5 Questions with Grant Hyun
Director Grant Hyun’s “Koreatown” is a stylish and transfixing drama about a young doumi in Los Angeles. We asked Hyun about the inspiration behind the film, experimenting with the edit, and the film’s visual principles…
1) Can you talk briefly about your background, and how you first got interested in filmmaking?
I’m from Los Angeles where my dad worked as an on-set still photographer. When I was seven, my mom and I drove with him across country to South Carolina where he was working on a Civil War TV movie about the Confederate submarine program. I loved being on set and feeling like I was in a different world. I’ll never forget watching them shoot the final scene of the submarine sinking and the actors panicking inside as water leaked in at night. The whole time we were living in a camper that sat in the bed of my dad’s truck. From that point on I always thought of filmmaking as an adventure. My dad was usually the only Asian American crew member on set, and seeing him work with confidence and poise was a big step in being able to imagine myself making films seriously.
2) What was the original inspiration to create this film, and what were some of the first steps to get it going?
The inspiration for the film started with Koreatown itself. It’s such a popular destination in LA for food, drink, and entertainment, but I think the human element of Koreatown’s narrative is often overlooked. Back in 2017, my producer, Ashleigh Kim, introduced me to a young man she knew who had worked as a doumi – the Korean term for a host/hostess who entertains clients in private karaoke rooms. Speaking with him and getting permission to tell his story was the beginning of a process of interviews and research into this world that I’m still doing to this day. Hearing about his life, and then speaking with other young men and women in different tiers of the business, it became clear to us that their experiences were not being reflected in a meaningful way beyond the occasional LA Times article or police report. Listening to his story, seeing the world in person, and then adapting the material into a narrative that felt truthful were the first steps in getting this project going.
3) I love the way your film gradually unfolds. It’s really simple, yet so well structured - I’m always curious what filmmakers peel away to create simplicity - was there anything you remember omitting in the late stages of writing or editing that significantly improved the film?
Thanks. We really pushed and experimented with the way the story unfolds in the editing room. The script does not begin with him coming home in the morning, seeing his mom asleep on the couch, and counting the cash in his room. That was always at the end, but after a lot of edits and screening for people I trust, it became clear that we needed something to tie us to Kyeong before we go on this journey with him.
Sunho Yoo (our lead) had never acted before in his life. When he takes out the cash in his room and reflects on what he had to do to get it, he’s giving such a raw but contained performance. I think opening the film with that moment gives people a breath before following him into a world that might be unfamiliar to a lot of viewers.
4) I also love the visuals - can you talk a bit about some of your guiding principles there, and how you went about achieving those looks?
I’m so grateful to have worked with my cinematographer, Alfonso Herrera Salcedo. We knew from the beginning we wanted to have a very controlled frame and let the story and content carry the film. However, we also wanted to make something that was experiential and immersive. We spent a lot of time talking not just about the look and feel of the film, but also the story emotional journey of the characters. This gave us a strong foundation for knowing when we wanted to move the camera and when we wanted it locked off on sticks.
When it came to coloring the film, we also had a huge asset in our producer, Ashleigh Kim, who trained in painting and fine art. Despite the karaoke bar scenes having more vibrant colors, the scene in Alice’s living room at night, and Kyeong’s apartment in the morning, were the most challenging. Ashleigh was able to communicate really effectively with our colorist when it came to getting the quality of light in Alice’s living room to be the right balance of natural warmth while still feeling chilled and strange.
5) What’s a film you’ve seen recently, new or old, that you really loved and why?
I recently watched Oasis, by Lee Chang Dong (Burning), and was in complete awe of it. I had seen Secret Sunshine and Green Fish by him, but there’s something about Oasis that puts it in a league of its own. Sol Kyung-gu and Moon So-ri both give such raw and masterful performances, and the story unfolds in the most free but controlled way. I think it’s a fearless film in the way that it engenders empathy and offers redemption for characters that are flawed, ignorant and in some ways morally corrupt.
Bonus Question) What’s next for you?
I’m writing a feature film based on Koreatown.
Contact Info:
Film website: http://www.koreatownmovie.com
Intagram: @grant_hyun