Shim Eun-kyung plays comic relief character in 'Blue Hour'

Actress Shim Eun-kyung in a scene from the film “Blue Hour” / Courtesy of AUD

By Kwak Yeon-soo

Actress Shim Eun-kyung plays a charming and fun supporting character in Japanese film “Blue Hour” alongside Japanese actress Kaho. The star duo jointly received the Best Actress award at the 34th Takasaki Film Festival in March.

The film title “Blue Hour” refers to the time of a day when the sky fills with blue light right before dawn, according to director Yuko Hakota. In “Blue Hour,” Kaho plays Sunada, a successful but exhausted TV commercial director, and Shim plays Kiyoura, who is Sunada's unemployed childhood friend. Experiencing burnout, Sunada decides to visit her rural hometown in Ibaraki with her friend Kiyoura.

Kiyoura appears to be a lighthearted character who clings to simple pleasures in life ― a familiar trait to Shim because she has played similar roles before in “Miss Granny” and “The Princess and the Matchmaker.” However, the 26-year-old actress explained that Kiyoura is much different compared with other bright characters that she has played.

“She's similar to the characters from Disney animated films. She may be the girl-next door type of character, but she also dwells in sadness and loneliness,” Shim said during an online press conference streamed Monday.

Shim felt that Kiyoura isn't simply a cheerful character lies in the film's message, which is about distancing oneself from demands of adulthood. Shim described “Blue Hour” as a “fable for grownups.”

“I think audiences can easily sympathize with Sunada because we all have the experience of being somehow trapped in a conflicting emotional state. We seldom look back on our childhood with fondness because we're too busy with our current problems,” she said.

On how starring in a Japanese film is different from domestic ones, Shim said that every film has its own character regardless of where it's made.

“I think it was director Hakota and the entire staff that allowed Blue Hour to reach impressive artistic heights,” Shim said. “Hakota's unique perspective and the set of warm emotions created a dreamlike yet realistic quality of the scenes.”

Shim expressed her will to continue acting in Japan, adding that she is still taking Japanese lessons to improve her language skills.

“I've always liked Japanese films and culture and had a desire to work in other countries. I believe I can learn more and grow as an actor by appearing in Japanese films,” she said.

Shim became the first Korean to win the Best Actress award at the 43rd Japan Academy Film Prize Awards for her role in her Japanese debut film “The Journalist.”

“Blue Hour” will hit local theaters, July 22.