Jo Jung-suk thanks BoA for her song ‘No. 1’ in ‘My Daughter Is a Zombie’

Actor Jo Jung-suk expressed his gratitude to singer BoA for her support of his new film “My Daughter Is a Zombie,” revealing that her hit song “No.1” played a special role in the project.

During a recent interview, Jo shared that he often listened to BoA’s music while on set. “I filmed many scenes while hearing her song,” he said, noting that the singer also posted about the film on her social media, further boosting its visibility.

“My Daughter Is a Zombie” tells the story of a doting father who enters secret training to protect his daughter, the last zombie on Earth. Jo stars as Jeong-hwan, a father who travels to the seaside village of Eunbong, where his mother lives, to shield his daughter Soo-ah (played by Choi Yu-ri).

Jo said the film holds a special place in his heart, and that his wife, the singer Gummy, was deeply moved by it as well. “She told me she sobbed while watching it,” he said. “When I asked what part touched her, she said the blend of humor and emotion really stood out.”

“The film’s charm lies in how wit emerges just as the sadness hits,” he added.

Separately, director Pil Gam-seong explained why BoA’s “No.1” was chosen for the soundtrack. “It’s my favorite of her songs, but more importantly, the upbeat tone paired with melancholic melody and meaningful lyrics matched our film perfectly,” he said. “Lines like ‘Don’t blame him for changing’ resonated deeply with the story.”

He added that he had designated “No.1” as an essential track from the scriptwriting stage and was relieved BoA readily agreed. “I couldn’t imagine replacing it with any other song,” he said.

The movie, which premiered on Wednesday, claimed the No. 1 spot at the Korean box office, drawing more than 240,000 viewers on its second day of release, according to the Korean Film Council’s box office tracking system on Friday.

The film’s two-day cumulative admissions have surpassed 700,000, accounting for 48.2 percent of total ticket sales. In second place was "F1: The Movie," a Brad Pitt-led racing film that has been gaining traction through word of mouth, attracting about 74,000 moviegoers with a 16.5 percent revenue share.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, a sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.