91 quotes found
"I moved to New Jersey when I was five, and I lived there for about six years. My dad was allocated to the New York branch of his company. Looking back, I'm so grateful because I got to learn both English and Korean at the same time, and it was just so natural for me, and it made it so much easier to study English afterwards."
"Like the French, Koreans aim for a subtle and effortless look - while actually paying a lot of attention to the details."
"Diversity has definitely been increasing, but still we have the issue of inclusion, and that is why I am so grateful about playing the role of Nagini in the 'Fantastic Beasts' franchise."
"Growing up, Karuna Shinsho on CNN was one of my idols, so I wanted to become either an anchorwoman or an international lawyer."
"I'm not sure if it's just my pride, but I think I was able to bring out a different vibe as a Korean in Hollywood where there are many Korean Americans."
"Not all the roles that I've gotten were stereotypical, but in Korea, especially for TV, it's a bit limited for women in their twenties and thirties. There aren't enough female roles."
"I personally love auditioning. It's not just about that part: it's about getting to meet new people and really introducing myself to them - getting my name out there more than getting just that project."
"I'm just going to continue to think about what kind of films I want to do and what's out there for me to audition for, and I love trying."
"Some people suggested that I should try something else. It was a lot of things, but nothing really stood out for me. Nothing felt right, and this job as an actor happened by coincidence."
"I think flashbacks are important. I mean, each episode - that's what I love about watching Lost is every episode, you have your new favorite character. We take turns and that's where we get to look a little different, show different sides to that character. It's like peeling an onion. So I find flashbacks really useful, really crucial to the show. I hope that doesn't ever go away."
"Again, I said it before, but I’m always surrounded by amazing female friends and they’re the ones who are with me and kind of slap me around when I’m doing something wrong. And to do a show about all these characters I can relate, sympathize and really care about, it’s great. I mean, I see my friends in all of the characters, all of the female characters, which is really nice."
"I think it was the only way to wrap the show up. I mean, I know that not everyone was thrilled about it – some people were really angry about the ending. It just shows you how much people put in their time and their passion for the show. You know a show like Lost is not going to [be like] every other show that I do – it’s a rare experience and I treasure it."
"At the same time, I think something like Lost is bringing something very different to the table, and I'm really proud to be a part of the first time in American television when they took the chance of writing Korean characters in to begin with -- but to have them speak Korean for thirty minutes in a one-hour show and have it subtitled? I think that was pretty gutsy of them. And it was received well; it wasn't like we dropped out of the ratings. People loved it, and this was the first time in American television, and hopefully this will bring a lot more different ethnic backgrounds to mass media like television or film -- because that's what America is all about, isn't it? It's like a mixed pot."
"I think it's so important for really young Asians growing up in America to have those positive images of themselves."
"In the US, my makeup artist was an elderly lady. She would put on my eyeliner using reading glasses. It’s something unimaginable in Korea."
"There have been times when casting directors were talking loudly on the phone right outside the room where I was auditioning. I didn’t know what to do."
"People want to see it because although it’s not a pretty scene that the movie is reflecting; it still is the reality that we live in, and it just portrays and exemplifies the life that we live in as it is. Nothing more, nothing less."
"Really, it’s the reality that we live in, and the society that we live in, especially in Korea, but also anywhere in the world. Even my own brother and sisters, I’ve been on their side seeing them trying to look for a job. I myself had to prepare for the college entrance exams, and go through auditions in addition to building portfolios. It’s a lot. It’s not just about having a talent. And yes, there are a lot of amazing talents out there with hopes and dreams to become amazing actors and actresses, but the reality isn’t that easy."
"I began to learn who I was, what exactly I wanted to do, and started running toward this goal from that moment."
"It was an experience that gave me a lot of pride in Korean culture and art. And because that memory is so unforgettable, it’s become a driving force for me to work even harder as an actor."
"There’s a side of me that seeks a stable life, but I tend to not fear change. And as time passes, rather than settle for one thing, I’m growing more inclined to challenge myself and try new things."
"There was no intention of differentiating genres or fields. I was always involved in a variety of projects—depending on timing and circumstance. I’d like to continue challenging myself in various ways, such as movies, dramas and plays."
"Having the opportunity to play Ki-Jung in Parasite has been a dream. Every moment I’ve felt fortunate to be a part of this journey. And most importantly, I’ve just met so many great people along the way, not only Bong [Joon-ho] but the crew, other actors. I’m still processing the year in a lot of ways; I’m checking Instagram regularly to see how the world is receiving the film."
