Son Ye-jin says the deciding factor in choosing "No Other Choice" as her first film after giving birth was, simply, director Park Chan-wook.
At a production briefing held Tuesday morning at CGV Yongsan in Seoul, Son was asked why she picked the project for her big-screen return. "The biggest reason was that I’ve always wanted to work with Park Chan-wook," she said. "And with (Lee) Byung-hun already attached, I knew I’d regret passing even if I put my character aside. The story was incredibly potent. I did wonder, ‘Am I the right fit?’ but I also felt, ‘I just can’t sit this one out,’ so I said yes."
Park’s new film, "No Other Choice", follows 'Mansoo' (Lee Byung-hun), an office worker who feels he’s finally got life figured out―until he’s abruptly laid off. Determined to protect his wife and two kids and hold on to the home they worked so hard to buy, he prepares for his own war to get back into the workforce. The film is based on Donald E. Westlake’s novel "The Ax."
In the film, Son plays 'Miri,' Mansoo’s wife, who grows stronger the tougher things get. Instead of scolding her husband for losing his job, she steadies the family and keeps a clear head no matter what comes their way.
"I’m Mansoo’s wife and the mother of our children," Son said. "This is my first project since becoming a mom, and that definitely helped. I’d played mothers and divorcees before, but living it is different―you feel it in your bones. I found myself naturally at ease around the child on set. A mother’s instinct is a big part of the film. Miri’s someone who wants to shoulder her family and shows up as a warm, positive presence."
Listening in, Lee Byung-hun chimed in with a laugh: "We have two child actors, Si-won and Ri-won, and Ri-won―who plays the daughter―asked a ton of questions on set. I answered most of them, but Ye-jin didn’t answer a single one. When I asked her to help out, she said, ‘Sunbae, you’ve got this―I’m staying in character.’ Hearing her talk today, I thought, ‘Ah, so she really was there with them in spirit.’ I’m a little surprised," he joked, drawing laughs.
"No Other Choice" opens in September.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kim Ji-hye)