Why would legendary screen star Kim Hye-ja, one of South Korea’s most revered acting icons, suddenly end a nearly decade-long absence from cinema? Veteran actress Kim Hye-ja stars in director Song Il-gon’s feature film ‘Still Radiant’ (여전히 찬란하게), marking her first film role in nine years since the 2017 film ‘The Way’ (길) 1. While she has spent 65 years on screen since debuting in KBS’s first open talent recruitment in 1961 and has headlined over 60 television dramas, she has appeared in only seven feature films throughout her career 23. Those rare screen appearances include celebrated classics like Bong Joon-ho’s ‘Mother’ in 2009 alongside ‘The Way’ in 2017, making her return in ‘Still Radiant’ an exceptionally rare event 23.
Winning Over an Icon: Six Visits and a Handwritten Letter
After wrapping her recent television drama, Kim had initially decided to step away from acting entirely, hoping to live quietly like an unnamed wildflower blooming in front of her home 45. Because of that desire for quiet rest, she turned down director Song Il-gon’s initial casting offer 45.
Yet director Song refused to give up on securing the legendary actress 1. He was deeply determined to cast Kim, visiting her home approximately six times to share meals, talk, and explain why her participation was essential to the project 13. Alongside those repeated visits, he delivered an earnest handwritten letter together with the screenplay to plead his case 43.
When Kim finally sat down to read the script, she was deeply moved by the story’s emotional resonance and tragic history 23. She decided to accept the role because she wanted the film’s profound meaning to reach out and comfort audiences through her performance 12. It is a heartwarming casting journey that highlights the sincere care behind her return to cinema.
Reclaiming Stolen Youth and Memories After 60 Years
In ‘Still Radiant’, Kim stars as Sun-ok, an elderly woman who reunites with her childhood best friend Jeong-im, played by Cha Mi-kyung, after sixty years of separation to revisit memories of their shared youth 42. While the film addresses the painful historical tragedy of Japanese military comfort women, the narrative chooses an uplifting, tender focus: celebrating the radiant youth and warm friendship the young girls should have been allowed to enjoy 42.
Set in a rural mountain village in 1942, the story follows the two girls as they hide inside a cremation hut amid terrifying rumors that Japanese soldiers are taking young women away 23. Even within that fearful reality, the two friends learn Hangul together, decipher sheet music, and experience the fluttering innocence of first love 23. As the elderly Jeong-im begins exhibiting symptoms of dementia, long-concealed truths and emotions gradually emerge between the two lifelong companions 23.
From Reading-Play Origins to an Expressive Ensemble
To capture these delicate emotional shifts, director Song relied on intimate close-up cinematography highlighting Kim Hye-ja’s subtle facial expressions and silent emotional nuance 42. Song adapted ‘Still Radiant’ from an original play written in a reading-play format, representing a fresh artistic approach for the filmmaker 15. The project also marks a stylistic departure for the director, whose past humanistic works include ‘Flower Island’ (꽃섬) 23.
The production brings together an impressive multigenerational ensemble bridging past and present 5. Rising actors Park Seo-kyung and Choi Joo-eun portray 17-year-old Sun-ok and 17-year-old Jeong-im respectively, while Moon Sung-hyun plays the young village youth Doo-young 5. Actress Lee Se-young rounds out the family dynamic as Sun-ok’s devoted granddaughter Ji-an 56. At an outdoor stage greeting during the film festival, Park, Choi, Moon, and Lee joined Kim and director Song to greet the public 1.
Festival Premiere and Conflicting Release Dates
‘Still Radiant’ debuted at the 31st Busan International Film Festival, hosting an outdoor stage greeting at the Busan Cinema Center (영화의전당) on October 8 that drew an enthusiastic crowd of roughly 1,000 spectators 42. Two days earlier, Kim walked the red carpet on October 6, where coughing and needing physical assistance sparked brief public health concerns that film representatives quickly dismissed as symptoms of a mild cold 23.
For viewers eager to catch the film in South Korean theaters, domestic reporting presents conflicting release schedules. Outlets such as Wikitree and JoongAng Ilbo report that ‘Still Radiant’ opens theatrically on October 21 23. In contrast, a report by MHN Sports states that the film is scheduled for release on October 26 6. Regardless of which late-October date theaters finalize, having Kim Hye-ja back on the big screen in such a heartfelt project is an absolute gift for Korean cinema fans.
Sources
- 김혜자, 9년 만에 스크린 복귀…그 뒤엔 송일곤 감독의 '6번 설득' 있었다 ('여전히 찬란하게')
- 6번 거절, 9년 만의 복귀…86세 배우 김혜자가 '영화'로 돌아온다
- 9년 만 스크린 복귀에 “엄청 망설였다”…김혜자 마음 돌린 손편지 | 중앙일보
- ‘9년만 스크린 복귀’ 김혜자 “여러분 마음 어루만져주길”
- '6번' 찾아가 설득… 올해 가장 극적인 비하인드 품고 개봉하는 한국 영화
- 85세 女배우→9년 만에 스크린 복귀…60년의 시간 담아 '부국제'도 사로잡은 韓 영화 ('여전히 찬란하게')
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