The movie 'Victory' finally finds its way to theaters after various twists and turns.

On the 7th at CGV Yongsan IPARK Mall in Seoul, a production briefing for the film 'Victory' was held, attended by Lee Byung-hun, Ko Chang-seok, Hyun Bong-sik, Moon Jung-hee, Jo Woo-jin, and director Kim Hyung-joo.

The film 'Victory' (directed by Kim Hyung-joo, distributed by 바이포엠스튜디오, produced by 영화사 월광 and co-produced by BH Entertainment) tells the story of South Korea's top Go legend Cho Hun-hyun (played by Lee Byung-hun) who, after losing a match against his disciple Lee Chang-ho (played by Yoo Ah-in), challenges once again to reach the top with his innate competitive spirit.

On that day, director Kim Hyung-joo explained about the work, saying, "It is based on the true stories of the Go legends Cho Hun-hyun and Lee Chang-ho. It tells the story of their rivalry and growth, as they are both a master and a disciple, yet inevitably rivals."

Director Kim, who is also from the Yoon Jong-bin team, noted, "I said that I won’t stand on the shadow of my master. The idea of ' 청출어람 ' is far-fetched. This is a theme that runs through the film, and there is a saying that if you play your own Go, that’s enough. I think it’s a matter of being able to express what I want in a way that works. In the case of director Yoon Jong-bin, he has been a strong support as a planner and producer. To me, he seems like a good milestone, as he is like an older brother in a private setting. There were many trials and tribulations before the release, but I am grateful for the parts where he cried with me and patted me on the back, so it feels like ' 결초보은 '."

He also spoke about the casting behind Lee Byung-hun. The director said, "From before writing the first line, I thought that Senior Lee Byung-hun should play the role. I have been a long-time fan since 'Asphalt Man.' At that time, I was in middle school. With that long-standing fan sentiment, the character Cho Hun-hyun has a wide emotional range. Given the constraints of performing most of the acting while sitting in front of the Go board, I thought that senior Lee Byung-hun, whose acting method is different, should play it. The production company had no objections either."

He also mentioned the 'Yoo Ah-in risk' surrounding the lead actor. 'Victory' was indefinitely postponed after Yoo Ah-in was sentenced to prison in the first trial for habitual drug use. Initially, Netflix planned to release it globally as an original film, but after the drug reports on Yoo Ah-in, it is said that the contract failed. Ultimately, the film is set to be released in theaters again, with a confirmed release date of March. Subsequently, 'Victory' revealed trailers and posters, but it caught attention by editing out all of Yoo Ah-in's footage.

Regarding Yoo Ah-in's footage in the main film, the director explained, "In the trailer or promotional materials, it will inevitably be exposed to an unspecified majority, so I considered that. In the case of the main film, when viewed in light of the story structure and intended planning, editing a completed film again might not make sense to me. After all, it's a story of the two people, and while certainly the weight of the story leans toward Cho Hun-hyun, there was a structural issue in progressing the story without mentioning him. I hope that once the film is released, the audience will be able to understand that part sufficiently. From the director's perspective, I unintentionally got hurt before the film came out, and I didn’t want to inflict further emotional wounds. I think it's proper to show the film as intended to those who visit the theater."

Lee Byung-hun plays the role of the living Go legend Cho Hun-hyun. Appearing with a 2:8 hairstyle from the trailer, he joked, "Since it’s the story of a real person, I would have done a 10:0 hairstyle. In any case, our big goal was to find the maximum immersion for the audience in the character, so it wasn’t a big problem for me." He explained about the character 'Cho Hun-hyun': "Cho Hun-hyun is a legendary Go master who made historical records as the first person from our country to win in global competitions. I also met Cho Hun-hyun before filming, and was able to hear various stories, and thought it’s because of people like him that such history can be written, as there’s so much to learn from his competitive spirit and thoughts."

He also talked about the reasons for choosing the work. Lee Byung-hun remarked, "I knew nothing about Go and had no great interest in it. However, upon receiving the script and reading it, and exploring documentaries, I decided immediately that the rules of Go, even without being a fan, can be sufficiently interesting to watch as a drama. I fell completely for it. It was incredibly surprising how such dramatic events actually happened, and I recall being thrilled at the idea of actually performing as Cho Hun-hyun."

He responded to rumors about acting right down to finger joints, saying, "I can’t do that," and playfully added, "I also knew nothing about Go, so I took lessons from a professional. The way to place the stones. When I made the first move, if the opponent showed a vibe of 'I’ve lost,' it can intimidate them. I had a lot of thoughts about what that is. I thought that the shape of the hand playing Go was something ordinary, but as I continued, the Go board gets filled. I need to place stones boldly in the empty spaces, which is truly difficult. When practicing placing stones quickly in those narrow spaces, I worried that there would be many NGs. I also learned when watching the professional quickly capture the opponent's stones that it would really take a long time."

He continued, "While I had to pay attention to the hand movements and technical aspects in 'Victory', of course, the biggest homework for us was to express the psyche of the players in between the process of playing Go and at the end, amidst a neutral expression and stillness. Even after choosing the film, I researched a lot. There was a documentary called 'Victory' and I watched various documentaries related to Cho Hun-hyun and Lee Chang-ho, observing their expressions, the changes in their gazes during matches, gestures, habits, and the like. I thought those aspects and actions would be related to their psychology."

