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| Actors Cha Tae-hyun, left, and Yoo Yeon-seok in a scene from the film "My Heart Puppy" / Courtesy of Kidari Studio |
By Kwak Yeon-soo
Actors Yoo Yeon-seok and Cha Tae-hyun are reuniting for a cute canine road film "My Heart Puppy," 15 years after co-starring in MBC's drama "General Hospital 2."
"My Heart Puppy" follows the story of avid dog lover Min-soo (Yoo) who lives with his golden retriever named Rooney and faces an unexpected crisis when his soon-to-be-fiancee says she is allergic to dogs.
Min-soo's cousin Jin-guk (Cha) suggests that he should find a new caregiver for his beloved dog. The two embark on a journey to meet a new caregiver but end up unintentionally adopting more pets of their own.
Director Kim Joo-hwan, known for his 2017 action comedy "Midnight Runners," said the film was inspired by his own experience of separation from his childhood dog.
"I was so caught up with work that I wasn't there when my dog Rooney died. I felt so much guilt over it that I decided to make a film about it. I wanted to say that family should always stick together no matter what, and pets are part of the family," he said during a press conference for the film, Tuesday.
Yoo said he had to do the film because he felt like rejecting the script meant rejecting his pets.
"As a person who lives with a dog rescued from an animal shelter, I felt that this was a story that needs to be told. This soul-hugging story reminds us of the loyalty dogs have for us without any other intention," he said.
"And of course, I anticipated working together with Cha again and showing off our on-screen buddy chemistry."
Cha opened up about the challenges of working with dogs. "We had some concerns about working with dogs because they can be unpredictable. We had a dog trainer on set. So we were able to get professional help when needed," he said.
Cha advised audiences to look for animals along their cross-country road trips, to find Rooney's new caregiver. "The film also includes many beautiful scenic shots that will take your breath away," he said.
"My Heart Puppy" will hit local theaters March 1.
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