Actress Han Ye Ri Shares Her Thoughts On “Minari” And Acting
Actress Han Ye Ri recently sat down with Elle Korea to talk about her film Minari!
Minari is an award-winning movie with a star-studded directed by Lee Isaac Chung. The film is based on the director’s real-life experiences and features a South Korean immigrant family who tries to start a new life in America during the 1980s.
When asked if she expected the film to be as popular as it is, Han Ye Ri stated that she was sure that she would like the movie but didn’t know that it would be a story that many people related with. She shared that she received the script in English, so she asked for a translation and used Google Translate to try to understand it.
When I first read it, I couldn’t feel all of the characters’ emotions in detail. It was probably even more so because many parts were lost through translation. Although, I wondered, ‘Is this something that happened in real life?’ the entire time I was reading it. Later, I learned that it included a lot of director Lee Isaac Chung’s experiences. I decided to star in the film after talking with the director. He was a really great person and I thought it would be enjoyable to work with him.
—Han Ye Ri
She commented that she suddenly got nervous about being in such a role when she was heading to the set. She elaborated by saying that she got a warm feeling while acting, but she also felt lonely. She further explained by describing the importance of her character. Talking about her character, Monica, she said, “A large part of the emotion Monica has is love. There are things you can protect in a family by persevering and enduring with love. I got the feeling that the role of a mom is really important in a family.”
Han Ye Ri revealed how she got into acting by stating that she learned Korean dance at a young age. She continued to dance in college but felt that she needed something new. She had several film major friends that influenced her to begin acting.
I didn’t know the filming system well when I was filming my first project. As we filmed each scene, the director came over and explained the next step. I thought, ‘It should be fine if I listen to directions and focus.’
—Han Ye Ri
When asked about which genre she would like to try next, Ye Ri explained that there wasn’t any in particular as she just gets excited when offered a script. She continued to pick her character, Song Ja In, from Nokdu Flower as her coolest role, Eun Hee from Worst Woman as her favorite and most lovable role, and Ye Ri from A Quiet Dream as her most melancholy character.
To finish the interview, Han Ye Ri shared that she is still dreaming of new acting possibilities. She mentioned that she greatly admires her co-star Youn Yuh Jung who is actively acting at 76. She explained that her career doesn’t define her and that life is a process that can be changed with a single choice.
I would be thankful if an opportunity like [Youn Yuh Jung’s] came to me, but it might never come. Nonetheless, we have to keep going slowly until the end.
—Han Ye Ri
