Kim Tae-ri and Hong Kyung completed their acting kiss.

Set in 2050 Seoul, the Netflix film 'Lost in Starlight', which tells the romance of astronaut Nanyang dreaming of Mars exploration and Jay, who has set aside his dreams of being a musician, successfully concluded its press preview and meeting on May 27 (Tuesday). During the event, Kim Tae-ri, Hong Kyung, and director Han Ji-won shared various stories about the work and heightened expectations for the first Korean animated film by Netflix, 'Lost in Starlight.'

First, director Han Ji-won noted, “It’s a story of two lovers who become distant from each other on the planets Earth and Mars. The separation in the film is not just about lovers parting ways, but also signifies growing and parting from inner wounds and traumas through love.” She explained the title, which contains the dual meaning of 'star' and 'separation,' increasing interest. Kim Tae-ri, who voices Nanyang, who is on a straight path toward her dream of Mars exploration, said, “When I received the casting offer, it felt like a dream. The message the director wanted to convey was so good, and I was very curious about how it would be visualized as a film.” Hong Kyung, who voices Jay, who has momentarily set aside his dreams of being a musician, said, “The writing itself was very attractive. I was very interested in how the background of 2050 would be drawn in the director's unique style, and I wanted to participate without hesitation,” sharing what captivated him about 'Lost in Starlight.' Regarding why Nanyang and Jay had to be voiced by Kim Tae-ri and Hong Kyung, director Han Ji-won said, “I thought not only did the voices of the two actors match, but also their energy was similar, and I wanted to reflect the natural influence that comes from that in the characters. Kim Tae-ri's vibrant yet strong personality resonated well with Nanyang. For Jay, I wanted to show not just the bright side but also the shadowy aspects attractively, and Hong Kyung already possessed that,” expressing high satisfaction with the delicately completed characters that encapsulated the unique charms of the actors.

Following this, discussions flowed regarding how both actors deeply participated in the production process from character setting to live-action filming and voice acting to complete the characters. Director Han Ji-won introduced the live-action filming technique, saying, “It’s a good method for actors to fully immerse themselves in their characters and reflect rich imagination in the work,” sparking curiosity about how the breathing of living actors was captured in animation. Kim Tae-ri shared, “While filming in live action, I focused on breathing together rather than thinking about what expressions I should make or what I should do, making it fun like filming a stage play. The work itself and the process of waiting for the result were such a meaningful challenge that I really enjoyed.” Hong Kyung said, “It was a work that made me feel free. Since the purpose of live-action filming itself was to capture diverse expressions, I played boldly and freely,” revealing the behind-the-scenes that allowed him to capture the character with more vividness. Additionally, Kim Tae-ri mentioned, “‘Lost in Starlight’ required me to think about Nanyang's professional and pure moments and the way she behaves when meeting friends while finding the right tone. It was a fun experience that I had not tried in other works.” Hong Kyung commented, “As I listened to the director's advice, I felt that there clearly must be things only we could do. While following the demands of animation well, we tried to encapsulate things that only we could do,” generating anticipation for the delicate voice performances of Kim Tae-ri and Hong Kyung that were completed with distinct efforts.

In response to a question about the process of completing the OST for 'Lost in Starlight,' which features the hottest and trendiest artists including CIFIKA, Kim Daniel (Wave to Earth), and John Park, director Han Ji-won said, “We pondered what the music of the future in 2050 should feel like. Just as Y2K is trending now, I imagined that things we enjoy now might be the trend 25 years from now. While discussing with the music director, we said let’s add more futuristic and emotional touches to the music we could hear on our playlist now,” heightening expectations for the music that enhances the film's emotional depth. Kim Tae-ri shared the behind-the-scenes of participating in lyrics creation with Hong Kyung, stating, “We included writing that feels like letters exchanged between Nanyang and Jay. It’s an honorable thing for the OST of the piece I participated in to come out with my voice. We worked together actively,” generating excitement for the duet that encapsulates the emotions of both actors. Following this, director Han Ji-won spoke about the familiar yet unique vision of Seoul in 2050 that evokes a dreamy mood in the work, saying, “Rather than just simple trendiness, I wanted to capture the landscapes we actually see a lot. Among the views of Seoul, I wanted to create a work that shows the real places people go on dates.”

Finally, Kim Tae-ri said, “I believe the waves of imagination that can only be seen in animation will delight you. You will not regret it,” while Hong Kyung added, “It seems that the beautiful future of Seoul has been well drawn under director Han Ji-won's artwork.” Director Han Ji-won remarked, “We poured everything into it and really worked hard. The actors shone in their collaboration, and I think you all can take the feelings and energy of many people's bundled excitement with you. I hope you enjoy it,” conveying heartfelt words of encouragement to viewers worldwide along with points of interest.

The first Korean animated film by Netflix, 'Lost in Starlight,' which is generating anticipation with the voice performances of Kim Tae-ri and Hong Kyung, the unique mood of director Han Ji-won, who is at the center of the new wave of Korean animation, and a sensory OST that enhances the film's emotional depth, will be released exclusively on Netflix on May 30 (Friday).
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