Thriller 'Somebody' explores complexities of motherhood

By Baek Byung-yeul

Friends and co-directors Kim Yeo-jung and Lee Jung-chan unveiled "Somebody," a thriller that delves into the complexities of motherhood, saying that the movie was born from their shared realization of writing very similar scenarios.

"In our film, motherhood is a significant theme. Motherhood is universal, but it can also be a heavy burden or an overwhelming experience for some. We wanted to discuss the 'mystification' of motherhood," Lee said during a press conference at a theater in Seoul, Wednesday.

"We each had our own scenarios, and we found many similarities in the characters and themes. We decided to adapt them together, and that's how it started," Kim added.

"We went through an intense negotiation process during preproduction. It was challenging because we've been friends for 11 years, but the process made things smoother on set. The crew and actors even said it was stable because they felt like they had two CPUs."

Although the film is known to be based on an online comic of the same title, the directors clarified that the comic was not the original source but rather based on their screenplay.

"In fact the comic is created based on our screenplay. The characters grew up in ordinary situations and face ordinary challenges. We focused on making viewers feel like it's their own story," Lee said.

In "Somebody," single mother Yeong-eun (Kwak Sun-young) sees her ordinary life crumble due to her 7-year-old daughter So-hyun (Ki So-yu), who exhibits bizarre and violent behavior.

Twenty years later, Min (Kwon Yu-ri), who works for a solitary death cleanup company, clashes with a new employee, Hae-young (Lee Seol). The film delves into the psychological fractures experienced by these three women across a 20-year time gap.

Kwak, who plays the single mother, chose the film despite not liking thrillers because she wanted to challenge herself.

"I don't like thriller movies and I'm very afraid of horror, but I decided to take on this thriller. Although the film is somewhat heavy and calm, the film set was very enjoyable," the 41-year-old said.

Kwon, better known as Yuri from the K-pop band Girls' Generation, said she refined her character by referring to the online comic version.

"The scenario was very interesting and since it has the comic version, it felt like there was a storyboard in advance. That part helped me to understand and develop my character," she said.

Actor Lee, who plays Hae-young, talked closely with the directors to prepare for filming.

"I lived very close to both directors. It was within walking distance, so we met and talked very often throughout the preparation and filming. I also met with Yu-ri often to rehearse our chemistry," Lee said.

"Somebody" will be released in theaters on March 12.