Interview with ‘Seoul Searching’ Director Benson Lee

Benson Lee Interview on Seoul Searching

I saw Seoul Searching my last night at the Sundance Film Festival, so even though it became my favorite film of the festival, there was no time to interview the cast and filmmakers. When I got back, the producers arranged a phone call for me with the cast, and another with writer/director Benson Lee out of Korea.

Seoul Searching is an ‘80s teen comedy set in Korea in 1986. Lee introduced the film, saying he was inspired by John Hughes movies, and based the film on a real camp he went to. For a few short years in the ‘80s, teenage children of Korean emigrates were sent to a camp to learn about their roots. The camp only lasted a few years because the teens were too rowdy, probably even rowdier than the ones in the film. Look for more news on Seoul Searching as it searches for distribution after Sundance.

So you’re based out of Korea?

Benson Lee: “For the time being I am, yes.”

Has that been since the production of Seoul Searching or even longer?

Benson Lee: “Originally, I came for Seoul Searching but then I stayed here because I ended up doing editing here as well. But I have another project here now, so I’ve extended my stay here. That’s why I’m still here.”

Does the John Hughes influence also extend to the idea that people don’t necessarily change? The resolution to a conflict isn’t that people suddenly get along. It could just be that they come to an understanding.

Benson Lee: “Absolutely, for sure. There’s two things from John Hughes that I really admired very much that had more of an impact on me than it had a conscious design or conscious decision on my end to make this movie. One of them was that teens in teen comedies or teen movies, it’s rare that the director takes them very seriously. That’s usually designated for coming of age movies. Then quite often coming of age films are not that funny. I always felt that comedy, drama and coming of age could always happen naturally with each other in a movie because I feel life is like that.

That was definitely something that was important to me, that I have characters who, because they’re in their teens, they absolutely want to have fun, live life to the fullest, are naive. At the same time, people who were very different from each other. That definitely poses a challenge. It makes people go through very new experiences and quite often makes them re-evaluate who they are. That’s why I think it gets a little bit more serious in the movie. So I wanted to naturally have those elements in the film where the kids are having fun, but at the same time going through some pretty deep experiences that have a profound impact on the rest of their lives.”

And some of their fun can get a little dangerous. Was any of that based on your experiences at the camp?

Benson Lee: “Oh yeah. A lot of that happened at the camp, especially since there was a lot of booze. That’s sort of another rite of passage theme in young people’s movies, where they’re experimenting a lot, getting in a lot of trouble, experimenting with alcohol, roughhousing. There’s fights, especially when alcohol is involved. Alcohol ruins everything basically from the get-go. So yes, the answer is there was a lot of things in the movie that were based on what happened at the camp.”

I don’t know if they would have called them panty raids, but did it go that far at the real camp?

Benson Lee: “Oh my God, are you kidding? The whole summer was about the boys always trying to infiltrate the girls’ floor and doing anything that they could to get up there.”

Was there actually a field trip to the demilitarized zone?

Benson Lee: “Oh yeah. There were a few trips to the DMZ.”

Did anything happen like what happens in the movie?

Benson Lee: “Kind of, yes. It was really crazy. There was a lot of threats and people, I mean, we were kids. Kids do the craziest things without an understanding what the consequences are. At that time, a lot of us had never heard of the DMZ, didn’t know, didn’t understand that that existed and what it represented. So we all took it as a big joke because when you go there for the first time, it’s like I can’t believe these two countries never interact, probably the most sheltered country in the world, are standing right next to each other divided by this yellow line. It was just mind boggling to us. Some people thought it was a joke and tried to make fun of it. Somebody threw a piece of gum and it was just crazy. That is inspired by a true story as well.”

Justin Chon and Jessika Van have some experience as actors, but they’re not necessarily names yet. Then you discovered a lot of new talent like Teo Yoo and Esteban Ahn, Rosalina Leigh and Byul Kang. Were there any names who could have attached themselves to help you get more financing or distribution and was part of your goal to discover new faces?

Benson Lee: “For the longest time as an indie filmmaker, to be honest with you, I fought the normal process of finding a big name actor in order to get my film made. And for that reason, it’s taken me a long time to make Seoul Searching. On top of that, it’s very hard to find an A-list actor who’s Asian. We didn’t have any non-Asian parts in the film, but there was never an actor that I thought of. Aside from Bruce Lee if he was still alive, perhaps it would have been very bankable. Asians just do not have that value in the eyes of Hollywood. For me, it was never about how can I cast this with huge Asian names? It was always about how do I find a German Korean? How do I find a Spanish Korean? I was just so consumed with the challenge of that.”

For those parts, you narrowed your window considerably.

Benson Lee: “Absolutely. You think it’s bad in the States in terms of the dearth of Asian-American actors out there, but it’s worse in Germany. In Spain or Mexico, they have no presence in the media so for that reason, you can’t find anyone that drew me. I never found a Korean German actor. Not one Korean German person, and I know several here in Seoul, said, “Oh, I know a Korean German actor from Germany.” No one ever said that. So I was very fortunate to know Teo. Otherwise we’d be in trouble. I’d have some American actor in the movie playing German.”

What is the new film you’re working on?

Benson Lee: “I’m in Korea because I’m working on a Korean drama series which is kind of like their version of telenovella. Very popular. Korean drama is probably the most popular drama series throughout the world. It’s viewed in Europe and South America. It has a particular format but mine is inspired by the format, but it’s really about expats who live here from around the world. It’s in English and I’m trying to base as much of it on true stories as I can.”

How many episodes is it?

Benson Lee: ” Normally it’s 21 episodes.”