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| Director Lee Hwan-kyung poses after an interview with The Korea Times at a cafe in Seoul, Nov. 17. Courtesy of Little Big Pictures |
By Kwak Yeon-soo
Since "Lump Sugar" (2006), filmmaker Lee Hwan-kyung has continued to explore the themes of family and friendship in titles such as "Champ" (2011) and "Miracle in Cell No. 7" (2013). Gifted in making audiences laugh and cry, the director is back after seven years with new comedy drama "Best Friend."
Originally, the film was scheduled to be released in 2018. Unfortunately, delays and sexual assault allegations against lead actor Oh Dal-su led the distributor to push the release back two years.
"After the success of Miracle in Cell No. 7, I stayed in Beijing for two to three years to direct a joint Korean-Chinese film. However, the project fell through because of THAAD. In 2015, I began pre-production for Best Friend," he said during a recent interview with The Korea Times.
Set in the 1980s when the country was still under authoritarian rule, "Best Friend" follows an undercover surveillance team led by Yoo Dae-kwon (Jung Woo) tasked with monitoring an opposition politician named Lee Eui-sik (Oh) when he is confined to his home after returning from overseas. The team pretends to be the politician's friendly new neighbors as they listen in 24 hours a day, probing into the family's secrets one by one.
"I first met Jung 17 years ago as an aspiring filmmaker and a rookie actor. From the moment I saw him, I had a feeling that he's a diamond in the rough. So we immediately became friends and continued to support each other throughout the years," he said.
"There were times when I offered him a role but every time I contacted him for the project, Jung was about to join the army, start another project or get married. I was fortunate to be able to work with him on Best Friend."
Over concerns that the film can be seen and interpreted politically as it reminds the audience of former opposition leader and President Kim Dae-jung's house arrest, Lee said he simply found the motif from the historical period.
"The story of house arrest has always been in my head. I learned about it at school, from history books and through documentaries," he said. "But it was not the political aspect that appealed to me. I was attracted to their human side ― how politicians spend time with family at home and interact with neighbors."
Lee also revealed a reason he makes films about family with a touch of comedy.
"We're all someone's son and daughter. I think I'm good at telling family stories. My parents were free-spirited and they allowed me to explore myself and the world freely," he said. "Family stories are most fun, interesting and engaging."
When asked if the storyline or tone of the film changed following the allegations against Oh, Lee said, "We didn't make the film because of Oh. We all agreed that the film must come first and Oh's case shouldn't affect the work."
On releasing the film in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Lee said he is just grateful for being able to come out with a movie.
"With Miracle in Cell No. 7 surpassing 12.8 million moviegoers, I received so much love and support from the audience. I believe now is the time to repay them and the film industry by releasing the film during these difficult times." he said.
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