We met with JEON Do-yeon who came to Cannes with director OH Seung-uk’s returning film after fifteen years, The Shameless. When the film was finally introduced on May 15th in Cannes, many commented“Of course it’s JEON Do-yeon,” about her performance. This is her fourth trip to the festival but it still makes her nervous and stimulates her.

 

This is your fourth Cannes International Film Festival. Do you feel right at homeas you’re a regular?
I thought I would be, but after I’ve landed, I feel a bit of pressure. I’m also worried that the meaning of the film might not translate well with the global audiences.

 

How was the audience reception?
We joked with the director and my fellow actor KIM Nam-gil backstage. PARK Chan-wook’s Old boy received 8 minutes of standing ovation, so we wondered how our film willbe received. If they applaud for a long duration of time, how should we greet our audiences? And what kind of expressions should I put on? These were some of the questions we discussed. After talking about such things, we saw that a few walked out of the theater as soon as the film was over and I was a bit taken aback. I wonder if they were able to understand the Korean sentiments in the film.

 

Last year you were at Cannes as a jury member. How was it different for you?
It’s hard to both judge a film and to get judged. Both roles made me nervous. They’re also similar in a way that I always have a sense of regret after it’s over.

 

I think the reception towards your performance seems to be positive throughout.
I’m thankful to have been at Cannes for four times. What makes me fluster is when international journalists or fans recognize me and asks for an interview or my signature. I feel so thankful as an actor and am stimulated by it.

 

Why did you choose to act in The Shameless?
I enjoyed the scenario and was attracted to the hard-boiled melodrama. Female characters have a tendency to be simple, but in this film, the female character’s feelings and humanity was what I focused on showing. It was really hard to act in some scenes, but I trusted the director and the scenario. Since there’s no right or wrong answer in acting, I continuously questioned myself and tried to rediscover the character.

 

Cannes seems to look for you time and again. What does the festival mean to you?
If I said I don’t feel pressured, it’d be a lie. I feel that I should come back with a better film and a better performance to satisfy what people expect from me. At the same time, it also makes me continuously think about what kind of actress I am and it stimulates me. Cannes is a festival that opened me up to bigger possibilities as an actress. It made me look back and rethink about how I should live as an actress. I hope to continuously be influenced and stimulated by the festival.