Director Hwang Byeong-guk of the movie 'Opposition' revealed the behind-the-scenes story of casting prominent leading actors such as Kang Ha-neul, Yoo Hae-jin, and Park Hae-joon.

Director Hwang Byeong-guk of 'Opposition' conducted an interview on the morning of the 8th at a café in Seocho-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. During this meeting, he spoke with domestic reporters about the upcoming release of the film 'Opposition' (Director Hwang Byeong-guk, provided/distributed by Plus M Entertainment, produced by HYBE Media Corp).

'Opposition' is a crime action film that unfolds as a broker in South Korea's drug trade (Kang Ha-neul), a prosecutor aspiring for greater prominence (Yoo Hae-jin), and a detective who is dedicated to eradicating drug crimes (Park Hae-joon) come together with different objectives. Director Hwang Byeong-guk, who has made supporting roles in works such as 'Inside Men' and 'Spring in Seoul,' presents his new work 'Opposition' 14 years after 'Special Investigation Unit.'

In particular, the film stirs curiosity by showcasing a reversal of the actors' images, casting Kang Ha-neul, who has garnered praise as a righteous youth in the entertainment industry, as a drug broker, and Yoo Hae-jin, who is primarily known for his down-to-earth characters, as a corrupt prosecutor. Regarding this casting, Director Hwang Byeong-guk noted, "I hoped that when the audience sees that person speak or their facial expressions, they wouldn’t be able to predict the lines. I wanted them to ponder, 'What will that actor say?' That way, the audience might find it refreshing." He added, "I thought all three, Kang Ha-neul, Yoo Hae-jin, and Park Hae-joon, were fresh. I really liked it. It had been a while since I had received help from all three in a movie."

The first actor he cast was Park Hae-joon. Director Hwang Byeong-guk, who also appeared in 'Spring in Seoul,' said, "I cast Park Hae-joon while filming 'Spring in Seoul.' To be precise, I felt that he would fit well while watching him act on set. In looking at typical detectives in our country, there is an uncle-like image, but I wanted to show a different side, and when I saw that Park Hae-joon looks good in military uniforms, I thought I wanted to work with an actor like him. So, I secretly talked to Director Kim Sung-soo, and after some time during a drinking gathering, I received a definite answer while discussing it in detail."

He continued, "At that time, 'Spring in Seoul' had yet to become a blockbuster, and 'When Life Gives You Tangerines' was still in pre-production. Actor Yoo Hae-jin was also filming the blockbuster 'The Burial' before it, but the casting for 'Opposition' was already completed then. I was happy to see them all achieve good results in their projects afterward," he laughed.

Furthermore, Director Hwang Byeong-guk revealed, "Actor Kang Ha-neul has a kind and easy-going image, and I made a lot of efforts to change that. He needs to have a bit of masculinity and a bit of edginess to fit the role. However, Ha-neul is very kind—a person with many good stories on set. I pondered a lot about how to change that."

He emphasized, "Opposition is neither good nor evil. If it seems too much like a gentle lamb, it would not get the job done. While casting someone too edgy might have been easier at the beginning, making an edgy actor appear gentle in the later parts is much harder so Kang Ha-neul was my first choice." He also highlighted, "All three protagonists had not played such roles before, and that was a condition."

Among the supporting cast, actress Kim Geum-soon, who made a notable impression in 'When Life Gives You Tangerines,' is also active in 'Opposition.' Regarding this, Director Hwang Byeong-guk stated, "Ah, she is a character I really cherish and like very much." He mentioned, "There are many male characters in our movie, but I wanted to include a strong female character. In the process of researching, I heard stories about female brokers selling drugs in areas like Nowon, Sangye, and Uijeongbu. Given that there was such a reality, I included a female character, and while I wanted to find the right actress, I watched many independent films, and Kim Geum-soon came to mind."

He continued, "She has a really great face. She has been acting for a long time and is very talented. Anyone can see she is good at what she does," emphasizing, "I didn’t watch all of 'When Life Gives You Tangerines,' but I only saw the scenes with Kim Geum-soon. The only reason I saw it later than the director of 'When Life Gives You Tangerines' is that anything would have been recognized as an actress someday."

Meanwhile, regarding actor Ryu Kyung-soo, who plays the film's villain Jo Hoon, Director Hwang Byeong-guk stated, "In Jean-Jacques Rousseau's 'Emile,' there are expressions about the perspectives of a king looking at commoners and aristocrats looking at commoners. It conveys that they do not think of themselves as 'the same people.' However, the role that Ryu Kyung-soo plays fundamentally lacks empathy and does not see others as the same. That's why I wrote that phrase from 'Emile' by hand and gave it to him. He should never lose to Yoo Hae-jin's character. So, even though Ryu Kyung-soo is a senior actor, he performed till the end without yielding."

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

(Continued in Interview②.)

[Photo] Provided by Plus M Entertainment.

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