Kim Tae Ri X Hong Kyung, Romance DelIVEred through Voices… ‘The Star Next to Me’ to be Released on Netflix on May 30
Actors Kim Tae Ri and Hong Kyung unveiled their first Korean animated film on Netflix, ‘The Star Next to Me,’ at a press screening and journalist conference held on May 27, where they synchronized their voices.
Set in Seoul in 2050, this new work portrays a romance between a space explorer dreaming of Mars exploration and a young man who has paused his dreams, armed with emotional imagination.
Kim Tae Ri described her character ‘Nanyeong’ as “a character who heads straight towards the future. Through lIVE-action filming, I was able to express emotions more freely, and acting through voice alone was a refreshing challenge,” she said.
Hong Kyung, playing the role of ‘J,’ also commented, “Although it’s animation, it was a work filled with actors’ emotions. The script was touching, and I had confidence from the production stage,” he said.
Director Han Ji Won summarized the essence of this work as ‘parting’ and ‘growth.’
“It’s a story of two people who have drifted apart as far as the distance between Earth and Mars, overcoming wounds through separation and moving forward,” conveying the philosophical meaning of the work.
He added that the actors’ actual personalities and energies were intertwined with the characters, saying, “The natural breathing of the two completed the characters.”
‘The Star Next to Me’ was produced not just through simple dubbing but through motion capture based on lIVE-action filming.
The actors’ gestures and expressions are directly reflected in the animation, adding vividness.
Kim Tae Ri said, “We filmed together, breathing like in a play. The work itself felt like a performance,” while Hong Kyung reminisced, “It was a set where I could express myself freely and immerse myself in the work.”
Music is also an important element of the film. The OST, featuring popular artists such as CIFIKA, Kim Daniel, and John Park, includes a duet song written by Kim Tae Ri and Hong Kyung themselves.
“We wrote the lyrics like letters sent to each other,” as Kim Tae Ri said, the music conveys the emotions of the characters in the film.
The background of the film, ‘Seoul in 2050,’ is depicted as futuristic yet familiar space.
One director explained, “Rather than trendiness, we wanted to capture the actual appearance of Seoul that we are familiar with.” Familiar spaces like dating spots help enhance immersion.
An emotional story, delicate acting, futuristic visuals, and sophisticated OST all come together in the high-quality animated romance ‘The Star Next to Me,’ which will be globally released on Netflix on May 30.