[HanCinema's News] Park Ha-sun Talks About "First Child" and her Own Personal Childrearing Experience

November 10th sees the release of "First Child" in South Korean theaters. The independent drama film stars Park Ha-sun as a woman who attempts to return to work following a year of maternity leave. "First Child" is notable for taking a serious, realistic approach to motherhood and the very real difficulties involved in how it changes a person's life, eschewing a more romantic and optimistic approach. As it happens, this matches Park Ha-sun's own ambiguos relationship with motherhood.

Advertisement

Park Ha-sun married Ryu Soo-yeong in 2017, and the pair had their own first child in August of that year. Park Ha-sun described herself as worried about getting married in her twenties and wanting to do so quickly. But actually having a child has changed much of Park Ha-sun's perspective about what she wants. Originally she had wanted to have another child this year, but no longer thinks the experience could be bearable and has plans to get pregnant again.

This is in spite of her daughter wanting a younger sibling. Not coincidentally, most of Park Ha-sun's work in recent years deals with the apprehension of motherhood and family life. "Birthcare Center" deals with postpartum life, and "No, Thank You" with in-laws. "Drama Stage 2021 - On the Way to the Gynecologist" rather darkly dealt with the stress of a late pregnancy during a zombie apocalypse.

Park Ha-sun claims that she really liked children before her marriage. Interestingly, she also describes taking care of her daughter as the most important work she does right now. Park Ha-sun says she's more in touch with her emotions now compared to her twenties, and that the insomnia which plagued her throughout her twenties has now been cured. Yet none of this necessarily translates, for her, to a belief that more children means more happiness in her already busy life.

Written by William Schwartz