i-dle’s Shuhua has officially taken her first step into film acting, attending the Busan International Film Festival with her debut movie Happily Ever After.

Shuhua appeared at the 31st Busan International Film Festival on October 7 alongside director Fiona Ruan and other members of the film’s cast and production team. Happily Ever After was invited to BIFF’s A Window on Asian Cinema section.

The film marks Shuhua’s first appearance on the big screen. She plays Kitty, the lively youngest member of a family whose everyday life begins to change after a stray cat unexpectedly enters the lives of two very different sisters.

Speaking about bringing her first movie to such a major festival, Shuhua admitted that she initially felt nervous but said excitement quickly became the stronger emotion.

“At first, I was really nervous, but I think I felt more excited than nervous,” she said. “It is an honor that my first project could come to such a big film festival. I am also really curious about how audiences will react after watching the movie.”

Director Fiona Ruan also explained why Shuhua was chosen for the role, saying she believed the singer had already been developing acting skills through her years on stage.

“I think Shuhua has actually been acting for a long time,” the director said, adding that casting her turned out to be the right decision.

Ruan explained that Kitty is a character who can feel uncertain and emotionally unsettled, and she believed Shuhua’s natural personality could help make the character more approachable to audiences.

Shuhua also reflected on the difference between performing as an idol and acting for a film.

“I think I have been acting on stage for a long time,” she said. “On stage, it was important to show myself in a bigger way, but on screen, I had to think about expressing much smaller emotions and subtle changes.”

After years of performing as a member of i-dle, Shuhua is now entering a new chapter as an actress, with her first film receiving an international festival showcase and the singer-actress now waiting to see how audiences respond to her big-screen debut.