Son Ye-jin is not worried about aging

Son Ye-jin poses for a photo on the red carpet during the 28th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival which kicked off in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province. Image: Yonhap via The Korea Herald

The 28th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival which kicked off Thursday for an 11-day run is holding a special exhibition on celebrated South Korean actor Son Ye-jin, dubbed “One and Only Son Yejin” in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province.

“I’m so grateful for such an exhibition title. I just really think all actors must have their ‘one and only’ presence,” Son told reporters during a press conference held as part of the program at 28th BIFAN on Friday.

She is the sixth actor to have a retrospective exhibition at BIFAN. Other luminaries in the Korean film industry such as actors Choi Min-sik, Jeon Do-yeon, Jung Woo-sung, Kim Hye-soo, and Sol Kyung-ku have been previously highlighted in BIFAN exhibitions.

The special exhibition focuses on introducing work from the actor’s 24-year career. There will also be a special talk show and a photo exhibition.

Looking back to the very first moment when she started acting, the 42-year-old said it was her introverted personality that made her want to venture into the field.

“When I was in high school, I had this vague thought that maybe I could become an actor to overcome my shy and introverted personality. Although I was an introvert, I had so many feelings and emotions inside me, but it was something difficult to express for me. So I wanted to express them out through acting,” Son said.

Son Ye-jin poses for a photo during a press conference held during the 28th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival for her exhibition “One and Only Son Yejin” in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, Friday. Image: Newsis via The Korea Herald

Having debuted in the 2001 TV series, “Delicious Proposal,” as the lead female character, Son showed well-nuanced acting in romance dramas in the early stages of her career. In films like “Lovers’ Concerto” (2002), “The Classic” (2003), and “A Moment to Remember” (2004), she played roles reminding people of their first love.

Son showed versatile acting in the 2005 rom-com, “The Art of Seduction,” where she appeared as a dating expert. In the 2008 movie “My Wife Got Married,” Son played a woman who is married to two men. “The Truth Beneath” (2016) showed a new side of the actor, playing a seemingly perfect woman who was in reality possessed by madness and rage.

Now entering her 40s and having established a family by marrying an actor Hyun Bin and giving birth to a son in 2022, Son said she wants to do her responsibility based on her face and age.

“I want to become an actor who is responsible for her face. That is, as I get older, I want to naturally show my aging face and do the acting that suits me getting older,” she explained.

“Before, I regarded finishing a film or a drama more like finishing a 100-meter-long sprint. That has made me feel a lot of pressure and stress one after another, which has definitely reduced the number of works to meet with the audience,” said Son, adding that now she wants to focus on acting in the long run.

Friday’s press conference was Son’s first official appearance in public since giving birth in 2022.

She said she is simply enjoying happiness in her everyday life.

“Marriage and giving birth have given me a whole new world experience. Having raised a child over the past two years, the biggest happiness for me was finding value in every day. My child eating well just gives me tremendous happiness and tells me that I spent my day well. My value system has definitely changed,” Son said.

It was recently reported that Son may star in an upcoming Park Chan-wook production, in her first work with the critically acclaimed director. But Son refused to elaborate, saying that nothing has been officially confirmed.

The 28th BIFAN kicked off Thursday and runs through July 14.