HŏSa
An exhortation to break free
Directed by Tim Ro
Directed by Tim Ro, HŏSa delves into the tumultuous world of a woman worn down by the relentless pace of Seoul. Amidst the chaos, she seeks refuge in alcohol and nightlife, but finds only temporary relief. Yearning for something more, she embarks on a journey of self-discovery, realising that true solace lies in taking a leap of faith towards a life of fulfilment.
Ro’s work serves as a poignant reflection on the struggles of modern urban life, urging viewers to break free from the cycle of escapism and embrace the pursuit of genuine happiness.
In your description you mentioned that "What has inspired me and appalled me in equal measure is the unrelenting work ethic and unimaginably high pain threshold of the Korean people". Can you expand on that? What experiences have led you to want to express this through film?
Korean women in particular embody this spirit of suffering, enduring, and overcoming. They make 32.1% less than their male counterparts (biggest gender pay gap among all OECD countries). That’s despite many having tertiary education and representing the most exceptional workforce in the world. Korea also has the lowest fertility rate in the world because women will get replaced or passed over for promotions due to maternity leave. Notwithstanding these insane limitations placed on them, they are still thriving and driving the Korean nation forward. The flowers in particular was a way depict both resilience and a sort of rebirth the country needs to be going through.
The film is beautifully shot. The result is a very emotional and optimistic piece. Was that your intention? And how did work with Daniel Ro to achieve this?
Daniel and I immediately agreed on wanting to capture a certain nostalgia and reminiscence that we encountered in some of our parents’ old photo album of Korea in the 80s. We wanted to juxtapose a very modern vibrant Seoul, to a more mystical and almost spiritual Korea that is found in nature. Daniel was able to incorporate various visual elements and lighting setups on a very tightly scheduled shoot. I was thankful he was able to get us the image we originally envisioned.
The editing and sound design also play a vital role in achieve the overall mood of the piece. Can you take us through how you worked with editor Kevin Camphuis and sound designer Ferdinand Boltersdorf?
Kevin and I spent quite a bit of time shaping and molding this piece in the edit. We had a few different versions that didn’t quite emotionally resonate, so we tossed those versions and built everything from the ground up over a few months. Kevin made some really interesting suggestions such as the stop-motion approach to the flowers, and was unwilling to make compromises to make this the best edit possible. Ferdinand, immediately understood what Kevin and I had formed in the edit. His input was crucial because we shot MOS, and building the right soundscape was nonnegotiable, so I’m thankful he was able to pull it off.
What are the main challenges you encountered and how did you overcome them? Any learnings you'd like to share?
Almost nobody shoots on film in Korea anymore, and we embraced that challenge to hearken back to a more innocent time in Korea. Like most productions, we were incredibly pressed for time. After shooting Day for Night at the restaurant, we had to make multiple company moves to two other cities all in one day. There were some other challenges that Daniel navigated well so I’m just grateful to him and the Korean crew who worked tirelessly to make this happen. I’ve learned that no matter the adversity we face, the right people will get you through it.
“We wanted to juxtapose a very modern vibrant Seoul, to a more mystical and almost spiritual Korea that is found in nature.”
What's next for you and HŏSa?
I’m currently in the process of preparing for a commercial shoot. However, I’m planning to focus as much time and effort as possible on developing more narrative short and long-form works. HŏSa had its premiere on Nowness and was featured on Beyond the Short and Film Shortage. We’re very honored to be featured on Curation Hour. The questions helped reflecting back on the shoot. It was a great reminder of how thankful I should be to be able to create.
Director: Tim Ro
Executive Producer: Katt Kim
Key Cast: Seunghyun Choa
Director of Photography: Daniel Ro
Editor: Kevin Camphuis