[Dispatch|Cannes (France)=Reporter Jeong Tae-yun] "I wanted to make eye contact with people who love movies all around the world." (Kim Shin-rok)

The red carpet at Cannes opened. But when the moment actually arrived, Kim Shin-rok laughed and said, "I was so excited and nervous that I wasn't in my right mind. I couldn't make eye contact with anyone."

Ji Chang-wook was the same. He shared his impressions, saying, "From the moment I left home, I thought I might never come here again. Every single day was precious. It was my first time walking such a long red carpet."

Dispatch met actors Ji Chang-wook and Kim Shin-rok from the film "Collective" (director Yeon Sang-ho) on a terrace inside the Palais des Festivals in Cannes, France.

Choi Hyunsuk (played by Ji Chang-wook) and Choi Hyun-hee (played by Kim Shin-rok), the two characters they portrayed, are siblings. They are the most ordinary citizens facing disaster. However, they are also characters with the most complex emotional lines in the film.

Yet the film does not explain the two characters' backstories or deep circumstances. Instead, it shows them as they are. First, Hyun-hee has mobility issues with both legs. Throughout the film, she had to be carried on Hyun-seok's back.

They had no choice but to be physically attached. That closeness took the place of the siblings' backstory. Kim Shin-rok revealed, "During pre-production, various ideas came up about how to build up the backstory, but we ultimately decided not to include it."

"Chang-wook said, 'Being an older sister is enough in itself.' He said everything gets explained the moment I carry her on my back. Rather, he said a sibling relationship that requires a backstory would be strange. So we boldly omitted it." (Kim Shin-rok)

Of course, it wasn't easy for either the person being carried or the person carrying. Kim Shin-rok said, "I was so worried about how hard it would be for Chang-wook that at first I didn't know where to put my body. Even when Hyun-hee was screaming to put her down, it came out so genuinely that I couldn't tell if it was the character's heart or mine."

That became a source of strength at times. Ji Chang-wook revealed, "Actually, carrying my older sister on my back gave me a lot of support. There was emotional stability and comfort that came from it. It seemed to give me more strength instead."

They also felt each other's acting in real time. Kim Shin-rok recalled about Ji Chang-wook, "He has a concentration that creates a certain atmosphere even when it's not in the script. Since I was being carried on his back, I could feel his acting breathing in real time."

"That concentration seemed to fit perfectly with the physical contact. It was impressive how he entered a certain zone with one breath. I could receive that breathing in real time from behind like docking and act accordingly." (Kim Shin-rok)

In the second half of the film, Hyun-seok, who appeared the most solid, loses his reason due to a certain incident. Kim Shin-rok interpreted this as each character's vulnerability. That people collapse in different ways in the face of disaster.

She said, "The delinquent girl has personality vulnerability, Hyun-seok has relational vulnerability, and Hyun-hee has physical vulnerability. The viewing point of this film is what choices each of them makes when that vulnerability functions as an obstacle in a disaster situation."

Ji Chang-wook acted with deep empathy for Hyun-seok's situation. He said, "It's a character whose true nature is revealed well in dangerous situations," and confessed, "If I were in Hyun-seok's situation, I think I would make the same choice."

There is also a scene where Hyun-seok stands up to a horde of zombies with just a knife. The one-take action sequence is a moment where the film's catharsis bursts.

Ji Chang-wook said humbly, "The one-take scene was suddenly changed on the day of filming. I thought they wanted me to do it because I seemed capable, so I quickly memorized the movements and stood in front of the camera. I did my best within that."

This was Ji Chang-wook's first collaboration with director Yeon Sang-ho. He said, "Among the sets I've seen, it was the brightest. That said, the preparation wasn't lacking or anything. It was a very thorough and advanced set."

"The director shows ingenious ideas, planning, and visuals. I'm still fascinated and excited. Boarding the Yeonverse was so happy. I want to do it again." (Ji Chang-wook)

Meanwhile, Kim Shin-rok is already a Yeonverse traveler. This is her fifth time, following "Hellbound," "Gyeongseong Creature," "Revelation," and "The Face."

Regarding why she continues to work with director Yeon, Kim Shin-rok praised him, saying, "He puts social and philosophical questions into very simple and fun stories, asking intuitive questions instead of giving enlightening answers. It's endlessly light yet endlessly dense. That's the point I want to learn from."

Finally, Ji Chang-wook said, "The audience at Cannes cheered and roared in support, which gave us great strength. I think this memory will stay with me for a long time."

Kim Shin-rok also added, "Before coming to Cannes, I had said in an interview that I wanted to make eye contact with movie fans around the world. This time I couldn't make eye contact due to nervousness, but I think I made it through the film."

Meanwhile, "Collective" opens domestically on the 21st.

<Photos=Photographer Lee Ho-jun>