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| A scene from the film "The Childe" / Courtesy of Studio& New |
By Kwak Yeon-soo
Actor Kim Seon-ho said he gasped audibly at the sight of his own work in "The Childe," adding that it was weird to watch himself on the big screen.
"Since it was my first time seeing myself on the big screen, I became self-conscious and began scrutinizing my every flaw," he said during an interview with The Korea Times at a cafe in Seoul, Monday. "My English accent was so cringeworthy that I nearly leaped out of my seat."
Action noir film "The Childe" has garnered a lot of attention for being Kim's first big movie role following his abortion scandal in 2021. Kim's former girlfriend accused him of coercing her into having an abortion, which temporarily halted his career.
The 37-year-old actor thanked director Park Hoon-jung, known for films "New World" (2013), "The Witch: Part 1. The Subversion" (2018) and its sequel "The Witch: Part 2. The Other One" (2022), for offering him such a prominent role.
"I tried my best to repay the trust and affection Park has placed in me. He has been like an older brother to me. Sometimes, he gave me advice on how to stop worrying and take things lightly rather than too seriously," he said.
Based on mutual trust and respect, the two worked together on Park's next film "Tyrant," which is yet to be released in theaters. "While filming 'The Childe,' Park told me about his new project and asked if I would be interested to take part in it. I read the script and happily accepted the role in 'Tyrant,'" Kim said.
"The Childe" follows Marco (Kang Tae-ju), a boxer born to a Korean father and a Filipino mother, who comes to Korea in search of his estranged father.
In the process of tracking down his father, Marco gets involved in a cat-and-mouse game with some bad people, including a mysterious man known as the Nobleman (Kim) and a rich heir (played by Kim Kang-woo).
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| Actor Kim Seon-ho / Courtesy of Studio& New |
Kim plays the role of the Nobleman, who comes out of nowhere and starts following Marco around, calling him a "friend." "'The Childe' is violent and vulgar, but there are some moments of comedy. This is what sets this film apart from other traditional action noir films," he said.
On performing impressive action sequences and car chase scenes, Kim said he couldn't complain about it because Kang was running, jumping and doing crazy stunts throughout the film. "I have some intense action sequences at the end of the film, but throughout the film, Kang was the one doing fast action such as running and jumping," he said.
Asked what reactions he anticipates, Kim said, "I want the audience to think that I'm capable of playing a wide range of roles. I hope they don't say things like 'he was completely miscast.'"
"The Childe" will hit local theaters on June 21.
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