Ra Mi-ran, best known for her comic relief roles in a slew of hit Korean dramas such as "Reply 1988" (2015) and "Dr. Park's Clinic" (2022), said her new comedy film "Citizen of a Kind" tells story of the personal growth of an individual and what it means to maintain one's self-esteem through hardships.
"Citizen of a Kind" is the story of an ordinary individual named Duk-hee, who falls victim to a voice phishing scam and travels to China to capture the boss of the connected criminal organization. Duk-hee's story is based on the true story of a middle-aged woman named Kim, who was similarly victimized and later provided crucial information obtained from an insider within the voice phishing organization to Korean police in 2016. Kim's contribution ultimately led to the capture of the Chinese voice phishing organization's ringleader.
Ra, who plays the role of Duk-hee, said she was captivated by the actual person her character is based on from the very beginning when she met her in person.
"I found Kim to be a very resilient person. Kim said to me that (what she experienced) was very unfair," said Ra in an interview with reporters in Seoul on Tuesday.
"If I were Duk-hee, I think I would have just reported it to the police. I don't think I could have taken the next step," the actor said.
"I used to think of myself as a person with high self-esteem and lived accordingly. However, when I imagined myself in Duk-hee's situation, I think I would have been a coward. If I were robbed, I would just be in such despair, and even if I received critical information, I would have probably handed the case over to the police and hoped for them to solve the situation," Ra said. "I admired Duk-hee for actively moving forward in such a situation."
Despite her character's valiant actions, Ra said she wanted to accentuate in the film that it does not narrate the story of a hero.
"I don't think of Duk-hee as a hero. This film is not a hero's story, but a tale about personal self-esteem," said Ra.
According to Ra, the plot of "Citizen of a Kind" centers on the story of an individual maintaining the self-esteem that everyone possesses as a person, rather than an individual portraying an exceptional civic consciousness.
Ra added that she also considered the movie to be largely about the psychological growth of a person, which she said is where she felt the most catharsis.
"The story of Duk-hee, who navigated her growth without succumbing to victimhood, gave me courage as well," Ra said.
"Citizen of a Kind" hits local theaters Wednesday.
