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| yna@yna.co.kr 2024-04-23 15:33:17
SEOUL, April 23 (Yonhap) -- Director Heo Myeong-haeng, who helmed 'The Roundup: Punishment (The Roundup 4)' starring Ma Dong-seok, is known for his expertise in action choreography.
With a background as a martial arts director, Heo has participated in notable films including the 'Along with the Gods' series, 'Train to Busan' (2016), 'Believer' (2018), 'Extreme Job' (2019), 'The Bad Guys: Reign of Chaos' (2019), 'Start-up' (2019), 'Ashfall' (2019), 'Peninsula' (2020), and 'Hunt' (2022). He has earned the title of Korea's leading martial arts director.
Heo made his debut as a director with Ma Dong-seok's Netflix movie 'Badland Hunters' (2024), and 'The Roundup 4' marks his second directorial work.
"When I worked as a martial arts director, there were times when several movies I participated in were simultaneously screening in theaters. However, this time, only one of my films is being released, so it feels different," Heo shared at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Seoul, on April 23, just a day before the release of 'The Roundup 4'.
Reflecting on his approach to 'The Roundup 4', Heo explained that while in previous films he designed action sequences based on the characters provided, in this film, he worked on building both the characters and the action together.
He mentioned, "It felt smoother to work this way, and I was able to integrate the action more deeply into the characters."
In the 'The Roundup' series, Ma Dong-seok portrays Ma Seok-do, a detective with incredible physical strength, who faces off against an equally important villain. As the audience already knows that Ma Seok-do will be the ultimate victor, the villain must be strong and ruthless to maintain tension.
Heo particularly focused on crafting the character of the villain Baek Chang-gi (played by Kim Moo-yeol) in 'The Roundup 4'.
He said, "I wanted to portray Baek Chang-gi with a completely noir-like heavy feel. By setting him up as a character who is calm yet possesses his own fighting skills, I differentiated him from the villains in previous installments. The final action scene where Ma Seok-do defeats Baek Chang-gi is a highlight of the film."
Heo praised Kim Moo-yeol's portrayal of Baek Chang-gi, stating, "There are many actors who excel in action scenes, but Kim Moo-yeol is special due to his versatility. He didn't even make any NG (no good) during filming."
Heo revealed that he received the offer to direct 'The Roundup 4' from Ma Dong-seok, who has not only starred but also led from planning to screenplay and production in the 'The Roundup' series.
He mentioned, "It was around the time when I was actively shooting 'Badland Hunters' that I received the offer. After shooting 'The Outlaws 3', director Lee Sang-yong, who directed the third installment, couldn't work on the fourth due to time constraints. From my perspective, it was a great opportunity. I was surprised."
He recalled a moment during the 74th Berlin International Film Festival in February when 'The Roundup 4' was unexpectedly well-received.
Heo remarked, "Everyone seemed to enjoy our movie. I was concerned whether they would understand the humor in 'The Roundup 4' due to language barriers, but laughter erupted everywhere. It made me realize that laughter is indeed universal, something you feel and experience regardless of language."
As a director, Heo Myeong-haeng views Kim Sung-soo, the director of 'Asura' (2016) and 'Seoul Spring' (2023), as a role model.
"I love noir films. I've thought about making movies like 'Asura'. Director Kim Sung-soo has been a great source of inspiration for me in terms of filmmaking," Heo concluded.
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