‘Oneday,’ a fantasy-drama hybrid about death and grief

Actors, directors express difficulty of approaching sensitive subject

By Rumy Doo

Published : March 31, 2017 - 13:41

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Kim Nam-gil and Chun Woo-hee team up for an unlikely romance in “Oneday,” a quiet drama about death and the grief of those who survive.

“It felt like a fairy tale for adults. I wasn’t sure how the fantasy elements would be used in the film,” said Kim on Thursday at a press conference in Wangsimni, Seoul.

“My biggest concern is always how to convey characters as naturally as possible.”

A still from “Oneday” (Opus Pictures)

In the film, Kim plays Kang-soo, an insurance company employee who struggles to come to terms with his wife’s illness and death. He spends his days listlessly fact-checking insurance claims and visiting patients at hospitals to check if their injuries are real.

During his visits, Kang-soo comes across Mi-so, a blind woman who has fallen into a vegetative state after an accident, played by Chun.

“I always tend to gravitate toward roles that have complicated, subtle internal struggles,” said Chun.

In some sort of spiritual manifestation, Mi-so becomes separated from her body, taking a form only visible to Kang-soo.

Chun Woo-hee (left) and Kim Nam-gil attend a press conference for the film “Oneday” on Thursday at CGV Wangsimni, Seoul. (Sister PR)

The two slowly become close, and Mi-so helps Kang-soo face the guilt and grief of his wife’s painful death. Ultimately, Mi-so requests a favor of Kang-soo, which leads him to question the nature of dying.

“Not everybody will agree with the film’s ending,” said director Lee Yoon-ki, who has helmed romantic films such as “A Man and a Woman” (2016) and “My Dear Enemy” (2008).

“I tried to make the film in a way that doesn’t commercialize the plight of those with disabilities or the idea of euthanasia,” he said.

The film opens in theaters Wednesday.

(doo@heraldcorp.com)

‘Oneday,’ a fantasy-drama hybrid about death and grief

Actors, directors express difficulty of approaching sensitive subject

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