'Soulmate' is heartwarming love letter to female friendship

From left, actresses Kim Da-mi, Jeon So-nee, director Min Yong-keun and actor Byun Woo-seok pose during a press conference for the film, "Soulmate," in Seoul, Tuesday. Courtesy of NEW

By Kwak Yeon-soo

“Soulmate” is an endearing love letter to female friendship with two stunning performances by Kim Da-mi and Jeon So-nee. The two actresses, who co-star as best friends in the film, show that the bond of female friendship can be stronger than romantic love.

Director Min Yong-keun manages to combine elaborate elements of a coming-of-age work with drama and romance while demonstrating an understanding of women's relationships.

He revealed that he initially turned down directing “Soulmate” because he wasn't sure if he could depict the complexities of female friendship.

“One thing that really struck me was the story of friendship that stands the test of time and distance. While adapting the screenplay, I interviewed a lot of women. Since there are a lot of women in my family. I was able to learn about friendships and the inflection points they go through,” he said during a press conference for the film, Tuesday.

Adapted from the Chinese film of the same title, “Soulmate” follows the lives of two friends. One is Mi-so (Kim), a free-spirited girl who rides a motorcycle and works part-time as a bartender while attending high school. The other is Ha-eun (Jeon), a risk-averse, well-behaved student who is afraid of heights.

Despite their differences, the two have been best friends since 1998. Then a handsome boy named Jin-woo (Byeon Woo-seok) turns up and complicates their friendship. The film then takes a unique turn, following not romance but female friendship.

A scene from the film, "Soulmate" / Courtesy of NEW

Kim and Jeon deliver performances full of emotion as Mi-so and Ha-eun's friendship withers due to a series of misunderstandings. Ha-eun feels separated from her friend Mi-so when she abruptly leaves Jeju Island and moves to Seoul.

The film has many close-up shots to convey each character's deep emotion to the audience.

Kim revealed that the hair and makeup team helped her to play her character through multiple decades in “Soulmate.”

“It's an honor to have an opportunity to portray different facets of a character from her late teens through to her early 30s,” she said. The 27-year-old actress said she tried to immerse herself in the role by endlessly thinking about Ha-eun while shooting the film over three-months.

“I could feel Ha-eun's presence even when I was filming alone. The set, props and lighting helped me to focus on Mi-so's feelings,” she said.

Jeon said the themes in the script resonated with her. “I was just so happy to be able to tell this moving, personal story that speaks to our hearts. I think the audience will be able to empathize with both characters. I hope 'Soulmate' becomes a timeless classic movie that people watch again and again.”

Byun, whose character adds a sense of drama to the plot, said he cried watching the film. “I watched it three times, but it made me cry every time. There's a lot of nostalgia factors in the film because many parts of the story are set in 1998,” he said.

“Soulmate” will hit local theaters on March 15.