Son Ye-jin Mentions Hyun Bin While Revealing Career Anxiety at BIFF 2025

Son Ye Jin stars in the film No Other Choice.
She reflected on her iconic role with Hyunbin.
The actress also discussed her personal career journey.

Son Ye-jin made a gracious appearance at the 30th Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), captivating attendees at the festival's signature "Actors House" event. Held at the SoHyang Theater in Dongseo University, the program is designed to facilitate deep, honest conversations about the craft of acting with the industry's most esteemed stars.

Son Ye-jin, whose career spans over two decades, expressed her profound gratitude for the opportunity.

"I am here because there are people who want to hear it, and as an actress, I feel extremely lucky," Son Ye-jin revealed, quoted from Chosun Biz.

Her presence underscored her status not just as a Hallyu icon, but as a respected artist dedicated to her profession.

The occasion was made even more special as she was there to promote her latest project, director Park Chan-wook's film ‘No Other Choice’ (Eochi-no-Hyeot-dae), which was selected as the festival's opening film. In the drama, she plays ‘Mi Ri’, a resilient wife who becomes the unwavering anchor for her unemployed husband, Man-su, portrayed by Lee Byung-hun. The film marks a significant collaboration for Son Ye-jin, pairing her with two of the most formidable names in Korean cinema.

During a fan Q&A session, the conversation inevitably turned to the drama that defined her recent career and personal life, which is ‘Crash Landing on You’. A fan asked about her happiest moments during its filming, which prompted a wave of fond memories for the actress. With a bright smile, she recalled filming in Switzerland, specifically the powerful final scene where her character paraglides into the arms of Hyun Bin’s character, Captain Ri Jeong-hyeok.

"I can't forget that scenery, and I can't forget Ri Jeong-hyuk at that time either," she confessed.

She went on to emphatically label the drama "the work of my life," noting that while the filming was arduous at the time, the memories now return to her vividly and joyfully.

Interestingly, despite both being A-list actors, Son Ye-jin revealed that she and her husband, Hyun Bin, rarely engage in deep discussions about work.

"It might be surprising, but we don't really talk about work very often," she shared.

They don’t typically swap scripts, though she made an exception for ‘No Other Choice’, which she showed him. Son Ye-jin humorously added that she sometimes asks him to help her practice lines, and when she jokingly delivers them in a strange way, "he sometimes gets scolded."

Son Ye-jn Feels Anxiety About Her Career

Beneath the success and glamour, Son Ye-jin also opened up about facing significant anxiety in her career. After getting married and having a child, she was plagued with uncertainty, wondering if she could return with remarkable works like before or if audiences would still seek her out for roles, including romantic ones.

"After getting married and having a child, I felt anxious, wondering if I could meet audiences again with truly remarkable works like before," she admitted.

However, Son Ye-jin found solace and inspiration in the career paths of esteemed senior actresses like Youn Yuh-jung and Kim Hye-soo, realizing that there would naturally be a new path for her to show a deeper, more mature side of her acting, which she has undoubtedly found in ‘No Other Choice’.

Son Ye-jin's latest film, ‘No Other Choice’, premiered as the opening film of the 30th Busan International Film Festival on September 18, 2025. The festival runs until the 26th. A wider theatrical release date is expected to be announced following its festival run.

'No Other Choice' presents a gripping and darkly comedic tale of desperation. It follows You Man-soo (Lee Byung-hun), a dedicated paper industry expert with 25 years of experience whose perfect life with his wife Mi-ri (Son Ye-jin) and their two children is shattered when he is abruptly laid off. Despite vowing to find a new job quickly, Man-soo endures over a year of dead-end work and humiliating rejections, pushing him to the brink of losing his home. In a final act of desperation, he targets the competition for a coveted position at the rival Moon Paper company, deciding that eliminating the other candidates is his only way out.

Source: Chosun Biz, Allkpop, NAVER