‘When I Sleep’ offers tender look at grief, growth

From left, actors Oh Woo-ri, Park Bo-ram and Jung Ji-in in a scene from “When I Sleep” / Courtesy of Cinema Dal

“When I Sleep” delves into the intertwined journeys of three women navigating their sleepless nights as director Choi Jung-moon offers a gentle exploration of grief that extends beyond death.

"When I started writing the screenplay for 'When I Sleep,' the emotion I thought deeply about was grief. I thought not only about the grief that comes from death but also the grief of people who were by my side, changing and parting ways,” Choi said during a press conference Wednesday at a theater in Seoul.

She added that she wrote the story while thinking about "people who have suffered because they are women, and those around me who resemble me."

The movie delicately portrays the universal struggles of individuals grappling with their inner turmoil. It follows Seon-ah (Jung Ji-in), Ji-soo (Oh Woo-ri) and Bo-mi (Park Bo-ram) as they embark on a trip to visit a loved one’s grave, a journey that quickly takes an unsettling turn.

The three protagonists carry their own burdens. Seon-ah, who works at an advertising company in Seoul, is engaged in a secret office romance with her superior. She leverages it for a promotion, taking over a project from another team. However, rumors of their affair spread, making her consider changing jobs.

Ji-soo, Seon-ah’s cousin, experienced a painful outing in high school after her lesbian relationship became public. Bo-mi, Ji-soo’s friend, became pregnant by her boyfriend, but a tragic accident resulting from a playful push from her unaware boyfriend resulted in a stillbirth.

The filmmaker emphasized her intention to imbue each character with a distinct color to reveal their inner selves.

"I wanted each character's color to be somewhat revealed,” Choi said. "I thought of Seon-ah as a reflective person, so I wanted to create a contrast with trumpet creeper orange and blue. For Ji-soo, I thought of brushstrokes. I imagined a straightforward, simple, bold and clear image, so I incorporated yellow. For Bo-mi, I thought of purple because she is quirky, lovely and sincere."

From left, actors Park Bo-ram, Jung Ji-in and Oh Woo-ri in a scene from “When I Sleep” / Courtesy of Cinema Dal

The director chose the road movie genre, believing it could invoke genuine emotions.

"Although it began with the emotion of grief, this film doesn't so much depict the process of grieving as it shows people living and directly interacting with each other," Choi said. "I like road movies. And I believe that on the road, outdoors and in slightly different and unexpected places, one can be honest.”

The director also shared her memories of the late singer Park, who made her acting debut with this film. Park, who played Bo-mi, died last year.

"It's been a little over a year since Park Bo-ram passed away. Watching the movie again recently, I really missed her," Choi said. “When I first met her, she was truly like Bo-mi. She showed such a great performance that it was hard to believe it was her first acting role. We even joked that when our movie is released, she'd get a lot of casting calls for dramas and good roles. She was so focused and enjoyed herself on set."

Jung, who plays Seon-ah, described her character as someone who "worked hard for professional achievement and ran forward, but eventually hit a wall and wandered, losing her center without realizing it."

Oh, portraying Ji-soo, said that rather than thinking about playing a queer character, she tried to capture the exact emotion of love that her character felt.

"There wasn't much I had to be careful of when playing a sexual minority. I simply thought of it as love and focused on how to express that emotion accurately,” Oh said.

“When I Sleep” will be released in theaters on Wednesday.