Ku Hye-sun Pioneers “Poemovie” Genre with Intimate New Age Concert Film
A deeply personal exploration of loss, existence, and the unique bond between humans and animals, actress and director Ku Hye-sun’s latest work challenges conventional categorization.
Seoul, South Korea – Actress and director Ku Hye-sun has unveiled her 22nd directorial effort, “Ku Hye-sun’s Piano New Age Concert_I am your pet,” a 66-minute film that blends poetry, new age music, and evocative visuals to create a novel cinematic experience. Released on February 10th, the project originated from a deeply personal place – the realization of love and loss experienced while caring for her beloved pet potato.
The film, described by Ku Hye-sun as being somewhere between an autobiographical documentary and a new age piano concert, marks a significant moment in her career, representing her first film release in five years following the 2021 short film “Dark Yellow.” According to a statement released by her agency, Stage One Entertainment, the process of creating and sharing her work is “the most nerve-wracking time,” yet also “what I love the most.”
“This work contains the realization of existence,” Ku Hye-sun explained in a recent Q&A. The project’s narrative trajectory shifted dramatically when her pet potato passed away during production, prompting a deeper introspection on her own existence and leading to the central theme: “I existed because of you (potato).” This realization fueled the creation of the poems and music that form the core of the film, intended as a “lyrical piano concert for the audience who first sent ‘Potato’ and his beloved pet across the rainbow bridge.”
A defining characteristic of “I am your pet” is Ku Hye-sun’s unconventional self-perception. She consistently refers to herself as an animal, a perspective reflected in the film’s title. “I have never once thought of myself as the owner of a pet,” she stated. “Since everything in my life was centered around pets, I thought, ‘Actually, I live in a dog’s house, not my own house.’” This perspective extends to the idea of co-existence, where both humans and animals are simultaneously pets to one another. The title itself builds upon a 2019 poetry collection of the same name, which resonated with audiences and inspired the film’s creation.
In pushing creative boundaries, Ku Hye-sun has coined a new genre: the “Poemovie.” She questioned the conventional categorization of her work, finding it didn’t neatly fit into existing genres like documentary or concert film. “However, these days, we live in a content-saturated era where anyone can create a video or movie,” she noted. “I thought it would be nice to have content that even people who don’t prefer such stimulating material could comfortably watch, and I wanted to create a new genre.” The “Poemovie” is defined by the harmonious blend of poetry and new age music, a combination represented by the acronym POEMOVIE – derived from the final letter of “Poem” and the first letter of “Movie.”
The film’s distribution method is as innovative as its genre. Eschewing traditional theatrical release, Ku Hye-sun opted for a QR code-based system, initially integrated with the launch of her invented hair roll, “Kurol,” on February 10th. Purchasers of the hair roll received an image card with the QR code, providing access to the film. This approach, she explained, was driven by a desire for portability and accessibility, and a way to “incorporate my identity as a movie maker into my hair roll.” The connection between the hair roll and filmmaking stems from the shared terminology of “roll” (camera) and “action” used on film sets.
Beyond its artistic merit, Ku Hye-sun hopes the film will spark introspection. “This work has meaning in itself because it contains ‘the question of why I exist as a human being,’” she shared. She also emphasized the importance of embracing experimentation and focusing on the creative process rather than solely on results.
Finally, Ku Hye-sun expressed a heartfelt wish for her audience: “I hope you can sleep comfortably while listening to this piano new age concert and poetry movie.” Having personally struggled with insomnia, she believes her music possesses a calming quality, offering a soothing escape in a world often characterized by stress and sleeplessness.
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