‘My Name is Loh Kiwan’ Director Reveals Why She Included Song Joong Ki and Choi Sung Eun’s Steamy Love Scene

Director Kim Hee Jin of My Name is Loh Kiwan opened up about the intimate scene between Song Joong Ki and Choi Sung Eun.

Released on Netflix on March 1st, My Name is Loh Kiwan tells the story of North Korean defector Kiwan (played by Song Joong Ki), who arrives in Belgium clinging to the last hope of his life, and Marie (Choi Sung Eun), a woman who has lost her reason for living.

Song Joong Ki faced the challenge of learning a North Korean dialect for the role. “We collaborated with a dialect coach,” explains director Kim Hee Kin. “Joong-ki, the teacher, and I had many discussions. We read the lines aloud and experimented with different regional dialects to find the right one.”

>> Song Joong Ki Embraces the Challenge of North Korean Dialect in ‘My Name is Loh Kiwan’

Director Kim ultimately chose the Jakang dialect. “I envisioned Kiwan as a dignified character,” she says. “I wanted to find a dialect that hadn’t been overused in media, so the character would feel fresh and unique. So, I searched for a dialect that sounded beautiful, ultimately deciding on Jakang.”

Since its release, the film has received some criticism regarding the inclusion of the love story between Kiwan and Marie, as it’s not present in the original novel. Addressing this, the director explains, “Kiwan finds himself in a foreign land where he doesn’t understand a word after his mother’s death. He settles there but ultimately chooses to leave. I felt that ‘love’ could be the only reason behind such a seemingly illogical choice.”

The movie is rated R and features intimate scenes between Kiwan and Marie. Director Kim clarifies, “The initial script included even more explicit content. However, I aimed to incorporate the scene without disrupting the film’s flow.” She concludes by stating, “I believe the intimacy in the film feels balanced and well-integrated into the story.”

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