showcasing her versatility and acting chops, she takes on a different role for Kill Boksoon—that of a mother and a skilled assassin. The film premiered at the prestigious Berlin International Film Festival before its release on Netflix. 

While in Seoul for the film’s media day, Lifestyle Asia had the chance to do a roundtable discussion with Jeon Do-yeon to talk about her character.

Image credit: Netflix

You take on the role of an assassin and a mother at the same time. Which do you think is easier – raising a child and doing your job?

Nothing comes easy, for sure. But I do think that work is somewhat easier than raising a child. I have more control over my work, but when it comes to raising my child there are things that are beyond my reach. There are things I have no choice but to accept. That’s why I think work is easier.

How different is Bok-soon compared to the other characters you’ve played in the past?

When I first started to prepare for the role of Bok-soon, I thought it wouldn’t be that hard since I have a lot of similarities with her. We are both mothers who have jobs. The only difference was the nature of our work. I felt somewhat comfortable immersing myself in my character. I guess the hard part was filming the action scenes.

Since this movie is not just about action, but contains the story of a mother, and even romance, I had to find the right balance. I talked a lot about finding that balance with Director Byun. I think my past roles as a mother were closer to an ideal mother. This time, Bok-soon is a realistic mother, based on my own experiences as a mother.

How long did you prepare for the action scenes?

The training took about four months. Personally, I didn’t want to use a stunt double. I wanted to do all of the action scenes myself, but it was physically not feasible. I don’t know if this is the right word, but as my character had to compromise on some parts, I had to compromise too. I thought that was the best way to show the best version of my character on screen. I had lengthy conversations with the director about making those kinds of decisions. I kept asking the director for more time for me to practice and train for scenes that I really wanted to shoot myself.

Gil Bok-soon uses a lot of different weapons in the film. Which one did you find hardest to use?

Each action scene was difficult, but the biggest burden to me was using the sword. It’s very long and hard to fathom how far it’ll reach, so I was really scared to hurt someone. It was the most threatening weapon to work with.

Your wardrobe is very colourful in the film, compared to the stereotypical clothing that assassins wear. What did you think of your overall look?

In the movie, each character is given a different colour. Gil Bok-soon has red. Though the story is about a killer, it’s hard to say that the movie is all dark. Her story also showcases her relationship with her daughter, so there’s melodrama, too. I wanted to show her various sides with different colours. The most memorable suit was the red one, of course.

Through the colour red, she lives a very complicated life. She’s an assassin, and she’s a mom. So, I thought, what would it be like to wear clothes that show different hues of red depending on where she is. We gave a lot of thought to what kind of textures Bok-soon should wear. It wasn’t difficult. I really enjoyed thinking about what colours to dress Bok-soon in.

Do you see yourself doing more action films in the future?

After I wrapped Kill Boksoon, I thought, “I’m never doing action again.” I don’t know if I’ll change my mind later, but I did think that that was enough action for me. (laughs)

Kill Boksoon is now showing, exclusively on Netflix.

[Helena]

https://top10.netflix.com/
Global Top 10 [APRIL 3 - APRIL 9, 2023]
Weekly Top 10 lists of the most-watched TV and films.

TOP 10 Films (Non-English)

 

Spoiler

 

 

Titles in the Global Top 10 from April 3 - April 9, 2023 were also popular in countries around the world:

 

 

[Helena]

https://www.screendaily.com/news/cannes-award-winner-jeon-do-yeon-and-director-oh-seung-uk-reunite-for-revolver-exclusive/5183767.article
Cannes award-winner Jeon Do-yeon and director Oh Seung-uk reunite for ‘Revolver’ (exclusive)

BY JEAN NOH | 4 JULY 2023

 

SOURCE: PLUS M
(L-R) JEON DO-YEON, JI CHANG-WOOK, LIM JI-YEON AT A TABLE READ FOR ‘REVOLVER’

Cannes best actress winner Jeon Do-yeon has reunited with director Oh Seung-uk on the Korean filmmaker’s latest feature, Revolver, which began shooting in South Korea last month.

Jeon is known for roles in Lee Chang-dong’s Secret Sunshine, for which she won the best actress award at Cannes in 2007, director Oh’s The Shameless, which played in Un Certain Regard at Cannes in 2015, and more recently Netflix feature Kill Boksoon, which premiered at the Berlinale in February.

Oh’s upcoming Revolver, so far kept tightly under wraps, stars Jeon as an ex-police officer who leaves prison after serving a sentence for crimes in dubious circumstances and launches into a single-minded mission.

The film also stars Ji Chang-wook and Lim Ji-yeon from Netflix shows The Sound Of Magic and The Glory, respectively.

It is produced by Sanai Pictures, which has a string of Cannes titles to its name including The Shameless, this year’s Un Certain Regard first feature Hopeless and last year’s Midnight Screening title Hunt, helmed by first-time director and Squid Game star Lee Jung-jae.

Plus M Entertainment, which worked with Sanai Pictures on films such as Hunt and Hopeless, is also backing and distributing Revolver.

Having started production in June, the film is understood to be aiming to be completed and ready in time for submission to Cannes in 2024.

 

—
https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2023/07/05/entertainment/movies/Korea-Revolver-Jeon-Doyeon/20230705114759194.html
Jeon Do-yeon, Lim Ji-yeon to star in new movie 'Revolver'

BY LIM JEONG-WON [lim.jeongwon@joongang.co.kr] | July 5, 2023

 

From left, actor Lim Ji-yeon, director Oh Seung-wook, actors Jeon Do-yeon and Ji Chang-wook pose for a photo during a table reading for the upcoming film ″Revolver.″ [PLUS M ENTERTAINMENT]

Jeon Do-yeon, Lim Ji-yeon and Ji Chang-wook have been cast in the upcoming film "Revolver," production company and distributor Plus M Entertainment announced Wednesday. 

Jeon will play Ha Soo-young, a former police officer who goes on a quest after being released from prison for being framed for a crime. Lim will play Jung Yoon-sun, who accompanies Jeon's character, while Ji will play a mysterious man named Andy. 

Oh Seung-wook will direct "Revolver." Oh has previously directed Jeon in the noir film "The Shameless." 

Jeon debuted in 1992 with the television series "Our Heaven" and has since starred in a number of critically and commercially successful films, including "Secret Sunshine" (2007) — for which she won best actress at the 60th Cannes International Film Festival — and most recently, the Netflix film "Kill Boksoon." 

Lim, who made her first feature film debut in 2014 with "Obsessed," made a breakthrough with the Netflix drama series "The Glory" (2022–2023) and is currently starring in "Lies Hidden in My Garden" together with Kim Tae-hee.

Ji began his career in theater and has starred in television series such as "Empress Ki" (2013–2014), "Suspicious Partner" (2017), "The Sound of Magic" (2022) and "If You Wish Upon Me" (2022).