Bae Doona, Kim Yoon-seok, and Jang Ki-ha will meet with audiences through the movie 'Virus'.

On the morning of the 16th, a production presentation for the movie 'Virus' was held at the Mega Box COEX in Seoul. Attending were lead actors Bae Doona, Kim Yoon-seok, Jang Ki-ha, and director Kang Yi-kwan.

The film 'Virus' (directed by Kang Yi-kwan, distributed by BY4M Studio Co., Ltd., produced by The Lamp Co., Ltd.), based on the original novel 'Youth's Extreme of Life,' depicts the unexpected journey of Oh Taek-seon (played by Bae Doona), infected by a 100% fatal virus that makes one fall in love without reason, alongside three men: the socially awkward researcher Nam Su-pil (Son Suk-ku), old classmate Kim Yeon-woo (Jang Ki-ha), and the only expert capable of creating a cure, Lee Kyun (Kim Yoon-seok). It's a work that evokes curiosity by presenting the unique subject of the 'Toxo virus' from a distinctive and cheerful perspective, featuring actors with diverse personalities and lethal charms who generate synergy.

Starting with Bae Doona, who is making a global impact with her unparalleled presence, to Kim Yoon-seok, a master of acting who represents Korean cinema, and Jang Ki-ha, an all-rounder artist who has expanded his range in acting, along with Son Suk-ku, whose unique charm shines in every work, they have gathered with a special appearance. Also, director Kang Yi-kwan, who has received praise at numerous film festivals and from critics through 'Apple' and 'Criminal Youth', is holding the megaphone.

Director Kang Yi-kwan commented, "Although the Toxo virus is an imagined virus, I wanted it to have a grounding in reality, so I did a lot of research. I initially imagined it as a parasite that affects the brain."

Regarding the characters' names, he stated, "Taek-seon is portrayed as passive and timid, showing a change in her character due to her own choices, while Yeon-woo is set up as someone who accidentally gets involved when Taek-seon makes a decision. Su-pil is essential; he is the first infected person and serves as the starting point for all incidents, making him a necessary character."

Bae Doona revealed, "Taek-seon's nature is quite negative. She graduated from the Korean literature department and wanted to write her own novel, but she couldn't do that and instead lives by translating others' writings. That's why she's depressed. In the early part of the movie, Taek-seon is depicted as a very negative and gloomy woman," and added, "There are similarities even when I compare with my real personality. I resemble Taek-seon before her infection, and somewhat after her infection too. When I fall in love, I change positively like Taek-seon and feel better."

Jang Ki-ha described his character, saying, "I play Taek-seon's elementary school classmate and a car dealer who lives diligently as an office worker. It's routine for me to send sales texts to a classmate. Suddenly, Taek-seon appears at my sales place, and that's how we get entangled. In a way, my character is the most ordinary, but it seems amusing how he finds himself in a special situation."

When asked if Jang Ki-ha resembles Yeon-woo, he confessed, "Since I don't have much acting experience, I couldn't portray a character that felt distant from me. I think it was because there are commonalities between us, and actually, there are many similarities," adding, "If I lived a peaceful life and got caught up in something absurd, I would feel very unjustified."

Kim Yoon-seok explained, "The character I played, Dr. Lee Kyun, has a sad story related to family affairs and is someone who dedicates his life to developing a depression treatment drug. The person who continues my research for seven years is Dr. Nam Su-pil. Su-pil and Lee Kyun are inseparable. Lee Kyun leaves for America after passing the research to Su-pil, but later returns to Korea due to personal issues and gets involved in Taek-seon's incident," also adding humorously, "You might think of this as a disaster movie, but it’s not a disaster movie."

Director Kang Yi-kwan explained the behind-the-scenes of casting Jang Ki-ha, stating, "Yeon-woo is a comedic character. If an existing actor played the role, it might feel too familiar. The film's subject is fresh, so I thought it would be good to have a new person bringing fresh acting. I proposed multiple times, thinking, 'It would be great if Jang Ki-ha could take the role,' but he declined several times before finally agreeing to appear."

Especially, Jang Ki-ha is expected to showcase significant performance as a formal actor rather than a singer. He formed the band 'Jang Ki-ha and Faces' in 2008, starting with the hit debut song 'Cheap Coffee,' which sparked a syndrome, followed by hits like 'The Moon is Full, Let’s Go,' 'I Heard it Through the Grapevine,' and 'Not Jealous.' He is currently actively working as a songwriter, radio DJ, and music director for movies like 'Smuggling' and 'Veteran 2.' After a surprise appearance in the sitcom 'Potato Star 2013QR3' in 2013 and last year's film 'Fast Lives,' he will now portray the lead in the new film 'Virus.'

Jang Ki-ha commented, "I received a sudden call with the script, and the amount of dialogue was much larger than I expected. I've done a sitcom before, but I've never acted in a film. I wondered if it was feasible to play such a crucial role. I said, 'Thank you, but I'm fine.' However, then senior Kim Yoon-seok said to me, 'People in the movie industry don't do things carelessly. It's not just about you doing well; we will set the stage, so you can just come and have fun.' After hearing that, I realized I was being arrogant. It’s rare to meet such great individuals in the film industry, so I thought I should try it with a mindset of learning."

Kim Yoon-seok remarked, "Now we can do the chorus for Jang Ki-ha's new album. Bae Doona can do the dance," to which Jang Ki-ha replied with a laugh, "I don't recall having requested that, but I’ll prepare an album to fit." In response, Kim Yoon-seok said, "Jang Ki-ha has become quite close to the film world. He has also worked on music for 'Smuggling' and 'Veteran 2.'"

Kim Yoon-seok praised junior Bae Doona, saying, "She is a world-class actress. I understand why global directors seek Bae Doona. She is a very rare actress in our country," while Jang Ki-ha added, "This is my first time working with Bae Doona, and as a novice in film, I wondered, 'Why is she treating me so equally?' When I perform well, she praises me, and she sent me a text one day, which made me feel much more comfortable. I have many grateful memories, thinking, 'People in the film world treat well.'"

Finally, the director added, "The release was delayed, but since it's about a virus, it seemed too early to release during the pandemic, so we waited. Now that it’s finally being released, I’m happy. I hope the actors' brilliant performances, the hard work of the staff, and the good message resonate with the audience."

Meanwhile, 'Virus' is set to be released on May 7.

[Photo] Reporter Ji Hyung-jun

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