'Pretty Crazy' to bring comedic take on human, demonic sides

Actors Yoona, left, and Ahn Bo-hyun pose during a press conference for “Pretty Crazy“ at a theater in Seoul, Wednesday. Yonhap

Filmmaker Lee Sang-geun, known for his 2019 hit "Exit," is set to deliver a unique blend of character-driven storytelling and comedic thrills with his new film "Pretty Crazy,” promising to captivate audiences with its unusual premise and strong ensemble cast.

"I'm thankful for all the love 'Exit' received. With that film, I went for a large-scale story, so this time, I wanted to create something smaller in scale but with a deeper look into characters and human nature," Lee said during a press conference at a theater in Seoul on Wednesday.

The director revealed that "Pretty Crazy" was originally intended to be his debut film but was postponed in favor of "Exit."

"I wanted to finally fulfill that long-cherished desire, so I reorganized everything from scratch to make this film," he added, setting a lighthearted tone for the event.

Actors Yoona, left, and Ahn Bo-hyun in a scene from “Pretty Crazy” / Courtesy of CJ ENM

"Pretty Crazy" is a comedic film about Gil-gu (Ahn Bo-hyun), a young unemployed man who takes on an unusual part-time job — keeping an eye on his neighbor, Sun-ji (Yoona), who transforms into a demon every night but can't remember anything she did the next day. As Gil-gu deals with these wild and confusing events, he makes it his mission to break the curse on Sun-ji.

Singer-actor Yoona, who previously collaborated with Lee on "Exit," expressed her delight in working with the director again.

"I have so many good memories from working on 'Exit' and I thought I'd be happy to do another project with this team," said Yoona, a member of K-pop group Girl's Generation.

"The director offered me such a lovely character, so I readily agreed. Our chemistry was perfect again this time. I tried to recall our teamwork from 'Exit' and grasp what the director wanted to portray to express it even better."

From left, actors Ahn Bo-hyun and Yoona, director Lee Sang-geun and actors Joo Hyun-young and Sung Dong-il pose during a press conference for the movie “Pretty Crazy" at a theater in Seoul, Wednesday. Yonhap

Yoona took on a dual role with Sun-ji, who runs a bakery during the day but unknowingly awakens as a high-ranking demon at night. To portray the stark contrast, she underwent a complete transformation in her styling.

"For Sun-ji by day, I went for a pure and innocent girl image with my hair, outfits and voice tone. For the demon version of her, I incorporated all the intense elements, from frizzy hair to strong makeup. I even used detailed nail art and colored contact lenses to show a distinctly different look. I also diligently practiced a laugh that was inspired by the director," she said.

Ahn's character Gil-gu is a harmless young man who becomes Sun-ji's part-time guardian. Ahn shared that he focused on understanding the director's vision for his character.

"While talking with director Ahn, I felt that Gil-gu was like the director himself, so I tried to grasp the director's intentions and follow his directions closely," the actor explained. Ahn also praised his co-star Yoona, saying their chemistry was enhanced by Yoona's easygoing personality on set.

Adding to the dynamic cast are veteran actor Sung Dong-il, who plays Jang-su, Sun-ji's father who has been tending to his demonic daughter for over two decades, and Joo Hyun-young, who portrays Ara, Sun-ji's cousin, worn out from looking after her.

"Pretty Crazy" is set to hit theaters on Aug. 13.