[Press Conference] SF8 Sci-Fi K-Drama on Oh!K (Episode 4 : Blink)
SF8 Episode #4: Blink (블링크)
Premiere: Saturday, 5 September 2020, 8pm, Oh!K (Astro Ch 394)
Cast: Lee Si-Young as Ji Woo, Ha Joon as Seo Nang
Director: Han Ka-ram
Synopsis: SF investigation of Detective Ji Woo hates artificial intelligence technology – ‘AI’. When Ji woo lost her parents by an automatic driving car, she didn’t believe anything related to ‘AI’ since then. She only trusts herself. One day, she meets new freshman detective, Seo Nang. But Seo Nang is actually ‘AI’ transplanted inside her brain. Will she be able to solve the murder case with Seo Nang and catch the criminal?
Host: Director Han, what kind of story or message do you want to convey through Blink?
Han Ka-ram (HKR): I thought that AI has already become a big part of our daily lives. I imagined how will people and AI interact in the future. In Blink, there is a duo of detectives. The veteran detective is a human who has more complex feelings and complex thinking process. But the newcomer is an AI who acts as programmed. At first that setting stirs conflicts. However, they start to learn from each other and start to think differently of AI. So, I tried to include that process of change.
Host: Lee Si-young, what are your thoughts that you got from this movie?
Lee Si-young (LSY): Obviously I felt amazed about AI and I still think as such in my everyday life. It’s a topic that penetrates through our drama so I think my thoughts are the same. For me, I still trust my instinct as human more and have affinity towards analogue things despite all the developments and advancements. Through working on Blink, that mind I think started to slowly change in a positive way.
Host: Ha Jun, were there any difficulties as a human actor acting an as an AI?
Ha Jun (HJ): I had discussions and debate with the director while studying about this character. I suggested that AI doesn’t necessarily have to be stiff and machine like in terms of its characteristics and instead if we could loosen it up a bit. I tried not to confine how AI should be. In terms of the character, I think it’s very similar to my actual self, being rather easy-going, free and bright. So, the acting wasn’t too difficult. My point of emphasis was to be myself. In the meantime, our director helped delicately on expressing the image of an AI.
Host: Director Han, where did you get your reference from?
HKR: I didn’t choose one specific piece to reference from, but rather went through various pieces. Since they are future detectives, they use a lot of skills that detectives today don’t have. In terms of that I referenced a lot of SF genre pieces. Also, it’s a format of a buddy/duo detectives, so I referenced similar work that deals with buddy/duo detectives.
Host: Lee Si-young and Ha Jun, what do you think is the charm of SF?
HJ: That you can unfold as you imagine without limits. When you see how people behave, some may point out if they should act in a certain way. “Shouldn’t it supposed to be this way?” But in SF you can think differently. Like “Couldn’t it be this way also?” I think this way of thinking allowed to work creatively.
LSY: Same as Ha Jun. I personally like SF genre and it was novel and fun to take part in this movie this time. It was a bit different from working on other previous movies/dramas.
Host: Are there principles that you abided by when working on the film? How was the collaboration? If there is Season 2, would you participate again?
HKR: Honestly, when I was first approached and received the scenario from Min Ky-dong, I thought ‘did he really suggest about me thinking that I could do this. Like he said, for me it was a good opportunity, that the creator could do as he/she wishes. I didn’t know a chance for working on an action genre would come to me so fast. It was good that I was able to take on that challenge. From the beginning, I thought it would be good if Lee Si-young could be part of this movie. And for Ha Jun as well I saw him on dramas and thought of his different side of charm. It was fun working with them and a good opportunity.
