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| Actors Kim Hyun-joo, right, and Ryu Kyung-soo pose during a press conference for the film, "Jung_E" held in Seoul, Thursday. Courtesy of Netflix |
By Kwak Yeon-soo
Director Yeon Sang-ho and the cast of "Jung_E" paid tribute to legendary actor Kang Soo-youn during a press conference for the film held in Seoul, Thursday. Kang, 55, died of a cerebral hemorrhage in May 2022 while "Jung_E" was in post-production.
Yeon, the mastermind behind hit films and series such as "Train to Busan" (2016) and "Hellbound" (2021), revealed that Kang was the reason he wanted to turn "Jung_E" into a film.
Set in the post-apocalyptic 22nd century, "Jung_E" follows the story of Yoon Seo-hyun (Kang), a researcher at Kranoid Lab who clones the brain of an elite soldier called Jung_E to create a combat AI warrior in an attempt to end a civil war.
"At first, I didn't have the intention of creating this film. I was rather skeptical because it's a rare science-fiction genre and a small, personal story. Nobody wants to make a big-budget film that isn't epic and exceedingly entertaining," he said.
"One day, I was thinking about who might play the role of Yoon Seo-hyun if I turn this story into a film. Veteran actor Kang Soo-youn suddenly came to my mind. From then on, my desire to make this film grew."
The director recalled the thrilling moment when he offered Kang the role. He got her contact information through actor Yang Ik-june, with whom he met while filming "Hellbound," and sent her a long text message. However, she didn't reply.
"I got a call from her later and we talked for about 30 minutes. I was so nervous that I was sweating. I had pictured her as very aloof, but she was so easy to be around. Kang loved being on set and interacting with her co-stars. She arranged a lot of meetings in the middle of filming, which enabled the entire cast to get closer in real life," Yeon said.
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| Actor Kang Soo-youn in a scene from the film, "Jung_E" /Courtesy of Netflix |
Actor Kim Hyun-joo, who stars as elite soldier Jung_E in the film, said there was a lot of pressure meeting Kang for the first time.
"I was slightly nervous when Kang came on set because I didn't know what she's going to be like. I had never met her in real life. She was so passionate about filmmaking. She will always be an icon to us all," she said.
Kim also talked about playing the role of combat AI warrior and having so many different parts in one role. In "Jung_E," she stars as both human in the past and AI robot in the present.
"The mechanics of switching like that were challenging," she said.
Ryu Kyung-soo, who plays the role of Kranoid Lab director Sang-hun, said Kang demystified herself straight way, which made him feel a lot less nervous about working alongside the movie legend.
"I shot about 90 percent of the film with Kang. She treated everyone with respect and it was an honor to act alongside her," he said.
"Jung_E" will debut on Netflix, Jan. 20.
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