[Busan = E-Daily Starin Choi Hee-jae Reporter] “It even made me wonder if there might be an actor who would be a better fit than me...”

Actress Shim Eun-kyung made these remarks while sharing her thoughts on participating in the film during a press conference for the opening film, *Day and Night Are for Each Other* (*Day and Night*), held on the afternoon of the 6th at the Medium Theater of the Busan Cinema Center, where the 31st Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) kicked off.

In the third episode of the film, Shim Eun-kyung played the role of Hye-jin, a web novel writer, and acted alongside Lee Hee-joon. Regarding the role of Hye-jin, she explained, “It was difficult to approach,” adding, “She has a personality that I don’t possess, and she was a character I’d never portrayed before.”

She continued, “I was very curious as to why the director offered me this role. To be honest, I even wondered if there might be an actor who would be a better fit than me.”

So why did she take on the challenge? Shim Eun-kyung expressed her special affection for the project, saying, “I’ve always loved the director’s work and really wanted to collaborate with him,” and added, “For me, this project represents a challenge to play a completely different role I’ve never tried before, and it’s a meaningful project to be a part of.”

Although Shim Eun-kyung has been acting consistently since her child acting days, she said she was so nervous about this project that she felt tense right up until filming began. “I did a lot of research for the role, but once I got on set, I felt so comfortable. Later on, I even started incorporating some ad-libs,” she shared.

She continued, “I’m curious to see how audiences will receive it. For me, it remains a beautiful film, like a midsummer night’s dream,” urging viewers to take an interest in the film.

*Day and Night Belong to 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.

The story unfolds against the backdrop of a café, featuring various characters: 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); longtime couple Na-kyung (Jeon So-young) and Jong-su (Kim Dong-hwi)—the stories of these diverse characters unfold against the backdrop of a single café.

Director Kim Jong-kwan has directed feature films such as *The Worst Day* (2016), *The Table* (2017), *No One’s Place* (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.