'I will run for election if 'Honest Candidate' sells 10 million tickets'

Ra Mi-ran speaks during a press conference at CGV Apgujeong, Seoul, Monday. Yonhap

By Dong Sun-hwa

Actress Ra Mi-ran made a surprise promise Monday that she would run for an election in real life, if her upcoming comedy flick “An Honest Candidate” attracted more than 10 million moviegoers. The earliest elections are the April 15 general elections.

Ra plays Joo Sang-sook, a third-term lawmaker seeking re-election.

“Many people thought I was actually standing for an election, after seeing my photos on some vehicles,” she said at a press conference at CGV Apgujeong, Seoul. “They were filming props but if our film grosses over 10 million, I would run in the election for real.” Then she said, “Maybe I should raise it to 15 million.”

Actor Kim Mu-yeol, who plays Joo's zealous aide Park Hee-chul, said he would serve her as aide, if the actress ran.

“An Honest Candidate” will be released on Feb. 12. Courtesy of NEW

“An Honest Candidate” revolves around Joo, a habitual liar, who wins voters' hearts with sweet lies. But ahead of the election, she suddenly loses her ability to lie and turns into an honest person, unable to tell lies. She now cannot make flattering remarks and when she opens her mouth, she drops a bombshell.

For instance, when Joo needs to say she will become a worker for the ordinary people, she blurts out instead, “I am not their worker. They are my workers.”

Ra said people had told her she was witty, so she tried to be truly funny and humorous.

The film is based on the Brazilian movie of the same name, which topped Brazil's box office after its 2014 release. The main character in the original work is male.

“As I worked on the scenario, I realized it would be extremely challenging for an actor to play Joo, because the character should be both comical and serious,” said filmmaker Jang Yu-jung, who has rom-com “Finding Mr. Destiny” (2010) to her credit. “At last, I concluded Ra was the only one who could pull this off, so I asked her for the role.”

Na Moon-hee, Yoon Kyung-ho and Jang Dong-joo appear as Joo's grandmother, husband and son.

“Those who see our movie will get vicarious satisfaction from the characters who say what they want to say,” Jang said.

Yoon said: “The film will help relieve your stress.”

“An Honest Candidate” will premiere on Feb. 12.

“An Honest Candidate” actors and filmmaker Jang Yu-jung. Yonhap