“Hopeless” (“Hwaran”) is a treatise on social violence, in all its forms, which a certain youth cannot seem to escape. Kim Chang-hoon’s first film in competition in the Un Certain Regard section is a dark narrative that shakes. Meeting with filmmaker and actors Hong Xa-Bin and Song Joong-ki.
In Hopeless (Hwaran), Kim Chang-hoon’s first feature film in competition at the Cannes Film Festival in the Un Certain Regard section, Yeon-gyu (Hong Xa-Bin) lives in a blended family where he suffers violence from his stepfather. Dreaming of the Netherlands allows him to escape from his miserable daily life. When he needs a large sum of money, his path crosses that of Chi-geon (Song Joong-ki), a member of a criminal gang with whom he befriends.
Kim Chang-hoon films a young man surrounded by violence in search of escape and hope. The Korean filmmaker thus delivers a hard-hitting story about the violence of a socio-economic environment that weighs on the aspirations of all these young people already mistreated by life. We met director Kim Chang-hoon and comedians Hong Xa-Bin and Song Joong-ki, a real star in Korea.
Franceinfo Culture: How did you come up with the idea for this dark story which recounts the journey of young Yeon-gyu who cannot manage to extricate himself from a difficult life where violence is omnipresent?
Kim Chang Hoon: Writing the screenplay was nourished by several questions that crossed my mind throughout my childhood and my youth. There are things for which we do our best but it does not work as we would like. I wondered how we could go on living when things weren’t working out around us. Moreover, as a child, I had observed quite a few forms of violence in society, which influenced my personal development even if I did not experience them directly.
Why did you accept the difficult role of Yeon-gyu?
Hong Xa-Bin: I got wind of the existence of this scenario and I auditioned for the role. I worked a lot to prepare it and luckily I was selected. For this, I feel a lot of gratitude. I built the character with lots of help around me and tried to use what little experience I have to play Yeon-gyu. I became interested in this character because I knew that I would have something left of him.
Yeon-gyu is caught in a sordid gear…
Hong Xa-Bin: Things that snowball, this kind of story is very believable – we discussed it a lot with the director – and it allowed me to be totally immersed.
For the role of Chi-geon, the one who tries to reach out Yeon-gyu, you would have given up your stamp. Is this true and why was this role so important to you?
Song Joong-ki: No stamp. But I don’t know why everyone is talking about it. This shows how much people care about compensation. Quite simply, the film deserved to exist. It really had to be made because I knew it would have a lot of difficulty getting edited and financed. That’s why I decided to appear in this film. I know it may sound very pretentious but I have enough money to afford not to earn any on this shoot.
You are a big star in South Korea. Fans come to you every time you go. Isn’t the star system too burdensome in your country?
Song Joong-ki: It depends on how you perceive it. Indeed, I often work and I enjoy a certain fame. Besides, now that Korean series are being exported, many overseas fans recognize me. Until today, it has never weighed too much or bothered me. The star system in Korea is not so burdensome. It doesn’t bother me in my daily life and I think it really depends on the character of the people who are more or less victims of fame.
What does it mean to you to be in Cannes for your first film?
Kim Chang Hoon : Ever since I was young, I have always dreamed of Cannes. That this dream will come true, I don’t believe in it at all and I feel like I’m in a dream even now. I am both very nervous and very happy. And of course, I would like to come back.