[Busan = E-Daily Starin Reporter Choi Hee-jae ] Actress Kim Min-ha revealed that she was a fan of Director Kim Jong-kwan and shared her thoughts on participating in the film *Day and Night Are for Each Other*.

On the afternoon of the 6th, an official press conference for the opening film *Day and Night Belong to Each Other* was held at the Medium Theater of the Busan Cinema Center, where the 31st Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) kicked off. Director Kim Jong-kwan, along with actors Kim Min-ha, Joo Jong-hyuk, Han Sun-hwa, Jang Ryul, Shim Eun-kyung, Jeon So-young, and Kim Dong-hwi, attended the press conference.

Kim Min-ha kicked off the discussion with the first episode. Having worked with Director Kim Jong-kwan for the first time, Kim Min-ha began by saying, “I remember the day I first received the script. It was while I was filming in Toronto.”

She then expressed her admiration for Director Kim, saying, “I was a fan who used to follow the director to his Q&A sessions and watched many of his films,” adding, “When I heard he was going to give me the script, it felt like a dream.”

Kim Min-ha said, “After reading the script, I immediately texted the director, saying, ‘It feels like I’m reading someone’s diary. Thank you for giving me such a gift.’ The day we filmed my episode was my birthday. It felt like I’d received another gift that day. It felt like he’d given me a dream that was like a gift, and that day, I wrote down my thoughts and dreams in my diary.”

She added, “Watching this film, I realized that many stories were exchanged within the same space, and that when they come together, they can become letters, novels, or movies—or even a great wave.”

She continued, “Just as the director said, it feels like I’ve received another gift that allows me to reflect deeply on small joys and the ebb and flow of life. It feels like I’ve received three gifts in total.”

“Day and Night for Each Other” is a cheerful and charming film that captures the conversations between Day and Night—who stay at a café for the duration of a single season—as they come and go.

The stories of various characters—including Yoo-jin (Kim Min-ha), who listens intently to the ticking of a wristwatch; Hyun-oh (Joo Jong-hyuk), who repairs watches; the quirky Sang-mi (Han Sun-hwa) and the upright, gentle Young-min (Jang Ryul); web novel writer Hye-jin (Shim Eun-kyung) and film director Dong-nam (Lee Hee-joon); long-time couple Na-kyung (Jeon So-young) and Jong-su (Kim Dong-hwi)—the stories of these diverse characters unfold against the backdrop of a café.

Joo Jong-hyuk also recalled, “I’ve been a long-time fan of the director,” adding, “I don’t think I’ve ever felt so at ease while filming. I felt at peace and came to rely on the director. The director told me that my co-star, Kim Min-ha, acts as naturally as she breathes, so I studied her style to try and match her tone. I think we had a lot of fun filming.”

Han Seon-hwa also remarked, “I feel like I received a gift too,” and received birthday wishes after revealing that today is her birthday. She said, “It’s such an honor to be here in my hometown of Busan, at the Busan International Film Festival—which I love so much—with the director’s film as the opening feature.”

Jang Ryul also said, “I wanted to meet the director as soon as possible to hear his story,” adding, “I felt the story was unique and the dialogue had a distinctive flair, which made it even more engaging. I was curious about how to bring it to life through my acting and express it on screen.” He also commented on his co-star Han Sun-hwa, saying, “I’d love to work with her again, and I was happy working with her.”

Shim Eun-kyung said, “I consider it a tremendous honor to be part of the opening film,” adding, “I’m looking forward to seeing how the audience reacts during the screening.”

Jeon So-young, who appeared in the final episode, revealed her nervousness, noting that this was her second project and her first film. “I didn’t know anything—how to appear on camera or how to speak,” she said. “My senior actors and the director taught me everything step by step, from the very beginning. There were parts of the character I found hard to relate to, but after talking with the director at length, I was eventually able to connect with her. I also received a lot of help from Senior Kim Dong-hwi.”

Kim Dong-hwi’s first project after completing his military service was *Day and Night Are for Each Other*. He remarked, “I’d been a fan of the director’s films since my school days, and I received the script while still following his work,” adding, “I felt incredibly proud to be part of a film I love.”

He continued, “Actress So-young also gave me positive energy, and the director encouraged me as well,” adding, “We finished filming right before I went into the military—about three days before my enlistment. I watched the film with great enjoyment and found myself completely immersed in it,” drawing attention.

“Day and Night for Each Other,” selected as the Busan International Film Festival’s opening film, will be screened at the opening ceremony this afternoon.

Director Kim Jong-kwan has directed feature films such as *The Worst Day* (2016), *The Table* (2017), *Nowhere* (2020), and *Josee* (2020). He contributed to the omnibus film *The Killers* (2024) and directed the segment “Walking Through the Night” in the Netflix Original film *Persona* (2019). He is currently preparing for the release of *Someone Beyond the Cloudy Window* (2026).

“Day and Night Belong to Each Other” is set to be released this November.