INTERVIEW Kim Nam-gil plays unconventional exorcist in 'The Closet'
Actor Kim Nam-gil plays exorcist Kyung-hoon in new horror drama “The Closet.” Courtesy of CJENM
By Lee Gyu-lee
Actor Kim Nam-gill/ Courtesy of CJ ENM
Actor Kim Nam-gill is known for his portrayal of a diverse range of characters, such as a jaded cop in 2014 romance “The Shameless,” and a hot-tempered priest in 2019 comedy TV series “Fiery Priest.” This time, in the new mystery drama
he puts on another multi-layered performance as an unconventional exorcist.
“I wanted my character to be different from those in other occult movies,” the actor said during an interview with The Korea Times, Friday, in Samcheong-dong, Seoul. “Although he works as an exorcist, I wanted him to be depicted as a normal person.”
Directed by rookie Kim Kwang-bin, The Closet is a mixture of various genres ― supernatural occult horror, drama, mystery, and a bit of comedy ― and revolves around an architect called Sang-won (Ha Jung-woo), an uncaring single father living with his daughter, Yi-na (Heo Yool).
One day after they move into a new house, Yi-na vanishes without a trace. Sang-hoon is left clueless until exorcist Kyung-hoon (Kim) shows up on the doorstep telling him Yi-na has been taken by spirits that entered through the closet and that he can help to bring her back.
Poster for new mystery horror “The Closet,” which revolves around the concept of an exorcist helping a man get his daughter back from the spirits that abducted her/ Courtesy of CJ ENM
Unlike previous exorcist figures ― usually portrayed as serious ― Kyung-hoon goofs around and throws out funny one-liners in the horror-thriller. Yet, he also manages to bring the suspense associated with his unusual profession.
“I wanted (the audiences) to have a moment to breathe through my character. I actually wanted it to be more comical but thought it might not be appropriate with overall tone of this film,” he said. “My purpose was to show the normal side (of exorcists) because they probably wouldn't stay stiff and suspenseful all the time.”
Another characteristic that makes Kyung-hoon unique is that he practices shamanism, rather than Christianity, and he utilizes high-tech equipment to detect paranormal activity.
Kim expressed that he might not have taken the role if the film had added overt religious practices and sentiment to the exorcism. “If the story featured an exorcist priest, I wouldn't have found it interesting because there have been so many movies about that,” he said. “But with this film, it's a fusion… I felt that I could show a different take on such a practice and topic.”
Kim revealed that he usually avoids watching a horror movies because he believes in ghosts. Courtesy of CJENM
To avoid any religious prayers or phrases, Kim noted that he spent weeks looking for appropriate words for his ritual scenes.
“It was so difficult to find non-religious words…. We tried to eliminate any phrases that might offend any culture or audience,” he said. The film has been sold to over 56 countries, including Germany, Brazil, and Spain.
Although Kim's character fights off evil spirits for a living, the actor revealed that he's actually scared of ghosts and can't watch horror movies.
“I watched 'The Omen' when I was young, but I still can't stand in the middle of elevators,” he said, referring to a killing scene from 1978 horror film “Damien: Omen II.”
When asked what made him choose a genre that he normally avoids, he said he was yearning for diversity in film genres and this film suited his needs with its refreshing plot. “Not every film should have a message, but I liked how this film ends on a straight line,” he said.
A scene from the film/ Courtesy of CJENM
The film weaves child abuse issues into the horror exorcism story. And unlike many occult movies, Kim said the film includes such societal issues to tell a story about humans. “(The director, Jung-woo and I) discussed whether to focus on the horror genre or to pursue a socially provocative story,” he said. “But in the end, we decided to talk about humanity and set everything to revolve around that.”
“The Closet” hit local theaters Wednesday, and will premiere in the U.S., Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand later this month.