심선아
| 2023-07-04 15:10:48
Korean film-director
Director says 'Ransomed' is buddy action thriller with suspense, humor
By Shim Sun-ah
SEOUL, July 4 (Yonhap) -- Director Kim Seong-hoon said Tuesday his upcoming film "Ransomed" promises an exhilarating buddy action thriller laced with suspense and humor despite dealing with the serious subject of kidnapping.
Starring Ha Jung-woo and Ju Ji-hoon, the movie follows a young South Korean diplomat tasked with delivering a ransom to rescue an abducted colleague in Lebanon and a local taxi driver who happens to be entangled in the mission.
"You might associate our film with titles like 'Escape from Mogadishu' and 'The Point Man' due to keywords such as 'abduction,' 'escape,' and 'the Middle East'," the director said when questioned about what makes his film stand out from the previous hit movies during a press conference held at a theater in Seoul.
"However, just as countless unique dishes can be created with two simple and familiar ingredients like kimchi and pork, I believe a film with a completely different charm can emerge. Our movie is designed as one that delivers cinematic pleasure to the audience through a story of the people rescuing one another," he said.
Directed by Ryoo Seung-wan, "Escape from Mogadishu" (2021) is about diplomats at the South and North Korean missions in Somalia cooperating to escape the country during the 1991 civil war.
"The Point Man" (2023), which stars Hwang Jung-min and Hyun Bin, centers on two South Korean officials' endeavor to rescue a group of Korean tourists taken hostage by Taliban militants in Afghanistan.
Central to the upcoming movie's fun are its dynamic action sequences and the comedic chemistry between the two main characters who find themselves in an extreme situation.
Actors Ha and Ju previously worked together in director Kim Yong-hwa's 2017-18 smash hit series "Along With the Gods" as grim reapers named Gangrim and Haewonmaek, respectively.
The director compared the chemistry between the two actors in the new movie to the mesmerizing performance of two skilled Latin dancers.
"It's like they are engaged in a Latin dance, with one leading and the other being pulled along, sometimes seeming out of sync when viewed from the side, but then they come together again in a creative harmony," he said.
Ha, who had previously worked with Kim for "Tunnel" (2016), said he wasted no time in choosing to be part of the new feature from the director because it felt like a three-dimensional story with a touch of humor, similar to "Tunnel."
Kim is also known for the 2014 film "A Hard Day" and Netflix's smash-hit original TV series "Kingdom."
Ju, who had been in the Netflix series, said he didn't even read the script before deciding to accept the offer.
"I received the script while I was visiting Singapore for an event to celebrate the release of 'Kingdom,' and without even reading it, I simply said, 'Thank you. I will'," he shared, with a broad smile.
"Ransomed" is set in Lebanon, but approximately 70 percent of the shooting took place in Morocco, a country known for its similar scenery, weather, and elegance. The remaining portions were filmed in South Korea and Italy, according to the director.
"Morocco has well-established infrastructure for filming. I heard many Hollywood movies were shot there. The unique and sophisticated atmosphere of Morocco blended well with the overall ambiance of our film," he explained.
"Ransomed" will open in local theaters on Aug. 2.
(END)
[ⓒ K-VIBE. 무단전재-재배포 금지]