(Following Interview 3) Kim Hee-won of ‘Hi-Five’ expressed strong confidence in the Korean-style hero comedy compared to ‘Moving.’

Kim Hee-won conducted an interview on the afternoon of the 28th in Samcheong-dong, Jongno, Seoul. He discussed the upcoming release of the movie ‘Hi-Five’ (directed by Kang Hyung-cheol, provided/distributed by NEW, produced by Annapurna Films) with domestic reporters.

‘Hi-Five’ is a comic action film portraying the story of five individuals who accidentally gain various superpowers through organ transplants, encountering those who seek their abilities. Kim Hee-won plays the role of ‘Yaksun,’ who, after receiving a liver transplant, can absorb others' pain with a touch and heal them.

Last year, Kim Hee-won ventured into directing with ‘Light Shop.’ After his directing challenge, he noted about director Kang Hyung-cheol, “He is very reasonable. Also talented. He drew the yogurt cart chase scene entirely on his own, making it look like flipping through a comic book. He prepares everything in detail. He makes you think, ‘Just shoot it like that, it’s fun.’ He comes with an immense amount of preparation for every scene, so he is an excellent director who prepares a lot and judges calmly when trying to do something during filming. In comedy films, actors tend to overdo it to be funnier, but what impressed me was when he said, ‘Hyung, I also like that kind of thing, but please don’t.’” He said this with a smile, offering high praise.

He noted, “What I felt while directing is that it’s natural to adapt to the actors' personalities. In the case of Lee Jae-in, if I were directing, I think I would have encouraged him a lot. He ran around every day and seemed like he might collapse from exhaustion. It was so hot during the summer. Even now, it’s tough to run outside, but the kids don’t want to say ‘I can’t do it.’ They always shout, ‘I can do it!’ but it looks really hard for them. If I calmly said to such a kid, ‘Let’s not do it,’ wouldn’t that raise some character issues? Unless, like me, you’re just resting your palm on it casually.” He added laughter to the conversation.

Kim Hee-won, who is appearing in both representative works of Korean hero films, ‘Moving’ and ‘Hi-Five,’ shared, “I think there should be more of these types of movies. Personally, I find them exciting. It seems like these days, I miss fantasy. I always think before sleeping, how would it be if I had a power from ‘X-Men’? Now, I wonder what powers I would have if I had something from ‘Hi-Five’ or ‘Moving.’ I was really envious of Mystique from ‘X-Men.’ If only I didn’t have to wear makeup, I’d also be acting with my voice. I truly think there should be more. I believe the current theme is really good. Plus, since Korea is a medical powerhouse, organ donation is a realistic aspect,” he emphasized.

With plans for ‘Moving 2’ announced, what if ‘Hi-Five,’ which may seem different yet similar, is turned into a series? Kim Hee-won expressed confidence, saying, “I have no worries at all. The genres are different. It’s the same type of superpower story, but ‘Hi-Five’ is a comedy. ‘Moving’ has emotional elements. ‘Hi-Five’ has a humorous tone.” He continued, “I felt reassured when I heard the casting. Every time I see Mirae, Jae-hong, or Jeong-se, I find them funny. They are funny even in everyday life, and their acting is all stable. You know it without me saying, but Jeong-se is also a great actor. Mirae, Jae-hong, they are truly excellent actors,” he reinforced.

Recalling Lee Jae-in’s tears during the stage greeting, he laughed, saying, “On the last day of filming ‘Light Shop,’ when everyone said, ‘Thank you for your hard work,’ I held back my emotions tightly.” Kim Hee-won added, “I will begin filming a new project in June. I will work hard on my next directing project later. There isn’t one yet. Even after directing, watching a piece remains the same. I think about how great it would be if I got this script, if ‘Hi-Five’ came to me like this,” showing strong confidence.

‘Hi-Five’ will be released in theaters nationwide on the 30th.

(Continued in Interview 5.)

[Photo] Provided by NEW, Annapurna Films.

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