'Night and Day' Opens 31st BIFF, Celebrating Small Stories

 Highlighting the Beauty of Small Narratives at BIFF

Asking whether only massive grand narratives can qualify as movies, actress Kim Min-ha shared her thoughts on a project focused on quieter moments. The feature film 'Night and Day for Each Other' captures fleeting instances with delicate beauty. Rather than proving that only large-scale stories can become films, the work demonstrates that small, understated tales are equally worthy of attention.

Director Kim Jong-kwan explained the creative intent behind the feature during its unveiling. He noted that the team focused on telling a story about small, trivial things and concentrated on the meaning of beauty found within them. He added that because the story is so intimate, he hopes it will become a work that builds a deeper bond with audiences.

The omnibus film 'Night and Day for Each Other' made its public premiere as the opening feature of the 31st Busan International Film Festival (BIFF). A press screening was held at the Busan Cinema Center in U-dong, Haeundae-gu, Busan. Director Kim Jong-kwan attended the event alongside cast members Kim Min-ha, Joo Jong-hyuk, Han Sun-hwa, Jang Yool, Shim Eun-kyung, Lee Hee-jun, Jeon So-young, and Kim Dong-hwi, as well as programmer Jung Ji-hye, to discuss the production.

Rethinking the Scale of Opening Selections

In previous years, the Busan International Film Festival selected large-scale productions as its opening titles. The festival chose director Park Chan-wook's 'No Other Choice' as its opener last year and showcased the Netflix original period film 'Uprising' the year before that. Both represented major projects with substantial production budgets and visual scales.

However, the festival chose 'Night and Day for Each Other' this year, a film with a comparatively modest production scale. Programmer Jung Ji-hye explained the reasoning behind selecting the title as the opening feature. She stated that BIFF carefully selects exceptional and outstanding works every single year.

She elaborated that, regardless of production size, the significance of this work is by no means small. She evaluated the piece as a remarkable creation meticulously designed and crafted by an auteur contemplating their own artistic universe. Furthermore, she noted that a crucial criterion for opening film selection is choosing a work that audiences can watch comfortably during a nearly two-hour screening in an outdoor theater, confirming that this year's opener fully satisfies that standard.

Four Intimate Encounters in a Shared Space

'Night and Day for Each Other' is constructed as an omnibus feature consisting of four distinct vignettes. Over the course of a single passing season, the narrative records the day and night conversations of four different pairs of men and women who linger at a local cafe. The storytelling takes full advantage of the specific characteristics of a cafe space, where an unspecified public continuously stays and departs. It portrays each character's unique backstory, personality, atmosphere, and nuanced emotions with a lighthearted rhythm and thoughtful gaze.

The structure begins by capturing a fleeting crossover encounter between Yujin (played by Kim Min-ha) and Hyeon-oh (played by Joo Jong-hyuk), who visit the same cafe at different times. The next narrative follows the sudden reunion between middle school friends Sang-mi (played by Han Sun-hwa) and Yeong-min (played by Jang Yool). The third segment showcases a fiery first meeting between web novel writer Hye-jin (played by Shim Eun-kyung) and film director Dong-nam (played by Lee Hee-jun). The final chapter depicts the ultimate breakup moment between idol trainee Na-gyeong (played by Jeon So-young) and her partner Jong-soo (played by Kim Dong-hwi).

This latest project comes from director Kim Jong-kwan, who has consistently experimented with and expanded his signature artistic sensibility through prior films such as 'Worst Woman' (2016), 'The Table' (2017), and 'Josee' (2020). Among his filmography, 'Night and Day for Each Other' bears the closest structural resemblance to 'The Table'. Just as that earlier work unpacked stories of different couples at a single table, this project explores the subtle vibrations of human relationships without relying on exaggerated setups or provocative plot developments.

Cast Perspectives and Directorial Vision

Reflecting on her involvement in the project, Kim Min-ha shared her admiration for the filmmaker. She revealed that she was such a fan that she used to follow the director's guest visit (GV) press events, making it feel like a complete dream when he offered her the script. Reading it felt like looking through someone's private diary, prompting her to send him a message expressing her deep gratitude for gifting such a text. After watching the completed movie at the screening, she observed that many people have historically dismissed small stories, treating only large-scale events as true narratives. The experience led her to reflect deeply on small happiness and minor emotional ripples.

Actress Shim Eun-kyung also discussed her motivation for taking on her role. She explained that the character possessed personality traits she herself lacks, which made her curious as to why the director offered her the part. She emphasized that the significance of choosing the project lay in taking on another artistic challenge.

The ensemble cast members fit their respective sequences like exact answer keys while simultaneously introducing elements of pleasant unpredictability. Because the narrative relies entirely on dialogue without relying on major dramatic incidents, the actors' performing abilities were paramount. Director Kim Jong-kwan explained his scriptwriting approach, stating that he does not write heavy directional instructions or explicitly specify whether a character is smiling or feeling sad. Consequently, the cast's interpretive capability was essential, leading him to recruit performers he knew he could fully rely on.

The four featured pairs navigate different stages of connection, with some speaking of beginning a new romance, others facing painful breakups, and some experiencing whimsical unexpected meetings. Addressing how these four distinct stories converge into a unified core theme, director Kim Jong-kwan suggested that the title itself encapsulates the entire movie. He explained that the story contains both dreams and reality, which contrast with one another. Although the four pairs appear separate, they remain interconnected within a shared physical environment.

The filmmaker added a theatrical metaphor to describe his visual staging. He compared the presentation to a giant stage, explaining that in theater, a single bench set under a single spotlight is enough for actors wearing winter coats to perform a cold scene, making the audience feel that same chill. He directed this motion picture keeping the concept of one giant theatrical stage firmly in mind.

Following the opening ceremony, 'Night and Day for Each Other' will be screened directly for festival attendees at the Busan Cinema Center's outdoor theater. The feature film is scheduled to meet general audiences in commercial theaters nationwide across South Korea next month.

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