Kim Sae-ron remembered as final film opens

On her way home from school one ordinary day, childhood friend Oh Ho-su, played by Lee Chae-min, suddenly delivers a startling confession: “I like you.” Taken aback, Han Yeo-ul, portrayed by Kim Sae-ron, freezes, her face registering pure shock.

Set to open in theaters on March 4, “We Are Every Day” is a coming-of-age romance that follows 17-year-old Han as she navigates the blurred line between friendship and first love with the companion who has stood beside her for 16 years. The story unfolds at a stage of life defined by uncertainty and emotional upheaval. The film is among Kim’s final works following her death last year. It was shot in 2021, preceding “Guitar Man,” which was filmed in 2024 and released in May of that year. Although her life was cut short, Kim’s luminous presence remains intact on screen, where she inhabits the role of an ordinary high school student with disarming vitality.

The project itself faced a long and turbulent path to release. Originally developed as a television drama scheduled to air in 2022, it was shelved indefinitely after Kim’s drunk driving incident several months later. After years of uncertainty, the production was ultimately reconfigured for a theatrical debut, timed to coincide with the first anniversary of her death on Feb. 16.

Director Kim Min-jae said at a news conference on Feb. 23 at CGV Yongsan I’Park Mall in Seoul’s Yongsan District that he felt both anxious and apprehensive during the prolonged delay but was thankful the film could finally reach audiences. “I dare say Sae-ron was the best actor for me,” he said. “Youth is a time when everyone makes mistakes and falters, and people grow through that process. It breaks my heart that I can no longer witness her next stage of growth.”

“We Are Every Day” has its limitations as a theatrical feature. Rather than building around dramatic turning points, the script lingers on the everyday rhythms of high school life, and at times the direction feels more akin to a web drama than a film crafted for the big screen. Even so, the movie holds significance in preserving the late actress’s radiant smile, whether she is bantering with friends or experiencing the tremor of first love, moments that can no longer unfold in real life.

Lee Chae-min, who co-starred in the film, recalled that although they were the same age, she guided him with the assurance of a senior colleague, a gesture for which he remains deeply grateful. Actor Ryu Eui-hyun, who had appeared alongside Kim in a minor role in “The Man from Nowhere,” remembered her as a dear friend he still misses.


김태언 beborn@donga.com