Kwak Yeon-soo is a digital editor at The Korea Times creating, editing and curating digital content for the newspaper’s website, mobile app and social media. She previously covered a diverse array of cultural, political and business topics.
Hilarious chase movie 'Stellar' brings back 1980s' nostalgia
From left, actors Heo Sung-tae, Son Ho-jun and Lee Kyoo-hyung pose during a press conference for the film, “Stellar” in Seoul, Thursday. Courtesy of CJ CGV
By Kwak Yeon-soo
By Kwak Yeon-soo
“Stellar” is a funny, heartwarming chase movie that features plenty of nostalgic details from the 1980s and reminds audiences that the road connects more than just places; it connects people.
Directed by Kwon Soo-kyung, “Stellar” is about a man who gradually comes to understand his late father while on the run in his father's beat-up old car. The script was written by Bae Se-young, responsible for the hilarious one-liners in “Extreme Job” (2019).
Young-bae (Son Ho-jun), the protagonist of the film, works at a mortgage company that offers auto loans, and gets in trouble when his friend Dong-sik (Lee Kyoo-hyung) disappears with a supercar which belongs to his boss (Heo Sung-tae). Young-bae is given three hours to find his friend and bring back the missing car.
The true hero in the film is Stellar, an old mid-sized sedan that was released nearly 40 years ago. The car is both a main character and setting in the story. Young-bae remembers it as a luxury sedan, but now it barely runs at times and has a maximum speed of 50 kilometers per hour. Young-bae recollects memories of his father as he embarks on a not-so-thrilling chase through the city.
“People around my age would probably agree with me that Stellar was once the most popular car in Korea in the 1980s. The car offers more than nostalgia in the film. It helps Young-bae better understand his late father,” director Kwon said during a press conference for the film, Thursday.
Actor Son Ho-jun in a scene from the film, “Stellar” / Courtesy of CJ CGV
“I enjoyed every part of the script. The Stellar, the car, is the staple of our movie. Since I'm an excellent driver in real life, driving scenes didn't seem daunting or dangerous,” Son said.
Lee, who plays the role of Dong-sik, said it seems impossible to hate his character, although he is the root cause of all problems. “He is a loveable meathead. He is a backstabber, but there is a reason to his action. He's a father of two kids,” he laughed.
Heo, who shot to fame as the villain in “Squid Game,” said he filmed “Stellar” before starring in the global Netflix mega-hit.
“The script was fun to read, and on the personal level, I thought it would help me break away from stereotypical villain characters. The director encouraged us to fill in the blanks with our own feelings and interpretations,” he said.
“Stellar” will hit local theaters on April 6.