Park Hye-soo speaks up on alleged school violence

연합뉴스 / 2022-10-10 11:04:05

▲This photo show actress Park Hye-soo at BIFF. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

▲This photo show actress Park Hye-soo talking with audiences at BIFF. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

SEOUL, Oct. 10 (Yonhap) — Actress Park Hye-soo, who was caught up in allegations of school bullying, made first public appearance in a year and eight months at 27th Busan International Film Festival.

The actress attended the “Guest Visit” (GV) section of the 27th Busan International Film Festival for the movie “You and Me.”

Park, after she was embroiled in allegations of school violence in Feb. 2021, she has taken legal actions denying such allegations. But the controversy grew so big that KBS 2TV’s drama “Dear M” starring Park, which was to go on air that month, was indefinitely postponed and she has not made a public appearance since then.

Park, wearing white shirt and gray dress, got on the stage and said, “It has been a while since I have greeted you like this. Thanks for coming and I am really happy to be able to be here today.”

The actress, regarding the allegations, said, “I am trying my best to resolve the problem without avoiding it. If you wait a little more, I will make an opportunity to tell you more in detail.”

Audiences clapped and cheered for the actress when she finished her greeting. She then answered the questions with a smile during the talk with the audience. She even mimicked Director Cho Hyun-cheol, looking relaxed.

She said, "I wasn't in a very healthy state, mentally and physically, at the time of filming, but I met this movie like fate. I only felt love throughout the filming,” adding, “Although this was my first time starring in an Independent movie, I felt how people were pouring their hearts out for this work. It’s a moment I'll never be able to forget in the future."

“You and I,” an invitational movie to this year's Busan International Film Festival's “Korean Cinema Today-Vision” section, tells the story of Semi (Park Hye-soo) finding a way to go on a school trip with Ha-eun (Kim Si-eun), who has injured her leg. Although it has the character of a queer film in that it depicts the love between two high school girls, it is also a tribute to the Sewol Ferry incident. Actor and director Jo Hyun-cheol produced the work.

(This article is translated from Korean to English by Jiwon Woo.)

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