Jeong Ae-hwa and Gi Ju-bong’s ‘Lovers of an Empty House’ Opens Aug. 12

“Lovers of an Empty House,” starring Jeong Ae-hwa and Gi Ju-bong, will open in theaters nationwide on Aug. 12. The road movie follows Eun-ja, played by Jeong, a solitary woman who gets through each day with alcohol in a rural village, and Palbok, played by Gi, a warmhearted burglar who has quietly blended into the community. After meeting, the pair set out to rediscover the excitement and freedom they had forgotten.

The film’s distinctive premise was introduced at a press screening held on the afternoon of Aug. 5 at the Seoul Film Center in Chungmuro, Jung District, Seoul. Through the transgression of burglarizing empty homes, the story conveys the idea that a new bond can begin at any point in life. It develops that message by presenting the two protagonists as embarking on what the film calls their “second youth.”

Eun-ja, a character inspired by the director’s grandmother

Director Kim Tae-hwi drew on his paternal grandmother as the model for Eun-ja while developing his first feature film. During a discussion following the screening, Kim recalled an unexpected side of his grandmother that he witnessed during his school years.

“When I was a student, I was surprised to see my paternal grandmother in a greenhouse, smoking and drinking soju straight from the bottle in a way I had never imagined,” Kim said. That memory became the foundation for the character of Eun-ja.

Asked why she accepted the role, Jeong said, “It was a role unlike any I had played before, and it was a work that allowed me, through acting, to bring out the self trapped in my subconscious.” Her response reflected both the novelty of the character and the personal dimension she found in portraying Eun-ja.

Jeong has developed her acting through appearances in numerous productions, including the independent film “Gull,” as well as “Lucky, Apartment,” “The Land of Morning Calm” and “The Ripple.” Kim said he cast her as Eun-ja because the agile, rough-edged image she displayed in “Gull” closely matched the character he had envisioned.

Gi Ju-bong’s kitschy charm brings Palbok to life

Gi, who plays Palbok, has appeared in films including “Hotel by the River” and “Known Only as Something Else.” Kim initially imagined Palbok as a conventional older gentleman, but his thinking changed after considering Gi’s performance as Mo Geum-san in “Merry Christmas Mr. Mo.”

The director concluded that Gi’s combination of cuteness and kitschy appeal was better suited to Palbok than the more conventional image he had first considered. That assessment led Kim to cast Gi in the role. Gi said that when he first met Kim, he read the screenplay while asking himself whether some version of Palbok existed within him.

Why Palbok steals picture frames, and the reference to Munch

Palbok’s decision to steal framed pictures rather than money or valuables is tied directly to the character’s emotional state. Kim explained that Palbok is not an especially accomplished burglar and would have been afraid of being caught when he first began breaking into empty homes.

“Palbok is not a great burglar, so when he first started burglarizing empty houses, he would have been afraid that his criminal acts might be discovered,” the director said. Kim added that, amid Palbok’s fear and loneliness, framed family photographs hanging in the vacant homes could serve as a source of comfort for him.

The beach painting featured in the film was created by the art director as a reworked image based on a painting by Munch. The production was filmed at locations across North Jeolla Province, including Jeonju, Iksan, Imsil, Buan and Wanju.

Following the independent films “House of the Seasons” and “People and Meat,” “Lovers of an Empty House” is distributed by Mano Entertainment. Kim said he hopes audiences will leave the film carrying happy memories with them and expressed his wish that it will be an uplifting experience for viewers.