"I saw the musical Grease as a freshman in high school. The actors looked so happy. That’s when I started thinking that maybe I would like to become a musical actor. My parents were fervently against it. They wanted me to live an ordinary life. I didn’t really have a dream before acting. I think I just lived without meaning. So I counseled my younger siblings to think carefully about what they want to do, and study hard to go to a college that will support their dreams. Sometimes I wonder what I would have done if I had not found acting."
"Maybe just from life. It seems like there are no new stories in the world. Even though there are stories with something to say, and we have heard everything. But more than new stories - what kind of feeling could we get from them? If it could give you a different feeling, that's probably the kind of story I want to do, is how I feel."
"Sometimes in life, you have to run, sometimes you fall down, and sometimes you have to take a break, but it seems I have always focused on running."
"Directing takes more courage than acting."
"Big question! When my film was released in the autumn, there was a huge discourse regarding feminism in Korea, and thanks to that, there were a lot of discussions connecting my film and the issue of feminism; I felt really thankful about that. Now, the #MeToo movement in Korea… It means that many people in Korea are going through a hard time now, not just the victims and the offenders, but also people who were there when it happened. But, I think this is a time that we have to go through; of course, it is very painful, but we need to go through the pain in order to heal. Also, in the film industry, there are a lot of trials and movements to make the situation better. There are discussions about sexual equality not only in the film industry, but also in the world of theatre, and in other cultural professions. It’s very hard and painful right now, but it is a period of time that we need."
"I find that in every new film – whether in terms of becoming a new character or more generally the shooting or production – I’m rarely working with the same people or in the similar situations. Sometimes the director is someone I haven’t worked with before, or the actors are different and the stories we are telling are different, so overall every role is kind of challenging but attractive at the same time. There were some roles that I found either mentally or physically challenging but I would find it hard to pinpoint one specific role that I found more challenging than any other. I guess that understanding each character is the most challenging for me."
"There are actors who have a naturally cold aura. I don’t think I’m a big fan of that. You have to talk about people’s lives [in acting]. We probably don’t understand [others] 100 percent. It’s not possible. But I believe that the best method for acting is to love other people. ... I think there has to be warmth toward living beings"
"It’s hard for people to know themselves. It’s hard to know how you’re charming. When you’re young, even when people compliment you, it’s difficult to accept that."
"Right now, the industry might have gotten bigger. More people may be watching films. Those are positive aspects. But diversity in Korean cinema has decreased a lot since then. There are more female film students in schools."
"I love both acting and meeting children around the world. But I think that meeting children is something I should do for the rest of my life."
"I thought that the acting talent is something that you are born with. But now I have realized, with this drama, that acting is something that requires you to pour endless efforts on each piece."
"When I heard I was nominated, I thought an actress should only focus on acting, and I didn't want to feel anxious wondering if I will get awarded."
"I didn't expect such a big award, it's a surprise. It makes me feel proud to be an actress, receiving this prestigious award."
"The movie wasn't quite suitable for Korean viewers, but here in LA and Cannes, I guess critics had an open mind."
"The award doesn’t mean nothing to me. My reward is getting new jobs, new projects—that’s my reward. Of course, that moment when you receive the award, you’ll be very happy. You could be very happy in the moment. But I’m a very practical person and a very realistic person. If I get a new job, that’s my reward."
"We are all human beings—the same human beings. Don’t categorize that you are yellow, you are white, you are Black, and white is better than yellow or Black or any other skin color. That’s stupid things to compare. We are all different and beautiful."
"When I watch the movie, I don’t want to learn anything. I just enjoy it. So whatever they see, they can see [from] a different angle. Some people could understand the mother’s part, or the father’s part, or the grandma’s part—it’s a free country. You can feel whatever you feel like to do."
"When some project comes from America, people in Korea think I admire Hollywood, No, I don't admire Hollywood. The reason I keep coming is because if I come to the States and work, maybe I'm able to see my son one more time. That’s from the bottom of my heart."
"I also told him [ Brad Pitt ] to come to Korea. He promised that he will. But I don’t really believe the words of Americans. Their vocabulary is so fancy. He said my performance was very respectable and whatnot, but I’m old. I don’t fall for those words."
"The absolute love and sacrifice of our grandmother and parents are a universal story."
