In comedy flick ‘Boss,’ gangsters scheme to avoid crown

In movies, the No. 2 of a mafia organization usually fights fiercely for the boss's seat. But the upcoming film “Boss” turns this common plot on its head as right-hand men of the crime family in this comedy film try to avoid becoming the boss.

"When I first heard the movie’s hook was a 'war to avoid becoming the boss,' I chuckled. That laughter and humor lasted throughout the several years of working on the film,” director Ra Hee-chan said during a press conference in Seoul Monday.

He described the movie as "not just another generic gangster film, but a fresh and visually entertaining comedy-action film."

"When I first heard about this project, it felt very original. With a cast of actors who are so good at comedy, I wasn't worried about that aspect," Ra said. "I focused on the tension among the gang members who are trying to get away from something, and the threats facing the organization."

The film revolves around the intense comedy of two right-hand men, Soon-tae and Kang-pyo, who are fiercely trying to give up the top spot.

Actor Jo Woo-jin plays Soon-tae, the head chef of a Chinese restaurant who aims to be the best Chinese food chef in the country but is burdened by his inability to escape his position as the crime family's second-in-command.

"It was a role and genre I had never tried before, so it reignited my sense of challenge," Jo said. He mentioned that he chose this film to heal after starring in last year's serious and profound movie “Harbin,” which depicted the life of independence activist Ahn Jung-geun (1879-1910).

"Filming 'Harbin' was heavy and profound, so there was a moment when I, as Jo Woo-jin, needed healing. That's when I met 'Boss.' It was a truly blessed project," he said, adding that he learned to cook Chinese food from famous Chinese chefs.

Jung Kyung-ho plays Kang-pyo, who is named the organization's successor but secretly dreams of becoming a top tango dancer. He revealed that his character was originally supposed to be a pianist, but the role was changed to a tango dancer due to a lack of time to practice before filming.

"I only had about three to four months to prepare, so I thought tango would be more effective than piano, but it was really difficult," Jung said. "Still, I discussed it with the director and we decided to change it because it would be more effective and make the audience laugh more when Kang-pyo appears."

Actor Park Ji-hwan plays Pan-ho, the crime ring's No. 3 who desperately wants the boss position, while actor Lee Kyu-hyung plays Tae-gyu, an undercover cop who has infiltrated Soon-tae's Chinese restaurant as a delivery person.

"The script had a retro and classic feel. I read it with a sense of nostalgia. The characters may bicker, but they are also charming. It seemed like a rough story, but it was so lovely. And there was no reason not to do it with this cast of actors," Park said.

"The parts about Tae-gyu experiencing an identity crisis and conflict after being an undercover cop for 10 years were interesting. Also, the action was so bold that I had high expectations of how it would be implemented on screen," Lee said.

“Boss” is scheduled to be released in October.