Lee Sun-jeong on “Guitar Man” Kim Sae-ron: “A Passionate and Truly Professional Actor”
Lee Sun-jeong, who worked with the late Kim Sae-ron on her final project Guitar Man, remembered her this way. Lee Sun-jeong, also the CEO of Sungwon Pharmaceuticals, took on multiple roles in Guitar Man, including lead actor, director, producer, screenwriter, planner, and composer.
Even after Kim Sae-ron’s passing in February, Lee Sun-jeong continued post-production work, finding it painful to witness “Kim Sae-ron’s bright presence in the film.” However, driven by a promise to Kim Sae-ron to ensure the film’s theatrical release, he couldn’t stop. He urged, “I hope audiences remember Kim Sae-ron not as the center of controversies but as an actor.”
The Late Kim Sae-ron Struggled With Public Scrutiny
At the time of casting, public sentiment toward Kim Sae-ron’s comeback was cold due to her past drunk driving incident. However, Lee Sun-jeong believed in “actor Kim Sae-ron’s” talent. Despite some staff warning that casting her could risk the film’s release due to her controversies, Lee Sun-jeong pushed forward with her casting. “I had another actor in mind for the role, but meeting Kim Sae-ron changed my perspective. From our first meeting, she had thoroughly read the script and actively offered ideas. I was grateful for the passion she brought to a small project like ours. Her bright smile is unforgettable.”
After being cast, Kim Sae-ron paused her part-time café job to focus entirely on filming. Lee Sun-jeong recalled, “Her image of smiling in front of the camera but struggling behind the scenes stays with me. She was very conscious of people’s gazes. When not filming, she often stayed in the car, as if avoiding attention. During group meals, she drank alcohol from a water glass, wary of being seen. It broke my heart to think, ‘Does she have to go this far?'”
Kim Sae-ron Was a Born Actress
Despite these challenges, Kim Sae-ron was “the epitome of professionalism” when acting, Lee Sun-jeong recalled. “She rarely had any NGs. Even when struggling personally, she smiled brightly while acting. Seeing that, I thought, ‘This is someone who must act. A born actor. She’ll become an even greater actor in the future.’ That makes her loss even more heartbreaking.”
Lee Sun-jeong still can’t forget the day he learned of Kim Sae-ron’s passing, blaming himself for not looking deeper into her pain. He decided to donate all proceeds from the film’s OST, his self-composed song A World Without Pain, to the Korea Life Respect Hope Center, driven by his regret over Kim Sae-ron. “The departed say nothing, but it’s heartbreaking to see noisy controversies surrounding her. To me, Sae-ron remains an actor. I wanted to honor her through this song. Profiting personally from it would be unthinkable.”
As Guitar Man prepares for its release, it stands not only as Kim Sae-ron’s final performance but also as a heartfelt tribute from a director who saw her beyond the headlines. For Lee Sun-jeong, this film is more than a project—it’s a promise kept, a memory preserved, and a final bow for a young actress whose talent once lit up every frame.
