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I saw for the first time Threatening at Sundance last January, just before the world changed forever, and despite the year we’ve had since then, I couldn’t stop talking or thinking about the movie – or more specifically its incredible precocious percussion star, 8-year-old Alan Kim. Lee Isaac Chung’s funny, heartbreaking, semi-autobiographical semi-autobiographical story follows a 1980s Korean American family whose determined patriarch Jacob (Steven Yeun) moves his wife Monica (Han Ye-ri) and their two children, David. (Kim) and Anne (Noel) Kate Cho), on a small farm in the Ozarks in pursuit of the American dream. Monica and Jacob disagree that the move makes sense to their family – especially David, a mischievous and lovable 7-year-old with a heart defect, an indomitable spirit and a penchant for incredible cuts. 80s. As they struggle with their marriage and their future, Monica asks her mother Soonja (Yuh-Jung Youn) to leave Korea and join them in their literal and figurative limbo.
The real joy of the film is watching David and Soonja play against each other: at first, David resists, insisting that she is “not a real grandmother” (she plays, swears prodigiously and does not cook) and makes sassy pranks involving the exchange of identical liquids, which ultimately only serves to bring the two together. Under the influence of Soonja, David becomes even more courageous, exuberant and puckish. Despite Threatening ‘In an incredibly stacked cast, the two actors run away simultaneously with the movie, especially Kim, walking the farm, walking Mountain Dew in his oversized cowboy boots and displaying a surprising emotional range. It is all the more impressive that Threatening marks Kim’s film debut, and because, again, he’s a sophomore. Ahead of the film’s digital debut on February 12, I hopped on Zoom with Kim, who was extremely polished and resplendent in a bright yellow bow tie and buttoned up like Boy’s.
Hi Alan!
Hello!
I love your outfit. Is that a heart on your shirt?
Thank you. I got it while I was taking a photo, and the photographer told me I could keep it.
It’s really cool. How does it feel to do all these interviews?
I find that… funny? But I get tired a little after a few minutes.
What made you want to be in the movies?
Probably… my mom said, “Let’s make this movie.” So I’m like, “I guess I’m going to make this movie!” I guess it could be pretty cool!
How did you act for the first time?
It was my first time doing a movie and being an actor, but I had auditioned for some things I think? Yeah. I did something with Pottery Barn Kids.
Do you remember auditioning for Threatening?
Well I went to plans B and A24, and I went to a room where I met Steven [Yeun], Isaac [Chung], casting director Julia Kim and Christina [Oh], the producer. And Steven would teach me this Korean paper game [called ddakji], you are supposed to make a square of paper and try to tip your opponent’s paper square. If it returns, you win. And we practiced some of the lines.
Were you nervous?
I guess it was a fun day. But a nervous day. But more of a fun day than a nervous day.
What was your first impression of your movie family?
My first impression was probably “Hello!” to everybody.
What was the first scene you filmed?
[Thinks intensely.] I think it was when I peed grandma. I think it was my first scene. No? [Alan’s mom whispers offscreen.] Oh, no, it wasn’t my first scene. This was the part where I pointed to a new red tractor.
What was it like filming the scene where you pee your grandma?
I am going to look at my medication as if I am having a look contest with it. I bring my cup to the bathroom and pour all the medicine. And then I pretend to take my pants off and pee. And it’s filled with Mountain Dew. And I walk cautiously because I don’t want the Mountain Dew to spill over. And in the movie, I don’t want to pee on my hands.
So you used Mountain Dew to simulate pee?
Yeah. Yellow mountain dew.
Do you love Mountain Dew as much as David?
Not really, but after tasting it I guess it was pretty good.
Do you think you are similar or different from David?
Hmm… 2 percent different and 98 percent the same.
Which 2 percent are different?
Well, he lives in a house on wheels, and I don’t. And he had an unhealthy heart, while I didn’t. We both have older sisters. Also, I have a dog and he doesn’t have one. He also likes to play pranks on people like me. It is mostly that.
What was a good prank you made in real life?
