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| 2026-07-03 16:40:10
actress-interview
Kim Min-ha hopes 'Hana Korea' offers comfort not only to N. Korean defectors but everyone struggling
By Lee Minji
SEOUL, July 3 (Yonhap) -- Actor Kim Min-ha, who plays the strong-willed and resilient North Korean defector Hye-sun who builds a new life in South Korea in the film "Hana Korea," said Friday she hopes it offers a message of comfort not only to defectors from the North but to everyone struggling to survive in their everyday lives.
The movie, a Danish-Korean collaboration directed by Danish filmmaker Frederik Solberg, follows the lives of three women who enter the state-run resettlement center Hanawon and eventually make new homes south of the border.
"I thought it could be a story not only for North Korean defectors but for all of us. Every day, we open our eyes and put in so much effort just to survive. Each day is a constant process of adapting and adapting again, and we all struggle in our own ways under our feet," Kim told reporters in a group interview.
"In that sense, I felt this could be a story about all of us. There is a universality to it, and I hoped that would resonate with audiences," she said.
Because the film was based on interviews with defectors, including a central figure named Hyo-rin who was the role model for the plot, Kim said she put in every effort to deal with the story in a precious and fragile way, especially in parts where she narrates letters that Hye-sun sends to her ailing mother in the North.
"They were very close to the actual letters that Hyo-rin had sent to her mother. I felt it was so real and I should in no way hurt it," the actress said.
"I tried not to think about the hardships that she went through because I didn't want to make an easy judgment and convey it in a light way. I tried to genuinely become Hye-sun and convey the gravity (of her story) without overacting but in a calm way."
In fact, that kind of subtle style of acting, with a lot spoken through the eyes, which Kim had demonstrated through her role as Seon-ja in Apple TV+'s acclaimed original series "Pachinko," was what made Solberg cast Kim in the role.
When asked about whether she feels attracted to roles like Hye-sun and Seon-ja that carry the weight of personal drama as well as deep social and historic context, Kim said she believes in the power of stories with gravity.
"I think stories with that kind of weight have tremendous power. It wasn't a deliberate choice, but perhaps I was drawn to them because I wanted to see more stories like that," Kim said.
Going forward, the actress who has often portrayed restrained characters said she would like to venture into completely opposite, explosive roles.
"I'd like to play a character who pushes all the way into the depths of human nature, someone without goodness or consideration for others, someone driven to emotional extremes by greed, jealousy or other impulses," she said.
After filming "Hana Korea," Kim, who claimed to be very strict with herself, said she took it as an opportunity to fully embrace herself.
She said she would like to offer that kind of comfort to North Korean defectors who watch the film when it hits theaters next Wednesday.
"I don't say this lightly. I sincerely hope the film can offer them real comfort ... I hope it tells them they are not alone, they are absolutely not outsiders and they are just so remarkable."
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