Comedy tells what cell-phone party games can bring
A scene from film “Intimate Strangers” / Courtesy of Lotte Entertainment
By Park Jin-hai
A-listers have been gathered to star in the dramedy “Intimate Strangers,” which will hit local theaters at the end of the month.
Veteran actors including Yoo Hae-jin, a top character actor reputed as a comic scene stealer in many films; Cho Jin-woong of “Assassination,” “The Handmaiden” and “The Spy Gone North”; and actor and variety show host Lee Seo-jin, known for the television shows “Grandpas Over Flowers” and “Youn's Kitchen,” have been cast in the much anticipated movie telling the story of close-friend couples who end up playing a cell-phone game at a housewarming dinner party where they must reveal all incoming messages and calls to each other.
“When I first read the scenario, I wondered if it could be possible to play such a game with married couples. But the interesting relations intertwined with each other made me join the project,” said Yoo during a press conference at a Lotte Cinema in Seoul, Thursday. “The situations revealed while playing the game provides the participants with humor and fun. I'm sure it will create genuine and natural laughter among audiences.”
Although it starts off lightly, as more and more uncomfortable hidden truths begin to surface, the game forces life-long friends to start to feel more like strangers.
Veteran actresses Yum Jung-ah, Kim Ji-soo and rising star Song Ha-yoon also join the film as their spouses respectively.
Directed by Lee Jae-kyoo, “Intimate Strangers” is a Korean adaptation of the 2016 Italian film “Perfect Stranger.”
“Simply making people unlock their cell phone and reveal all its contents during the party game, makes the whole situation. Everybody has their cell phones and their own secrets. The two facts intrigued me and inspired me to begin this project,” said director Lee. “I started to wonder if a person could look at their lover's cell phone, would it always end up with happy and fun moments. When everything gets disclosed, it could incur both various funny and sad situations, I think. Everybody is imperfect and lives with their own problems, either big or small, and I thought that even among close friends, having some distance is necessary.”
Yoo takes on the role of an uptight lawyer Tae-soo; Cho, an attentive plastic surgeon Seok-ho; and Lee, a chic restaurant CEO Joon-mo. Yum will play a literature loving house-wife; Kim, an attractive looking psychiatrist; and Song, a cheery veterinarian.
“If this game happens in real life, it will be a disaster in the making,” said actress Kim.
The director gave high remarks to Yoo's ad libs in the scenes. “There were so many ad libs, beyond one's expectations. Yoo's impromptu lines were the best,” said Lee. Yoo emerged as the “comic king” after his 2016 action comedy “Luck-Key,” where he bagged his first lead role after 24 years in show business. It attracted over 7 million viewers.
“In the set scenario, I really worked hard to find the little space and to squeeze in my ad libs,” the 48-yaer-old actor joked.
“Intimate Strangers” will hit local theaters Oct. 31.