[Dispatchㅣ Cannes (France)=Reporter Taeyoon Jeong] "I knew when my scene was coming, so I even thought about running away."

Actor Jongho made her feature film debut with "Hope" (director Na Hong-jin). Her debut film was selected for the competition section of the Cannes Film Festival. She watched her completed film for the first time at Cannes.

The moment she appeared, something unexpected happened. The audience erupted in cheers. Among this year's competition premieres, "Hope" was the first film to receive applause in the middle of the screening.

She said, "It felt like I received tremendous support. I still haven't found the words to explain that emotion right now. I think I gained the courage to continue working as an actor."

Dispatch met Jongho at Cannes. We heard about her first film, first action scenes, and first time at Cannes.

For Jongho, "Hope" was her Korean film debut and her first challenge with action acting. Director Na Hong-jin urged her to prepare early on.

She said, "I had my first meeting with the director. He said he wanted me to prepare over a longer period. I gained 4kg of muscle through weight training over 5 to 6 months."

"I received firearms training, and since our film is set in a specific period in the past, I also got my manual license. To brag a bit, I passed on the first try. I also learned drifting and sudden speed changes."

Because she had prepared over such a long period, she had confidence she could do well. However, when she faced the first shoot, she experienced her mind going blank.

She said, "I think my mind became complicated with the thought that I had to do well as much as I had prepared," and "I got nervous because camera angles, stunt team notes, and safety checks all poured down at once."

That was when Hwang Jongmin approached her. Jongho said, "My senior told me, 'Seongae, just do it with confidence.' It felt like the fog in my head was lifting. I told myself to trust myself, and we got an okay on the first take."

The character Seongae that Jongho played is a police officer in Hopohang. She does her duty no matter the situation. A person with a clear standard of right and wrong. She erupts with anger at aliens who cross the line.

Jongho said, "The director said he wanted Seongae to be a character who embodies human goodwill. Among Seongae's characteristics, the most distinct ones are her sense of justice and goodwill."

"Because she's a character with strong sense of justice, anger and sadness can emerge. And Seongae's anger came from sincerity."

The set itself was a learning experience for her. Jongho said, "An actor once told me, 'Acting with more to do is more fun.' While doing 'Hope,' I thought about that. It felt less like expending energy and more like receiving it."

The on-set atmosphere created by director Na Hong-jin also gave her strength. She said, "It was an open set. We could boldly try all sorts of attempts. He let us play freely."

"Hope" went on extended location shoots in Romania, Haenam, and Hapcheon. Her body was tired, but her spirit grew increasingly full.

"Our appearances became increasingly shabby, but our eyes shone brightly. Everyone seemed fulfilled. Even though our bodies were tired, it felt like our souls were being cleansed."

What did she gain most from this project?

"Confidence as an actor. I learned a lot technically. In the case of senior Hwang Jongmin, he would even contemplate how to hold a single pen. I learned that know-how from him. I also learned how senior Cho Seung-woo commanded and cared for the set. The chemistry was really good. It felt like we formed a good community."

"Hope" opens domestically this summer.

<Photo courtesy of Plus M Entertainment>