[Sportschosun reporter Jo Yoon-sun] The documentary looks back on actress Kim Hye-ja's 65-year acting career and decades of charitable work.
Actress Kim Hye-ja has portrayed countless characters over 65 years. Away from the cameras, however, she was a person who lived with her own wounds and anxieties. During one of the darkest periods of her life, she happened to travel to Africa, where she encountered children suffering from extreme hardship. That experience led her to continue her charitable work for many years. The hand she extended to save others changed countless lives and ultimately gave her the strength to live again.
Seoul Broadcasting System (SBS)'s special documentary "Kim Hye-ja's Regards—Please Don't Die" follows 85-year-old actress Kim Hye-ja as she reflects on her acting career and decades of charitable work. It traces the wounds and anxieties behind her illustrious filmography, as well as the years she spent reconnecting with the meaning of life through the pain of others.
The documentary goes beyond simply spotlighting "the nation’s beloved actress Kim Hye-ja." Through the story of a person who was neither extraordinary nor especially strong, but who held on to others’ hands despite being shaken and hurting, it explores how refusing to give up on one another can save a person's life.
Actor Lee Byung-hun narrates the documentary, bringing Kim Hye-ja's 65-year acting career and charitable journey to life in a powerful voice. Director Bong Joon-ho, along with Lee Jung-eun, Lee Se-young, Ko Du-shim, Han Ji-min, Choi Kang-hee, Ryu Deok-hwan and Son Ho-jun, also appear. Having crossed paths with Kim Hye-ja, they share their memories of both "actress Kim Hye-ja" and "Kim Hye-ja the person."
The documentary also features stories about World Vision, the international relief and development NGO with which Kim Hye-ja has worked as a goodwill ambassador for many years, as well as those of numerous donors. It shows how giving that began with one person reaches another, and how that continuing chain of compassion gives someone the strength to live again.
At 85, after 65 years in acting, Kim Hye-ja's message of care for us is simple: "Please don't die." It is a hopeful story about how caring for one another and refusing to give up can save someone—and sometimes even give new life to the person who reaches out a hand.
SBS's special documentary "Kim Hye-ja's Regards—Please Don't Die" will air at 11:05 p.m. on Sunday, October 4.
This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.
