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| ▲ The lead cast of film "Hi.5" pose for photos at the film's press conference held in Seoul on May 12, 2025. (Yonhap) |
SEOUL, May 12 (Yonhap) -- Kang Hyoung-chul, director of the upcoming film "Hi.5," said Monday that the drug abuse scandal involving lead actor Yoo Ah-in was “unfortunate and something that ideally wouldn’t have happened,” but confirmed that the actor's scenes have not been edited out.
Kang made the remarks during a production briefing held at Lotte Cinema Konkuk University in eastern Seoul, in response to questions from reporters about Yoo’s controversy.
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| ▲ Kang Hyoung-chul, director of the upcoming film "Hi.5," speaks during the film's press conference held in Seoul on May 12, 2025. (Yonhap) |
Hi.5, which completed filming in 2021, faced delays after Yoo was investigated in February 2023 for alleged use of propofol. Despite the setback, the film is now set to be released on June 30, nearly four years after wrapping. Yoo does not appear in posters, trailers, or any promotional events.
“When the controversy happened, I recalled a quote that said, ‘A competent leader should first solve the problem when something serious happens,’” Kang said. “As the director and person responsible for the film, I decided to focus even more on the post-production process.”
He added, “I was committed to completing the work of all the brilliant actors involved. Yoo’s scenes were left mostly intact and were not heavily edited.”
Produced with a budget of around 15 billion won (US$11 million), Hi.5 is an action comedy about five people who gain supernatural powers following organ transplants, and those who seek to exploit their abilities.
The cast includes Yoo Ah-in, who plays a character with the ability to see electromagnetic waves; Lee Jae-in, Ra Mi-ran, Ahn Jae-hong, Oh Jung-se, Kim Hee-won, and Jinyoung.
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| ▲ Actress Lee Jae-in speaks during the press conference for film "Hi.5" held in Seoul on May 12, 2025. (Yonhap) |
Actress Lee Jae-in, known for her roles in the film "Svaha: The Sixth Finger (2019)" and drama "Racket Boys (2021)," plays the protagonist Wan-seo, a taekwondo athlete who acquires extraordinary physical abilities after a heart transplant.
“I trained in basic fitness, taekwondo forms, wire action, and martial arts. I tried to perform most of the stunts myself without a double,” Lee said.
Ra Mi-ran plays Seonnyeo, a woman who undergoes a kidney transplant and becomes unrecognizably beautiful. “I was drawn to the character. It’s rare for me to be offered a pretty role, so I thought this could be my last chance,” she said with a laugh.
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| ▲ Actress Ra Mi-ran speaks during the press conference for film "Hi.5" held in Seoul on May 12, 2025. (Yonhap) |
Ahn Jae-hong, who previously played Ra’s son in "Reply 1988 (2015)," plays Ji-sung, a man who gains the power to create gusts of wind after a lung transplant. “When I first read Director Kang’s script, I was amazed. It was exciting to see such a story and team dynamic on the page,” he recalled.
Hi.5 marks Kang’s first film in seven years since "Swing Kids (2018)." He is also known for directing box office hits such as "Scandal Makers (2008)," "Sunny (2011)," and "Tazza: The Hidden Card (2014)."
“I started this project with the hope of making a fun and easy-to-watch movie,” Kang said. “Since the theme of superpowers is unrealistic, I aimed to make the characters and story feel grounded and relatable. The characters are ordinary people, and the humor comes from the situations they face.”
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