"My dream is to work on stage costumes that can be used in operas and such. But since stage costumes are not ready-made costumes (like the ones sold in stores), they are difficult to tailor. I think practicing making (cosplay) costumes would make it easier for me to tailor stage costumes as well."

"Growing up as a woman in Korea was tough, but was also a gift at the same time. If I were a Korean man, or a white male in the States, I would not have been able to make this film. You got to experience complex human emotions because you were going through a lot of things."

"When you create something, it becomes a fictional story, but in the beginning, I was very true to the emotions that I went through in middle school. It’s a creation in the end, but I also wanted to bring the emotions I went through and my growing pains and what it was like to grow up there. I wanted to bring my own memories to the film, so that people could bring their own memories while watching."

"From my understanding, there is already quite a lot of independent films with adolescent girls as protagonists. Women have been telling such stories all this time. Couldn’t it be that this period has become more visible as our society is changing? Most of the film markets all over the world are dominated by white men’s stories, and after them come white women, and then Asian men, in this order. Still, I think the reason other female directors are now getting noticed, like with House of Hummingbird, is that Korean society is finally ready to embrace women’s narratives. It might also be that it has finally come to people’s attention not for the particular narratives, but because we are at a special moment."

"Cinema takes me to another world. That world is authentic, real, and welcoming. Cinema doesn’t belong to the winner but to the loser/loner. The blissful loser. I like that world."

"I wanted to produce something that would resonate strongly with the audience. When we showed it to the Korean audience, they said it was a good mix of both the personal and political aspects of that era."

"After House of Hummingbird got released, the ticket sales were amazing. It was very overwhelming to see its success. Whenever I had Q&As with the audience, a lot of the audience – they raised their hand and while they were asking questions, they started to cry. It wasn’t just once. So many people – they couldn’t even finish their sentence because they were so emotional. I also cried. My actors cried. Because it was so touching and it was a very deep, human connection between the filmmakers and the audience."

"People have lost something important they took for granted, and that loss leaves them devastated."

"She is like a great writer, with the power to read people; I was influenced by her. But hers wasn't a life where you could sit indoors with books."

"I was very young, and those events affected me deeply. I feel the time given to me doesn't belong only to me. In everything – my writing, my travelling, my happiness – I live partly on behalf of those who weren't able to survive. I feel I'm living their share of life."

"Even though each country has different cultural backgrounds and social traditions, the word “Mom” can evoke universal emotional responses. Additionally, the behavior of children is very similar across borders. Children’s attitudes toward Mom and their tendency to forget her are similar all around the world…"

"I am not expecting to win"

"I am expecting to come second, at least...I am not putting in all these hours and putting up with media trying to come second, I am not...I am trying to win this damn thing."

"This happens...people coming in from South Auckland get to Mount Albert right?...and the thing it's like, hopefully, we could divert some of that traffic and criminals away from Mount Albert..."