Hmm. Probably scary people. ‘Cause if I like a little, stealthily I’m like [makes whooshing noise] a ninja. I try not to make noise. And if I do, I pretend I’m my dog, then I say, “Boo!” And then my sister is like, “Whoa!” She didn’t really say “whoa”, but she kind of jumped up.
Have you ever scared your parents?
Just my sister. My mom, aunt and dad can see me a mile away. Even if I am a very small point.
Who was your best friend on set?
Everyone, I guess.
What did you do funny with Steven?
We probably ate some snacks, relaxed, practiced some lines, and when I urinated on the bad seed all the water got into my underwear, so I had to wearing different, then I put my pants on again, then I put them on the van to dry them, and Steven said, “Whose is this underwear ?!” It was super funny.
Did you and Noel perform together when you weren’t on camera?
We kind of played video games and watched Captain Slip together.
Is this your favorite show?
Well, not exactly, but I guess it’s close to my favorite.
How did you memorize your lines?
My mother would help me practice.
How did she help you?
She said the Korean lines, and I would say it again, and if I still didn’t understand them, she would do the motions, like [acts out the following words, later translated by his father]: Mom eomma-ga [my mom]; Like this ileohge [like this]; If you pray, gidohamyeon [if you pray]; Kkum-eseo in a dream [in dream]; Haneulnalaleul the kingdom of heaven [heaven]; They can see you bowl su issdaeyo [you can see].
Have you ever had the opportunity to improvise with Noel? Or has everything been memorized?
Not a lot. But when Steven and I were on the field and Steven was digging the giant hole, my screams came out of nowhere. He said, “Shout more! Stronger! ”So I was like [whisper-screams loudly].
You have a few scenes where you have to pretend to sleep. Have you ever fallen asleep?
In bed, I would pretend to fall asleep. But in the car, when we drove to the store, I was so tired that I fell asleep. So when I wake up, I’m like, “What am I doing in the movie car ?!” I was like, “Oh, okay, I was taking a video shoot.”
Why do you think David is afraid of his grandmother at first?
He wasn’t afraid, he was just shy. He didn’t want his grandmother to come because if his grandmother came his parents would start fighting a lot. Yeah. So he was a little scared.
In the scene where you play with your new friend and you dip tobacco, what were you really putting in your mouth?
When we first put the tobacco on, it was real tobacco. How was I feeling? [Dramatically gags.]
Was it real tobacco?
Yeah. Disgusting! [Dramatically gags again.]
Did you like to eat or drink something while filming?
I would like to drink lemonade. But since they didn’t have that, I only drank bottled water. I was okay with that. And since we hated tobacco so much, I would eat the sausage snack. I would put it in my mouth and swallow it.
You can wear a lot of great outfits in this movie. Did you like cowboy boots?
Well, the cowboy boots, they got stiff if I kept wearing them. That’s why I put my heel where my leg should be, and my leg was higher. If I ever did that, I’d be like, “I grew up!”
At the end of the film, your character witnesses a horrific fire. What was it like filming this scene?
It was awful. Because the smell was so bad. I’m like, “No! It smells so bad!
Was it a real fire?
No, it wasn’t a real fire when I was there. They just put on lights that looked like fire. And when I wasn’t there, they burned it down.
Who do you really want to be in a movie with someday?
Honestly, I would go with anyone.
Do you have a favorite movie?
Probably next to threats it is Harry Potter.
You’re already shooting another movie, right? What’s going on in that one?
In Latchkey Children, I am coming home, I am lactose intolerant. So I’m not supposed to drink milk or ice cream. But in a scene, I think I’m eating ice cream? I come home, watch TV, order pizza, and eat pizza. And yeah.
Does this sound like your real life? What does a normal day look like in your life when you’re not doing a movie or doing an interview?
To wake up. Pick an outfit at random. Go down. Have breakfast. Go to school. Take a break. Do more work, I guess. And then… mostly sleep, I guess?
Do your friends think it’s cool that you are in a movie?
[Shrugs.]
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