Hwang Jung-min, Hyun Bin team up for 'The Point Men'

By Kwak Yeon-soo

Longtime friends Hwang Jung-min and Hyun Bin expressed their excitement about sharing the screen for the first time in the action film “The Point Men.”

Directed by Yim Soon-rye, the film follows a story of Korean diplomat Jae-ho (Hwang) and National Intelligence Service agent Dae-sik (Hyun) who are on a mission to rescue Korean hostages kidnapped by the Taliban in Afghanistan. They must negotiate a settlement within 24 hours or the Taliban will kill the Korean hostages.

Hwang, who is collaborating with Yim for the second time since the 2001 film, “Waikiki Brothers,” said he was grateful for the chance to work with the director once more.

“Director Yim shaped my early career and I will always be thankful to her,” he said during a press conference for the film, Tuesday. “When I heard that she was directing 'The Point Men,' I said I would do it without hesitation.”

Hwang revealed that he convinced Hyun to take the role of Dae-sik.

“We have met more than 2,000 times in real life, but somehow we never had the chance to work together. In the film, Jae-ho goes toe to toe with Dae-sik until the two realize that they ultimately have the same goal. It will be interesting for the audience to watch our team work in the negotiation process.”

“The Point Men” was filmed in the deserts of Jordan where temperatures reaches over 40 degrees Celsius.

“I still remember the heat-hazed desert that was extremely hot, dry and dusty. Our car engine stopped because it overheated,” Hyun said.

After three scouting trips and months of preparations for the shoot, the crew worked with some 100 Jordanians across various departments, according to Yim.

“Afghanistan is included in Central Asia, while Jordan is part of the Middle East. There were many challenges when scouting filming locations during the COVID-19 pandemic, but we were fortunate enough to film it in Jordan to deliver an otherworldly cinematic experience to the audience,” she said. “Another major challenge was teaching Pashto (one of the national languages of Afghanistan) to foreign actors, who mostly spoke Arabic. Actor Kang Ki-young also had to memorize Pashto lines because he stars as a Pashto-Korean interpreter in the film.”

Hyun shared that his life and priorities have not changed much after becoming a father.

“I filmed 'The Point Men' before my son was born, so I don't feel much of a difference before and after becoming a father. Of course, I feel more responsible now that I'm the head of a family. I would like to continue working hard in order to be a proud father,” he said.

“The Point Men” will hit local theaters, Jan. 18.