(Following Interview①) Actor Kang Ha-neul, who gave a stellar performance in the film 'The Opposition,' emphasized the interest in the subject matter itself, which is the slang 'The Opposition' used by drug dealers.

Kang Ha-neul conducted an interview at a cafe in Seocho-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, on the morning of the 8th. He talked with domestic reporters about the upcoming release of the film 'The Opposition' (directed by Hwang Byeong-guk, provided/distributed by Plus M Entertainment, produced by HYBE Media Corp) and his recent activities.

'The Opposition' is a crime action film where broker The Opposition (Kang Ha-neul), who designs the drug scene in South Korea, a prosecutor (Yoo Hae-jin) aiming for greater heights, and a detective (Park Hae-jun) who is fully committed to eradicating drug crime become entangled with different objectives. It is a new work from HYBE Media Corp, praised as a well-made social commentary crime film with 'The Insider.' Hwang Byeong-guk, the director known for several works including 'The Insider' and 'The Spring of Seoul,' presents a new film for the first time in 14 years since 'Special Investigation Team.'

At first glance, it seems like a political film, but in reality, 'The Opposition' is a slang term referring to a broker cooperating with drug investigations. Kang Ha-neul noted, "The first thing that surprised me was that when I read the script, I thought it was a made-up story. While the story was fabricated, I believed that 'The Opposition' was fictional. However, as I continued reading the script, I found it was written with such detail. One of our company representatives has a friend who works as a drug detective, and after reading this book together, we asked about The Opposition. The detective wondered how we knew about it. I realized that these are real people. The next time I read it, I was equally immersed, thinking that these are actually existing individuals."

What was the reaction after viewing the work? Kang Ha-neul said, "It was just something like, 'That scene was great.'" He awkwardly added, "We didn’t talk much. When we’re out drinking, we tend not to talk about work. I was relieved to hear that the atmosphere was nice. Among ourselves, we talked more about our lives – about what supplements we take, whether we're sleeping well, and such things."

The filming set for 'The Opposition' was particularly 'fun,' according to Kang Ha-neul. He said, "Everyone was so experienced that it felt like it was moving smoothly like a well-oiled machine."

Additionally, he emphasized, "At this point, I thought, 'A political film?' but then realized, 'No, it’s not exactly a political film,' and found it fascinating and enjoyable to read." He continued, "However, just before the release, rather than repeatedly stating that it's not a political film, I wanted to let you know that the term 'The Opposition' is used in another context. I think if you get curious about the term 'The Opposition' itself, you may find it a bit more enjoyable to watch."

Kang Ha-neul said, "The 'fun' I feel is somewhat different. Now, when I read a script, scenes start to form and run in my head. There are scripts that make me think and constantly engage my mind instead of just making me laugh. Some scripts inspire me with scenes as they unfold. But then there are scripts that make me go, 'Huh?' while reading. I can find them interesting even as I ponder. I think those scripts are often referred to as 'fun.'"

Moreover, he stated, "What I found most fascinating while experiencing 'The Opposition' was the existence of The Opposition. The character who does this work is so intriguing that as I read it, the character of The Opposition itself was very interesting. I really wanted to introduce this character to the audience," adding, "According to what I’ve studied, when pickpocketing groups were prevalent in our country, there were several factions, and one such group sold information about other pickpocket groups to law enforcement. That was The Opposition. Back then, they referred to their group as 'The Ruling Party' in slang. As pickpocketing diminished and they transitioned to drugs, the term 'The Ruling Party' disappeared, and The Opposition came to coexist between the drug scene and law enforcement."

'The Opposition' will be released in theaters nationwide on the 16th.

(Continued in Interview③.)

[Photo] Provided by Plus M Entertainment, HYBE Media Corp, and THN.

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