"Second-generation Asian Americans think they are Americans but in the eyes of Americans, they don’t look American. There must be a dilemma like that."
"Sorry to tell you, because I’m usually working in the Korean industry, not knowing this kind of award. I didn’t even expect having awards from America. I’m living on the other side of the world so to me, first, what’s happening to me? I don’t know. But when we made this film, we didn’t expect this warm welcoming. We just made it together, just like family. So I’ve been numb."
"My two sons are Korean Americans living in the states. My son living in LA, he is worrying about me coming to the states for the Oscars because you might get hurt on the street or something like that. Who knows? You’re an old woman. They’re aiming old woman. Can’t you have security guard or something? That’s terrible. He’s worrying about me just being old woman getting attacked."
"With age, what happens is you become freer, in a way, and more relaxed. You don’t have the weight of responsibility. I can actually step back and enjoy, and also be more forgiving. I’m very frank about myself and in all situations. It sometimes has been a help and sometimes been a distraction in this career. Usually, I tried never to have interviews when I was working in Korea because they would misunderstand or misinterpret me, so I was afraid to have public interviews. Here in the United States, I can do more interviews, but it is more an issue of language, of my English."
"Usually, actors and actresses fall in love with theater or film, and study and learn so they can be successful, but that was not the case with me. I bumped into acting. I fell into it. So that’s why I tried to practice a lot, trying to prepare before performances, because I felt like I was not ready like they were. I had to do more. They had prepared their whole lives to be an actor. Me, I was just looking for a part-time job and I wound up being an actress. That’s why I started that habit, and I’m really grateful now that I’ve always done that. They say practice makes you perfect. That is something I really strongly believe in. As I went through my career, I found if I read lines over and over, I don’t even know how many times I’d read them, but the more I read and memorize, the more different ways I would find to play the role. That’s why I do it over and over. Some people think it’s stupid, but no. To me, it’s the best way to learn a character."
"I’m really enjoying quarantine, because I can rest. I don't have to see anybody. I can just stay home 24 hours a day and stay in bed, my favorite place."
"If somebody did something bad to me or was rude to me, I will never forget. But if somebody's nice to me, I will also never forget. This means people think I'm a very dangerous woman who never forgets."
"I practice a lot for a role to memorize the lines thoroughly. Some people think the line is not important, but to me it's very important. That line for that role is the character’s thinking and her attitude and her everything. So if I memorize it thoroughly, I can just play it this way or that way freely. That's my mission. On set I always have my script. And my cigarette."
"I used to hear people say that models have very short careers, which I don't really agree with... I think that even when you grow old, you can still continue modeling if you have that willingness. But I think I kind of put a lot of thought into other options as my modeling career was slowly declining. I started to worry about what I should do when I had no job at all. I started to think about my next steps and that's when I figured maybe it could be a good idea to start acting."
"I think if I got a role or a new series came in, then I’d have to focus on the shooting. At that moment, I don't think I can do modeling at the same time as acting, but, if I don't have a time [where I need to be shooting], then I could do modeling. I could manage. I'm a very flexible person!"
"I think the emotions that they truly feel within them and what they try to show to others, the mask that they put on, is different."
"So many things are happening right now, so I'm in the process of digesting everything and putting things in order. I think it's too early for me to say that this is my goal or this is my plan. I’m just going to try and do my best to live every day to the fullest."
"I was just so happy that I got a role and could give a performance. I still feel nervous at the thought of meeting an audience through the screen. I never dreamed that the show would become such a global sensation."
"Squid Game is a story about human nature that most people can already relate to, yet everything is communicated through easy-to-follow childhood games."
"At first, I tried to get rid of habits that you would develop as a model, and it was a great challenge to relearn how to walk and move more naturally. But my experience working as a model helped with understanding how to move in front of the camera and how the camera actually sees me."
"So, I started modeling at 17. In Korea there are academies for modeling. So I went to the academy, and the academy teacher gave me a few jobs, like the fashion school graduation show, that kind of stuff. Then, I realized that there are Asian supermodels."
"At the beginning, I thought that a model should be a sexy girl or should just be a really gorgeous girl or should be a cute girl or just very calm. Now, as time passes, I found that modeling can be more complicated and I can be inspired by many things besides just poses in magazines."
"Just the fact that so many people around the world are showing their interest puts me in a good mood."
