During the school festival called DaeDong Je, a current student's stage was set up in front of the stairs at the College of Arts building.
Although it was not a formally decorated stage and the members of the audience were scattered, as time went by, it attracted a larger audience's attention and the stage became covered with passion.
The College of Art is so attractive because we have to directly express everything immediately that we have learned and also I envy on the other side.
I met Professor JiMyeongHyeok who is in the School of Performing Arts, a film major, and is also selected as the hero of ' Back to the 20's'.
Let’s listen to a talk to the young generation from this current professor.

Q. I would like to begin our talk with the question: What things motivated you to choose Drama and Film Studies as a major?

My uncle was a scriptwriter. In the writing profession, there were many things to be corrected. In the 1960's, when I was a young boy, it was a time to revise orthography. I guess the reason why my uncle asked me to proofread manuscripts was that elementary school students studying with revised version textbooks may know more than older people at that time. While I was reading scenarios, I felt they were interesting and it attracted my attention to movies. I think that experience inspired me when I decided to choose a college.

Q. The courageous challenges for the students of the Theater and Cinema major are rising continuously through a variety of events. I guess the 29 Seconds Film Festival is a good case where the professor is in charge of the judges for two consecutive years. If you came back as a student and participated, what kind of work would you design?

The 29 Seconds Festival has a very special meaning. We are expecting that a variety of works thatcommunicate the meaning of life within a short period will be seen this year as well. When I was a student, there was a similar festival called the Youth Film Festival. Works that I would not have expected to design, I created during my school life. One piece of work won the title of “Rhapsody in Rhythm” which was motivated by the dance called Cheoyong-mu. I am reminded of the hard time shooting that piece of work due to the bad weather at the beach of Jumunjin, where it was filmed.

Q. I heard you got a PhD degree from the University of Paris in France; would you like to give some tips for students who are thinking of studying abroad?

There is an extraordinary story that led me to study abroad. I actually didn't decide to study abroad to receive a degree. Actually, I wanted to learn directing under Nobereu Bryson at that time, so I contacted him directly and went to France as an assistant director. After learningthere for about 1 year, I was preparing a work called Genesis as my next piece. That work required me to create the tower of Babel as a set. Because of financial problems, the scheduled time of that work had been extended continuously and I needed a visa extensionin order to stay there. Thus the main reason that I got admitted to university there was to extend my visa. I guess I have been able to get my degree because it has an appropriate value for my life, although the beginning was purely coincidence. Students who are preparing to study abroad should have their own purpose.

Q. I think the Theater and Cinema major has more dynamic assignments and classes than other majors. Which class or assignment during your school life was most impressive for you?

Although many people might not imagine, classes in university have been completely conducted theoretically. Classes had beensystematically divided in France since practical classeswere conducted by academies. That causeda high unemployment rate for students graduating from university. Thus the way of teaching has been changed and a new curriculum has been established where theory and practical classes are conducted together.

I was actually quite far ahead of the other students at the beginning since I had experience of working with film in Korea already. But they immediately caught up with my technique and I could not follow their creativity and technique. It was a good opportunity for me to realize how important both a composing ability and education are. Among the professorsat theUniversity of Paris, there was one professor who taught civilization and communication. He taught autobiographical film and shot by himself as he showed us. Although autobiographical film was unfamiliar to one who only knew about dramatic film, the reality of the action of art shown by an autobiographical film was really impressive and memorable to me.

Q. If your original dream was to be a professor, what was the reason? If not what was your original dream?

Professions such as president, judge, and scientist have great popularity as future hopes during childhood, don’t they? Like them, I said I'd like to be a scriptwriter and thought that looked really awesome. As I already mentioned, I got a lot of inspiration from my uncle and was also interested in film direction when I entered university. Those goals were still in effect, but at the time I was overseas there was lack of course book in our country, and I knew that we were so far behind in this sector. This rule of thumb also applied in different sectors because of the disorganizedsystem at that time and because many terminologies were still in the Japanese language. The main motivation that brought me to this stage was the urgent necessity for the education system rather than for teaching students.

Q. If you were back your 20's, what would you want to do, and what are things you want KMU students to do now?

At first, I recommend to students who are majoring in drama and film studies, to select one favorite movie and watch it numerous times. If you watch a movie several times, I am sure you may have different feelings. It is possible to find the main point of a movie within a short period of time if you watch the movie several times by reducing its time (how can you reduce a movie’s time?) from 120 min to 60 min, 30, 10, 5 min, and then up to a few sec.
And it is too sad that many students are not advancing themselves because of employment and financial problem inside their minds. I would like to say the most precious time in my life was the time I spent for myself in the past. (Laugh)

Q. You are still active with full energy in numerous ways. In conclusion, I really would like to hear about your dreams for your future.

My dream is to make movies. I am still conceptualizing a script. I am planning a scenario based on hospital minor players gathering and living together; doesn’t it sound interesting? (Laugh)
As we’re completing this interview, Steven Jobs quote comes to my mind: “My current work is directly or indirectly related to my future.” I think my special access to various scenarios, the coincidental opportunity of learning French, student life with no intentions and the beginning of teaching life would play major roles in my decision making for the future. Although my current work is not beneficial right now, I receive energy because of the expectation for things happening in the future.