Days of Travel captures the delicate textures of everyday life — the scratch of a pencil tip, the whisper of wind through grass, the soft crash of waves. Its journey is not one of dramatic adventures, but of ordinary moments becoming luminous again.

Director Sho Miyake described the film as "two words that feel opposite — travel and daily life — yet somehow blend together." He shared that the film is meant to resonate with anyone who lives each day earnestly.

A press screening and media Q&A were held on December 2 at CGV Yongsan I'Park Mall in Seoul, with lead actress Shim Eun-kyung and Director Miyake in attendance.

A Screenwriter on a Winter Escape

Days of Travel follows Yi (played by Shim Eun-kyung), a screenwriter who unexpectedly finds herself at a snowy inn, encountering unplanned time and unexpected people. The film is based on the manga Seogyeong by the Sea and Bensan of Honyaradong, though its protagonist has been reimagined — originally a middle-aged Japanese man, but now portrayed through Shim Eun-kyung.

Miyake revealed that he initially wrote the script as in the original work, but realized the film would feel new with Shim. "What mattered most was capturing the essence of the character," he said.

He emphasized Shim's dual presence — fluent in Japanese, yet wholly different when speaking Korean — and wanted both sides of her to live on screen. "The most important moments were the ones without words," he added. "Simply capturing her presence standing there."

Two Seasons, Two Worlds

The film moves between dual structures — winter and summer. Yi's written world unfolds in the summer, with actors Yumi Kiwai and Mansaku Takada portraying a seaside story.

Yi's lived experience, however, takes place in winter. At a snowy retreat, she encounters Tsutsumi Shinichi, an unfamiliar traveler. Miyake noted that holding both seasons in one film allows audiences to experience a wider emotional spectrum: "When it's cold, we long for summer; when it's hot, we long for winter."

Shim shared her memory of waiting three hours for snowfall during filming — only to spend the time chatting with local elders who came to watch. "It felt like a scene from the movie itself," she recalled.

The Art of Taking Away

Yi is a writer navigating life in a foreign language. Words, once full of new feeling, have become dull with familiarity, leaving her in a slump. Her journey becomes an escape from language itself — a search for something beyond words.

Shim approached her character with quiet restraint. "This time, I focused on removing rather than adding," she explained. She worked closely with the director, considering every detail: how Yi should stand, turn, or walk, aiming to exist as the character without unnecessary expression.

Shim added that viewers might see parts of themselves reflected in Yi. "I hoped to create space for audiences to project their own emotions onto her."

Breaking Barriers Through Film

Shim related deeply to Yi's experience. "Working in Japan, I sometimes feel confined by language," she said. "But I believe films can break those walls."

Miyake echoed this, reflecting on Japan's tendency to label those who differ as "failures." He hopes the film shows the opposite. "If we fear people who are different from us, life becomes dull. Sharing thoughts after watching a film can enrich society."

He believes a good film subtly shifts the viewer's senses: "It won't change your life overnight, but it can spark small transformations — freeing you from assumptions and biases."

Celebrated on the World Stage

Days of Travel has already received international acclaim, winning the Golden Leopard at the 78th Locarno Film Festival. It was also invited to the San Sebastián, Reykjavík, and Hamburg International Film Festivals.

Shim Eun-kyung earned nominations for Best Actress at Japan's 38th Nikkan Sports Film Awards and the 36th Singapore International Film Festival.

She expressed deep gratitude: "Just being nominated at these festivals is overwhelming. It motivates me to work even harder."

Director Miyake closed with a message about the importance of theaters: "There are things you can only feel in the dark of a cinema. I hope audiences can enjoy that pure, immersive experience."

Days of Travel opens on December 10.