"There is definitely no fear. When I first went abroad as a model, I felt like I was heading to the ground, but now I think I can make a clearer plan and approach it flexibly."
"I think that being an actor is a really good job. Of course, there are things you have to put up with. In order to create a real character from text on a page, you have to be extremely sensitive about various things, so it can impact one’s daily life. Apart from my talent, there might come a time when the public is sick of seeing me and wants to see less of me. I think that that time might come someday. That’s why I’m working hard right now. People ask me why I don’t take a break, but this time right now is too precious. I want to live each day as intensely as possible. As I passed 40, I thought that I should live without regrets. I feel like I’m living my life on sets. Right now, my entire life is on set."
"I don't put limits in genres or have a set of roles that I prefer to play. It can either be a lead role or a supporting role. And I can take part in low-budget or independent projects or in a blockbuster. I aim to get my hands on anything that I want to do."
"I’m not ambitious; I didn't intend to make a career in Hollywood. I have been lucky enough to receive many interesting proposals and I am working on them with the same curiosity, without a strategic approach. Perhaps it is a lack of sensitivity, but I do not feel any difference, except, of course, at the level of budget. To create a good film, everyone does their best by trusting a good leader. As an interpreter, I put myself at [the director's] service. That is my conviction as an actress."
"I’ve already had the chance to play all the characters I wanted to. I do not dream of a role a particular type of film — I am happy to accept the roles that inspire me."
"I’m quite spontaneous so even I can’t say what I’m likely to do in the future. I follow my instincts when I choose a film, so there are no boundaries. I want to work on challenging films, something new, something stepping away from the norm. I love challenges."
"I lose some, but win some as I grow older. I believe aging is more of a benefit for my career, because my experience is reflected in my acting."
"I didn't aim to shed a certain image, but I'm just feeling more relaxed and comfortable after my marriage. I also have become more communicative and try to make the most of my life."
"As you get more wrinkles on your face, you get to feel deeper emotions. I don’t feel regretful about getting old."
"I’ve got different emotions. That is a good thing about being an actress. It is a profession that you can express the emotional changes you undergo when you get old, get married or bear a child. Acting is after all a study of humans."
"As an actress, I want to try whatever -- whether that’s drama, film, documentary narration or something totally different -- as long as I can show my new facets and convey messages."
"After I got married, I started my doctoral programme in a graduate school. I wanted to study acting in a more profound way, and I had a great time learning a lot about it. Moreover, I remained faithful to my family. I watched my kids growing up and I found new kinds of joy by starting a family."
"Well, if I answered that I do not feel any pressure at all, that would be a lie. I just want to warm and touch the heart of our viewers. If just this one goal is met, that would mean success to me. I couldn’t ask for more."
"I hope for many opportunities to show new facets of me that are different from my pre-marriage period. I would like to show these different images of mine, as a mother and as a wife, in a broad range through dramas, movies or other channels. I hope I will have many such opportunities, going forward."
"In the past 10 years, I got married and I gave birth to twins so I became a mother as well. As a woman, I’ve gone through a lot of changes. Marriage and giving birth. These 2 things bring about major changes in a woman’s life in the East as well as the West so that is true for any woman anywhere in the world. Because of that, my perspective on life has changed too and that became my criteria in selecting the works that I want to participate in."
"How do you win against tough times? Sometimes, I lose."
"Thoughts like "That could've been the case, that could've happened, I could've had that kind of a relationship" also cross my mind."
"Maybe love is like looking for a place. That doesn’t even exist."
"It feels so good to be back home. This is my second home, and it’s always wonderful to be here."
"When I started with 2NE1, I was grateful for the support I received."
"I’m happy that I can help these dreamers get closer to Korea."
"I’m thankful to everyone who supported me during my 'Star Circle Quest' days. Now it’s time for these dreamers to shine on stage, and we’ll do our best to help them reach their dreams."
"As we saw in the AVP (audio-visual presentation), the audience will play a significant role in this journey alongside our mentors and judges."
"We never went on a family vacation. It was our first time traveling as adults. It was fun, I was thankful."
"So I was worried to go back. I didn't have any friends in Korea. I felt like I was immigrating back to the environment that I'd been living in."
"‘I'm not showing these views to my family. I'm not buying these tasty food to my family and only bring my friends."
"Hearing the cheers again made me emotional."
"Thank you for giving me such an unforgettable moment."
"I love you. Thank you very much."
"Is it possible to go on a trip with a male friend?"