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| ▲ Actor Song Seung-heon speaks during the production briefing for film "Hidden Face" held in Seoul on Oct. 22, 2024. (Yonhap) |
SEOUL, Oct. 22 (Yonhap) -- “This character stirred feelings of sympathy within me. It wasn’t easy to portray him since he doesn’t overtly display his desires,” said actor Song Seung-heon during a production briefing for the upcoming film Hidden Face on the 22nd at Lotte Cinema Konkuk University in Seoul.
Set to release on November 20, Hidden Face is the latest film from director Kim Dae-woo, known for his works like Forbidden Quest (2006), The Servant (2010), and Obsessed (2014), which feature a blend of artistic erotica.
In Hidden Face, Song Seung-heon plays Seong-jin, a character who becomes entangled in desire after meeting Mi-joo (played by Park Ji-hyun), the junior of his missing fiancée, Soo-yeon (played by Jo Yeo-jeong). As Soo-yeon, who was believed to be missing, watches from a hidden room in their home, she witnesses the raw truth of Seong-jin and Mi-joo’s affair, creating a thrilling narrative.
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| ▲ From left: Actors Song Seung-heon, Jo Yeo-jeong, Park Ji-hyun, and director Kim Dae-woo pose during the production briefing for film "Hidden Face" held in Seoul on Oct. 22, 2024. (Yonhap) |
Song described the plot, saying, "Seong-jin crosses the line by having an affair with his fiancée's junior, only to discover that his fiancée has been watching him from the closest possible place."
He added, “Seong-jin, who comes from a poor background, becomes the head conductor of an orchestra and tries to suppress his desires. But when he meets Mi-joo, his suppressed instincts and desires surface, revealing a character with unexpected twists.”
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| ▲ Actors Song Seung-heon (L) and Jo Yeo-jeong converse during the production briefing for film "Hidden Face" held in Seoul on Oct. 22, 2024. (Yonhap) |
Jo Yeo-jeong introduced her character Soo-yeon as the complete opposite of Seong-jin. “Soo-yeon has an overwhelming possessiveness towards people and situations,” she explained. “She ends up trapped in a secret room, where all kinds of things unfold before her eyes,” she added with a laugh. Reflecting on her challenging role, Jo remarked, “Although I was prepared when I read the script, acting in such an environment was tough. I had to constantly bang on things and shout.”
Jo and Song previously played a married couple in Obsessed a decade ago. Song, who once again plays a character caught between two women, humorously commented, “I’m always sorry. Back then, we were married but in a loveless relationship.”
Song recalled, “The director pushed me even more in this film to bring out expressions, tones, and gazes that I had never shown in any previous works, much more so than in Obsessed."
Jo, who also starred in The Servant and Obsessed, marks her third collaboration with director Kim Dae-woo. “The director’s characters touch on points that I’ve never encountered before,” Jo noted, adding, “Soo-yeon is a narcissist and an egotist, yet it’s hard to tell if she’s a good or bad person. It’s always a learning experience to portray such characters.”
Director Kim, when asked why he chose to work with Song Seung-heon and Jo Yeo-jeong again, said, “They are actors who remain humble, never forget their role as performers, and always give their best. I felt confident that, with them, we could tackle the film’s challenges more easily.”
Hidden Face is a remake of the 2011 film of the same name by director Andrés Baiz. Kim explained, “After watching the original, I wanted to reinterpret it with my own style. This time, I wanted to tell a more serious and introspective story, without any humor.”
He also emphasized the film’s focus on sound design. “I put a lot of effort into the sound. I believe the audience will feel a visual impact when experiencing it with immersive audio, rather than through smaller screens or speakers.”
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