Director Christine Ko, making her feature debut with "The Woman in the White Car", shared heartfelt thanks for her two leads.
At a press screening and production presentation Monday afternoon at CGV Yongsan in Seoul, Ko recalled the whirlwind shoot. “We filmed in 2022 during the COVID period and wrapped in just 14 days. I’m thrilled to finally meet audiences three years later,” she said ahead of release.
A veteran assistant director on television dramas before stepping up to features, Ko said she built the movie around Jung Ryeo-won and Lee Jung-eun. “While I was AD’ing, I completely fell for these two,” she admitted. “We wrote the script with them in mind. There was no Plan B―if they passed, I wondered if I’d even get to make my debut. I leaned on them a lot.”
On Jung Ryeo-won, Ko noted, “She’s often played chic, razor-sharp professionals, but in real life there’s a tenderness to her. Her eyes make you want to protect her. I knew she’d shine as a victim, so I offered her the role.”
As for Lee Jung-eun, Ko called her “my emotional anchor when things were tough―solid and steadfast. She felt perfect to stand in for the audience. She has incredible pull as a storyteller, and I trust her completely, so casting her as a cop was a natural fit. Getting to work with my first-choice actors made a dream come true, and I’m grateful.”
Jung returned the praise: “From our drama days, I always thought Ko was a sharp director. I’d promised I’d show up for her feature debut, and I’m happy I could keep that promise.” Lee added, “We worked on two dramas together, and my trust in her has been deep since then.”
Opening Oct. 29, "The Woman in the White Car" is a suspense thriller that follows Do-kyung (Jung), who rushes her bloodied sister to the hospital and gives a muddled statement to Detective Hyun-joo (Lee). As conflicting memories surface, they close in on the culprit―and the truth.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kim Ji-hye)