Lee Jung-eun and Gong Hyo-jin Star in Revenge Film 'Gyeongju Travel'

 An upcoming Korean drama-thriller is set to explore the paper-thin line between grief, maternal devotion, and outright madness.

On the 13th, the press preview and media showcase for Gyeongju Travel took place at Lotte Cinema World Tower in Songpa-gu, Seoul. Director Kim Mi-jo joined lead cast members Lee Jung-eun, Gong Hyo-jin, Park So-dam, Lee Yeon, and Byun Yo-han to present the feature ahead of its theatrical release on the 26th.

The film follows a mother and her three surviving daughters who set out on a fateful journey eight years after the youngest daughter, Gyeongju, failed to return home from a school trip. Rather than a standard vacation, their road trip has a single target: revenge.

Why This Matters: In Korean society, high school trips (sutak-yeohaeng) are considered universal rites of passage, making the loss of a child during such an event a deeply evocative domestic tragedy for local audiences.

Lee Jung-eun Portrays Maternal Love Turned to Obsession

Lee Jung-eun plays Oksil, a mother whose life shatters following the death of her youngest child. Driven by a desperate need to protect what remains of her family, Oksil decides to take justice into her own hands.

"I viewed her as someone whose time completely stopped the moment her family collapsed," Lee explained during the press conference. "While I do not condone vigilante justice, I wanted to follow the character's emotional trajectory all the way to its end."

To visually convey Oksil's singular focus, the actress wears almost a single costume throughout the entire film. She also highlighted a subtle detail in her performance involving a set of Buddhist prayer beads worn around her character's wrist, representing Oksil's ultimate conviction during the final confrontation.

Three Sisters Bound by Shared Loss

The narrative centers as much on the dynamics among the surviving sisters as it does on their quest for retribution. Each daughter navigates loss in a distinct way:

• Jang-ju (Gong Hyo-jin): The reliable eldest daughter who helped run the family fashion business and raised her younger siblings. Married with her own child, she acts as the practical anchor of the household. "Jang-ju worries about her mother while trying to keep the family grounded," Gong shared.

• Yeong-ju (Park So-dam): The second daughter, a law school graduate struggling with unemployment. Though hyper-logical on the surface, she harbors a delicate interior masked by structured jackets and a sharp haircut.

• Dong-ju (Lee Yeon): The impulsive third sister and a wrestler who constantly collides with her surroundings to prove her presence. Lee Yeon attended action school to prepare for the physical demands of the role.

A Narcissistic Villain and a Journey toward Healing

Byun Yo-han takes on the role of Baek Sang-hyeon, the culprit the family spent eight long years waiting to find. Byun brings a cold, ruthless energy to the second half of the film.

"I wanted to portray him without seeking any sympathy from the audience," Byun noted. "I approached him as a purely narcissistic character who lives exclusively inside his own world."

Director Kim Mi-jo revealed that casting Byun required masking his appearance to fit the dark tone of the story. She emphasized that the narrative prioritizes emotional processing over simple action.

"I always wondered if deciding to seek revenge was really that easy," Kim stated. "I wanted to show how this mother and her three daughters endure and overcome loss together, rather than focusing purely on an efficient method of revenge."

Gyeongju Travel opens in Korean theaters on the 26th.

https://www.dispatch.co.kr/2346354