■ This is an independent feature-film project targeting eight major international art-film festivals, including the Cannes, Venice, Locarno, Berlin, and Rotterdam festival circuits. ■ Project: JI HYANG Our team’s “direction” refers, in the literal sense, to the path and goals we wish to pursue together. Coming together with different thoughts and feelings and moving toward one dream—that is our starting point. We believe in the potential of Korean cinema and dream of seeing it shine on a broader stage. We formed this team with the hope that Korean cinema would become a distinct current and voice in the world, considering a cinematic language that can connect naturally with audiences worldwide rather than remaining confined to Korea. Through boundary-crossing imagination and sincere stories, we aim to create films that resonate beyond national borders. We are a team that does not fear challenges or experimentation and moves forward one step at a time. INTENT OF THE WORK This film asks, through various situations and perspectives, what human beings use as the standard for ethics and morality. What, exactly, is the standard we use as the axis of judgment? And is the gaze through which we see truly fair? On what structures are the moral values we believe to be right formed and put into operation? Are ethics and morality absolute standards, or imperfect structures that can break at any time? People often say: “If it were me, I wouldn’t have done that. If it were me, I would have helped that person.” But is that really true? Can we make such a definitive judgment without ever actually experiencing that situation? Through these questions, this film dissects the moral certainty and arrogance that human beings have created for themselves. It also refuses to place the audience in the safe position of judge. The film continually presses the audience, shaking their gaze and judgment. ◇ ONE-LINE CORE This is not a film about evil; it is a film that dissects the human gaze that judges evil. ● Theme: A film that dissects the gaze of human beings making moral judgments ● Film Objective: The goal of the film is to transform the experience of “watching” a film into the experience of “undergoing” it. Rather than leaving the audience in the position of understanding or interpreting the story, it is designed to have them enter directly into the situations and structures of perception within the film and physically experience their tension and conflict. This work does not ask the audience to think. Instead, it seeks to create moments in which viewers come to realizations on their own during the process of watching the film. In other words, this film aims not to be a film that makes you think, but one that makes you realize something the moment you see it. Summary: The goal is a transformation through the gathering and destruction of all existing gazes. ■ Acting and Directing Objective The goal of this work is to give actors an experience they have never had before—in other words, an experience of absolute freedom—and directing will only be possible on the basis of absolute trust between everyone involved. To achieve this, this is a film that cannot move forward unless the director’s philosophy and values are accepted wholeheartedly. That is why this is not a film that can be developed through only a day or two of practice and trust. (For actors who do not deeply understand the genre of film, this will probably be an extremely difficult work.) In other words, the more you know and love film, the more you will inevitably come to love this work. ● I have already established a theoretical foundation for film theory intended solely for film acting, and my goal was to have the actors and me experience that theory together firsthand. In my previous work, ＜The Boundary of Evil＞, there was once an instance of the kind of acting beyond the variables that I pursue. Since this is still at an early stage, the actors who have experienced it have struggled greatly, so I am honestly concerned as well. However, the rehearsal process was certainly enjoyable. Because it was a new method, I was also very cautious, and I often felt that the time period was an issue. ● Absolute trust and faith are more important than anything in this work. Therefore, before filming begins, I plan to conduct lessons with me once a week for at least a year and a half to two years, and then begin filming. I sincerely hope there is no misunderstanding. These lessons are not intended to request money. ● What is “acting beyond the variables”? The film acting I pursue is a new 21st-century theory of acting that we must move toward. The foundation of this acting is for the actor to use all their energy as themselves. Through many years of research, I have also discovered that men and women may have different ways of acting. Only when we understand each other’s differences and learn and accept each other’s methods can the basic foundation of “acting beyond the variables” be created. ● A moment that has already occurred once by chance This “acting beyond the variables” has occurred only once in our country, nowhere else in the world. It was a moment created by chance. That film was 《Memories of Murder》. I now intend to create that chance deliberately. If this can be achieved, film