[Press Conference] SF8 Sci-Fi K-Drama on Oh!K (Episode 3 : Joan’s Galaxy)

SF8 Episode #3: Joan’s Galaxy (우주인 조안)

Premiere: Saturday, 29 August 2020, 8pm, Oh!K (Astro Ch 394)

Cast: Kim Bo-ra as Joan, Choi Sung-eun as Lee Oh

Director: Lee Yoon-jung

Synopsis: The world is covered in fine dust and humans are categorized into “C” and “N”. Cs can get an expensive shot for an antibody at birth and get to live up to 100 years old. Ns do not have that luxury and they die at 30. They lead totally different lives. Lee Oh, a 26-year-old university student who thought he was a C all his life, realizes that he didn’t get the injection due to a mix-up at the hospital. He suddenly becomes interested in the lives of Ns, whom he had never given a second thought about. Especially the life of Joan, the only N at school.

Host: Director Lee, what’s the meaning of this movie?

Lee Yoon-jung (LYJ): In the movie, class C stands for Clean and N stands for Non-clean. And there are slangs that divide classes between the people in the movie. In the original story, the story is set as disaster situation and it realistically deals with worries and concerns of current day young generation which was appealing. As I put a touch on it for a movie version, I tried to visually emphasize those by dividing classes. The reason behind is that in the movie there are technologies that can prevent fine dust that is only available to a certain economic class, and such technology is an asset that can decide and affect life and completely change the quality of life. This is something that could be closely related to the current real estate crisis and reality in Korea. So, I have set up similar steps to it.

Host: Kim Bo-ra, what came to you most realistically?

Kim Bo-ra (KBR): The point where a person’s economic conditions decide that person’s level of access to safety and societal position.

Host: Choi Sung-eun, if you could choose between a life of Yi Oh who is safe but stifling and Jo Ahn whose life is pre-determined and dangerous but free, what would you choose?

Choi Sung-eun (CSE): I think I would choose Jo Ahn. When I actually put on the suit and the helmet, it was very challenging to move and breathe. Foremost it felt like I was shut off from the outside world. So instead of Yi Oh who has to feel the sense of isolation in entire life, I think the life of Jo Ahn is happier who is a bit limited but can do what she wants to do as much.

Host: Director Lee, could you please explain what this movie is and your first impression?

LYJ: The original piece is author Kim Hyo-in’s “Woojooin, Jo Ahn (*Astronaut, Jo Ahn. The movie’s Korean title is Astronaut Jo Ahn without the comma after Astronaut).” Our movie doesn’t have comma while the original title has. When I read the piece, the impression I got was very realistic and has included very extreme set ups. The main characters’ mind is delicately and specifically detailed for the readers to emphasize with. I have contemplated a lot whether to include the comma or not in the title. In literature, there are multiple meanings in spaces between the lines and those meanings are well expressed in the original piece. When I put changes in this movie, I tried to make a good set up for dramatic scenes in order to make a movie that sort of moves fast in 50 minutes running time. So, if that goal is well accomplished, I thought it would be better to exclude the comma.

Host: Kim Bo-ra and Choi Sung-eun, both of you aren’t yet 30 years old. If 30 is the end of life, what would you do for the rest of your life?

KBR: For me I try to cherish more the familiar stuff… not wanting to break away with familiarity. I think I would just spend like now. I would try to enjoy the present as much as possible.

CSE: I would then have 4, 5 years of time left. I would continue to try my best in what I do right now.

Host: What is the charm of SF genre?

LYJ: For this movie, it has a world view of SF but also the drama between the two character is very important. As I put these two characters inside the setting of a SF and develop a story, our production crew was a bit free from those that can be expected from the bias of audiences. Both actors/actresses and the production crew were able to freely develop a story away from those. SF is a genre that gives you freedom and allow to listen to the stories of characters while staying a bit away from the bias that exist in the current world.