[Photo] OSEN DB.
Actress Jeon Do-yeon, starring in the film ‘Possible Love’, recently addressed the buzz surrounding potential Oscar nominations for Best Actress, stating, “I experienced it at Cannes 10 years ago, and I know that nothing really changes. Winning or losing an award is not important.”
On the afternoon of the 9th, an interview with Jeon Do-yeon, the lead actress of the Netflix film ‘Possible Love’, took place at a cafΓ© in Samcheong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul.
The Netflix film ‘Possible Love’ (directed by Lee Chang-dong, written by Lee Chang-dong and Oh Jung-mi, produced by Finehouse Film, Anonymous Content, and Now Film, presented by Netflix, distributed by NEW) depicts the stories of two couplesβa laid-off worker and his wife, alongside a documentary director and her husbandβwho meet for a documentary project and confront different lives and hidden desires. This marks the 8-year return of master director Lee Chang-dong, who previously directed ‘Green Fish’, ‘Peppermint Candy’, ‘Oasis’, ‘Secret Sunshine’, ‘Poetry’, and ‘Burning’.
Director Lee Chang-dong was honored with the Silver Lion Jury Grand Prize at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival, which closed in September. This is the second-highest honor right below the Golden Lion. It marks the first time a Korean film has won the Jury Grand Prize, and the first time a Korean film has won a competitive section trophy in 14 years since Kim Ki-duk’s ‘PietΓ ’ (2012). Director Lee previously won the Silver Lion for Best Director with ‘Oasis’ (2002), enjoying glory at the Venice Film Festival once again after 24 years. Furthermore, domestic and international media outlets are predicting that ‘Possible Love’ will land a Best Picture nomination at the 98th Academy Awards next March, with Jeon Do-yeon nominated for Best Actress.
In the film, Jeon Do-yeon plays Mi-ok, the wife of laid-off worker Ho-seok, while Sol Kyung-gu plays Ho-seok, Cho Yeo-jeong plays documentary director Ye-ji, and Zo In-sung plays Ye-ji’s husband Sang-woo. The lives of the four characters take unexpected turns as documentary director Ye-ji approaches the couple to shoot a documentary about unemployed and laid-off workers.
This marks Jeon Do-yeon’s reunion with Director Lee Chang-dong 19 years after ‘Secret Sunshine’, which won her the Best Actress award at the 60th Cannes Film Festival. It is also her fourth collaboration with Sol Kyung-gu, following ‘I Wish I Had a Wife’, ‘The Fault in Our Stars’ (Momo), ‘Birthday’, and ‘Possible Love’. Jeon Do-yeon also recently won the Best Actress award at the 46th Korean Association of Film Critics Awards for ‘Possible Love’.
Reflecting on the positive reception of the film, she stated, “Rather than a sense of satisfaction for having accomplished something, I felt flustered. To be precise, it wasn’t about ‘doing better and achieving more.’ Instead of trying to look flawless as a character like I used to, I accepted the character’s circumstances and acted naturally. On set, it was a different working experience from ‘Secret Sunshine’. I kept wondering, ‘Can Director Lee Chang-dong’s set be this comfortable? Can Director Lee Chang-dong’s set have this much laughter?’ I thought, ‘Let’s let go of the intensity and comfortably approach this project anyway.’ It was surprisingly a healing set. All the actors filmed while laughing. It was a story without major incidents or issues, filmed smoothly like flowing water. I even wondered, ‘Is this being captured well?”
She continued, “When it opened at the Venice Film Festival and received rave reviews, as I stood ready to do the GV after the screening, I asked the director, ‘Did I really act well?’ The praise was so overwhelming that it felt baffling and questionable. I wondered, ‘Did I actually do anything?’ At that moment, the director held my hand tightlyβhe usually doesn’t say ‘You did really well’βand told me, ‘You did well~ Of course you did, watch the movie again later.’ Only then did I think, ‘Ah, I acted well.’ As soon as it opened on Netflix, I watched the movie and simply saw myself as Mi-ok. I felt that I acted well. Rather than feeling like I achieved another great acting feat, it was just nice to look like Mi-ok.”
Regarding her chances of winning awards, Jeon Do-yeon smiled and said, “Winning an award doesn’t make Jeon Do-yeon a different actress, nor does it open up a brand new path. Time and years have changed, but having experienced it once at Cannes 10 years ago, I know that it doesn’t change much. Winning or not is not important. As an actress, I can already gain enough and enjoy myself right now.”>
Meanwhile, ‘Possible Love’ premiered in select theaters in September and was released worldwide to over 190 countries via Netflix on the 6th.