will no longer be an art based on theatrical acting; it will be able to take an independent form through an acting style unique to cinema. And regardless of the coming age of AI, I believe our cinematic art will continue to survive. It will remain in a purer form of art. ● Core Essence By “acting beyond the variables,” I mean the moment when an actor moves beyond merely carrying out the director’s instructions and stands on their own atop the cinematic structure created by the director. At that moment, the actor goes beyond “performing” and truly exists within the scene. I believe that true actor’s art is born precisely at that point. Such a moment can also be found in the climactic scene of the film 〈Memories of Murder〉. PS. If you are actors who already love film deeply, I believe you may have some idea of what this moment I am describing is. ● I no longer want method acting, nor ontological acting that consists of not acting. I want to move beyond the acting grammar of the 20th century and create a new form of 21st-century film acting together with you. ● We intend to experiment with new film acting. In that process, our foremost priority will be protecting the human soul. And absolute trust and faith as well. ＜On-Set Sketch＞_A Scene from “From the Gaze” (Temporary) ● Directing Method We do not intend to use technology-centered storyboards anymore. Instead, we will use an intuitive “on-set sketch” method that actors can understand as soon as they see it on location. We have already experimented with an early form of this method in our previous work, **〈The Boundary of Evil〉**. ● Thoughts on Film Structure I no longer want a cut-centered filmmaking method that hurriedly cuts and pastes countless fragments of narrative into a chaotic whole. The film set I want is not a place where cuts accumulate, but a place where narrative accumulates. I believe that only when the narrative is fully alive can a film reach artistic transcendence. ● Form Even in world cinema today, a cinematic trend centered increasingly on long takes is re-emerging. Within this trend, I too want to create a film in which time and space genuinely flow, rather than one that creates meaning by cutting scenes apart. ● Why is this an opportunity now? This is a time when absolute interest in and attention toward Korean cinema is gathering worldwide. This may be a moment of greater interest and possibility than even the era of what we commonly call Korean auteur cinema. Once these few years pass, an opportunity like this may never come again. I hope a new cinematic movement will begin in Korea within this current. And I hope that movement will become a new wave, re-emerging in a uniquely Korean form. ● The standard I hope for in actors Female actors An actor with the ambition to surpass, in her own way, the depth shown by Kim Min-hee and Kim Hye-ja. Male actors An actor with the potential to grow into a world-class performer following Song Kang-ho and Lee Byung-hun. Then the question may arise: “Who are you to capture such actors?” I am a director who seeks to create a new cinematic grammar on an axis different from the cinematic grammar developed by Truffaut, Godard, Hitchcock, Abbas, and Yasujiro Ozu. The first audition will be conducted through video screening. Submission Materials Profile Film-acting or creative-monologue video ■ Required One monologue video of no more than 1 minute 10 seconds (1 video) ※ Only video links will be reviewed. Since I must personally review every video, please understand that we can only accept submissions in link format. ■ Important Notice Video montages are strictly prohibited. I am not looking at images; I am looking at acting. We will review profiles because they contain the effort of the actors, but what matters most to me is the video. ■ Request Please refrain from submitting videos in which you simply speak casually. This audition is not for selecting supporting actors. Please show us the full range of your abilities as an actor. ■ Dialogue Requirements Exclude drama/theater dialogue. Use film acting as the standard. There are no genre restrictions. Comedy is also acceptable. Please show the acting you can do best—the fullest extent of your ability. ■ Reference Examples Female actors 《Sympathy for Lady Vengeance》 《One Fine Spring Day》 《The Handmaiden》 《The Temperature of Love》 As with the various performances shown in Korean films such as these, you may freely demonstrate your abilities. Male actors 《Memories of Murder》 《Oldboy》 《A Bittersweet Life》 《The Unjust》 As with the powerful performances shown in Korean films such as these, please show us all your potential. ■ Age Range 25–36 ■ Notice In all my works to date, I have never entrusted the actors’ audition videos to staff. This time as well, I, the director, will personally review every video. Therefore, depending on the circumstances, I may contact you after 1–2 months. Even if it takes some time, I will not overlook the valuable videos the actors have sent. ☆ Audition Notice ☆ Prize!!! Among those who participate through the third audition, one person each in the male and female categories will be selected as having demonstrated the strongest acting ability. Although the amount is not large, a prize of 100,000 won will be awarded as a token of encouragement.