Ko Chang-seok, who plays the role of Cheon Seung-pil, a close friend of Cho Hun-hyun and a professional Go player, described him as, "The only flaw is that he drinks too much, but he is a professional Go player who loves Go. He is a character who, while watching over all the history, experiences the joys and sorrows along with them."

He reminisced about his preparation for shooting, saying, "I started learning Go to prepare for filming, and while learning, I had to practice playing Go like doing action practice. I didn’t understand what that meant at first, but when watching professional players play, they do it with such intensity, like it’s magnetic. I jumped in without knowing anything and carried Go stones around for a month."

Additionally, Ko Chang-seok expressed, "On one hand, I wondered if our movie would be interesting even to those who don’t know Go. It felt like a martial arts story where the world's best master, upon losing to his disciple, couldn’t feel joy or sorrow. It’s incredibly intense. There’s an enormous psychological battle going on, not just on the Go board."

Hyun Bong-sik, who plays professional player Lee Yong-gak, said, "He is a follower of Cho Hun-hyun and an integral part of the Cho Hun-hyun team. He contributed to making the two, Cho Hun-hyun and Lee Chang-ho, a master-disciple relationship." He prepared for his role as a Go player for three months but humorously added, "But not a single scene of mine was used."

In particular, Hyun Bong-sik, known as the 'box office fairy' for appearing in hit films such as 'Veteran 2', 'Pilot', and 'Seoul Spring' in the last two years, remarked, "Since the term 'fairy' isn't casually given after the 10 million mark, I consider it an honor. As a box office fairy, I will show my spirits in this film."

Moon Jung-hee, who plays Jeong Mi-hwa, the wife of Cho Hun-hyun and the closest companion of the rivals, remarked, "While it seems that I share a strong bond with Senior Lee Byung-hun, I also don't know him that well," and spoke about their chemistry, saying, "It was winter, and it was very cold, we needed to rush the filming. Meeting and acting with Senior Lee Byung-hun for the first time was tough. Since he is a senior, it felt awkward. When we had to get close during the take since we were a couple, he made it comfortable. In that regard, I felt my heart melt. When the shot was in, I felt much more at ease, but when it cut, it was a little burdensome. Personally, I didn't have many discussions with him, but I felt a lot of healing from him in my heart. Of course, that's just my thought."

Moon Jung-hee also conveyed, "I think I’m very happy to be in this position. It is a feeling of joy and fullness that surpasses any production briefing. It’s natural to feel joy as so many around me are offering support and anticipation for this film. I hope everyone else can join in this joy as well."

Jo Woo-jin plays the rival professional Go player 'Nam Gi-cheol'. He spoke about his reasons for choosing the work, stating, "It's sheer respect. Respect for actor Lee Byung-hun, respect for the director, and the respect of being able to work with the cast. There was also the excitement of being able to immerse myself in the world of Go. Furthermore, I had previously worked with the director and felt it was a very good script. In that regard, I naturally thought I had to participate."

Jo Woo-jin, who once again collaborates with Lee Byung-hun after 'The Infiltrators', said, "I’m always excited to work with him. Just making eye contact creates a level of immersion that is amazing, as he guides me, the actor opposite him. In fact, I have a memory of being in awe while witnessing how he, despite minimal acting, encapsulates all emotions in a scene more than any recent scene I've encountered."

In response, Lee Byung-hun shared, "In my role, I view Jo Woo-jin as an easy opponent to dismiss and think of lightly. So I should be treating him easily, but strangely, when I'm in front of Jo Woo-jin, I can’t help but fidget with my wrists and ankles, and I feel a sense of shrinking. Perhaps it’s because of the intense first encounter in 'The Infiltrators', it was not comfortable at all."

Finally, the actors shared the key points to watch in 'Victory'. Jo Woo-jin mentioned, "Each move dramatically alters the atmosphere of the entire film, so by watching the joint performance, the audience will experience an impact and spectacular sensation that’s comparable to any sports film. You might think that since Go is played while seated, the pace may drop, but that's not the case at all. There is tension in our performances that can grip the audience like any sports film. Our sets and art are so detail-oriented that they even capture the air of that era. I believe you will find ample enjoyment discovering those aspects while watching the film."

Moon Jung-hee expressed, "I feel very happy to be here. It feels more joyful and fulfilling than any production briefing I have ever attended. Since people around me are supporting and anticipating this film, it’s natural to feel joy. I hope everyone joins in this happiness." Ko Chang-seok added, "I love alcohol, and there are glasses fitting for different types of drinks. At that time, I believe the drink carries its greatest flavor. Movies must be seen in theaters, to experience the emotion and charm they possess. So, I feel deeply moved. Also, in the film, Lee Byung-hun performs extraordinarily well," drawing laughter.

Lee Byung-hun said, "I am someone who loves theaters. Regardless of what has happened, I believe that meeting the audience in theaters is the ultimate goal of film. I am happy to be able to meet like this. The fact that this film is based on real people and true stories makes it intriguing. That story holds far greater dramatic power than the movie. Although I knew nothing and had no interest in Go, I wanted to participate in this project to such an extent that the power of drama was enormous for me. My father-in-law has asked me multiple times about this film whenever he visits, unlike any others I’ve made after marriage. For those who knew that time, I felt that the longing for this film surpassed any other film. I am overjoyed and happy to meet the audience like this. Thank you for waiting so long. Our film is finally being released, and I ask for your attention."

Meanwhile, 'Victory', which promises thrilling performances from South Korea's representative actors, will be released in theaters on March 26 (Wednesday).

[Photo] OSEN DB

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