Director Lee Sun-jung praises Kim Sae-ron for posthumous role in 'Guitar Man'
Director-actor Lee Sun-jung paid tribute to the late actor Kim Sae-ron at a press conference for the film "Guitar Man" on Wednesday.
"She acted with such warmth and sincerity that watching her, I couldn't help but feel she was truly born to act and that even greater things lay ahead for her as an actor,” Lee said after unveiling the film to the press in Songpa District, southern Seoul, on Wednesday.
The film was filmed last year. It was one of the few projects Kim had been working on following a period of laying low after a 2022 drunk driving incident, and was intended to mark her comeback. Kim was found dead in February at the age of 24.
"Guitar Man" is a music film directed by Lee and Kim Jong-myeon, following a genius guitarist's journey to find hope and connect with people with music despite the harshness of reality.
Kim Sae-ron plays Yu-jin, a keyboardist, in the film.
During the filming process, Lee said he noticed her struggles because she was seen spending most of her time on site in her car between takes, rarely stepping out.
“It felt like she was trying to avoid people,” Lee said. “But what was truly remarkable was that the moment she stood in front of the camera, she completely transformed.”
The director also revealed that when he decided to cast Kim for his film, people around him tried to dissuade him, viewing her as a risky choice.
“To be honest, there were people who advised against casting her, saying it is a risky gamble,” Lee said, adding that he, too, was concerned the film might not be able to premiere after production.
“But during [our first] meeting, Kim showed incredible passion for the film. I really appreciated her enthusiasm, but at the same time, it was bittersweet because she was a young actor who could have easily appeared in many other great films.”
"It was her strong enthusiasm and bright smile during that meeting that made me stand firm in my decision to cast her and to move ahead,” he added.
The film is set for nationwide release on May 30.
BY KIM JI-YE [kim.jiye@joongang.co.kr]
