Director Kang Hyung-chul of ‘Hi-Five’ revealed an anecdote with actor Yoo Ah-in.

Director Kang Hyung-chul conducted an interview on the morning of the 29th at a café in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul. He discussed the upcoming film ‘Hi-Five’ (directed by Kang Hyung-chul, provided/distributed by NEW, produced by Annapurna Films) with domestic reporters.

‘Hi-Five’ is a comic action film that tells the story of five individuals who accidentally gain different superpowers through organ transplantation and encounter those who seek their abilities. This is particularly notable as it is Kang Hyung-chul’s new work after 7 years since the film ‘Swing Kids’ released in 2018.

In fact, filming for ‘Hi-Five’ was completed in the second half of 2021. The delay in releasing the project after 4 years is attributed to the downturn in theaters caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the need for meticulous and sophisticated post-production work because the film features superpowered individuals. Additionally, there was controversy surrounding the film’s lead actor, Yoo Ah-in, who faced public criticism due to drug allegations.

How did Director Kang Hyung-chul endure the waiting time caused by the film’s release delay? He noted, “Through the strength of faith,” jokingly adding, “Because I have colleagues I’ve worked with, we supported each other and comforted one another while doing well together.”

However, he mentioned that he recently lost some weight, and actors such as Ra Mi-ran and Kim Hee-won expressed concern about the director’s stress. He joked, “That’s a misunderstanding. I just got healthier; I wonder if they are trying to hitch a ride on my diet.” He calmly explained, “I enjoy walking, and I lost weight because I walked a bit.”

Yoo Ah-in’s character serves as a turning point in ‘Hi-Five’ and plays an active role. Due to the character’s nature, it was impossible to edit out scenes. Regarding this concern, Director Kang Hyung-chul emphasized, “It is not a matter of whether to cut or not, as the film is not just one person’s film. Moreover, ‘Hi-Five’ is an ensemble film.”

He elaborated, “If we make undue cuts for reasons outside the film, it would harm the character of Lee Jae-in, whom we filmed together, and the extraordinary and delightful performance of Ahn Jae-hong would get damaged. Ra Mi-ran would be harmed, and Kim Hee-won would be harmed, ruining the work. Thankfully, the joy of many people watching would have disappeared. That would not have been acceptable. As a director and as a filmmaker, I thought it was something we couldn’t do.” He stated, “We edited very carefully to address any discomfort that the audience might feel, even if it was very minor.”

Furthermore, Director Kang Hyung-chul mentioned that the casting criteria was simply ‘suitable role.’ Regarding Yoo Ah-in’s casting, he said, “Even though the role is small, at that time Yoo Ah-in chose to participate in ‘Hi-Five’ because he found it interesting. He wanted to do an ensemble film with many actors, which he liked.”

Additionally, he revealed that he had received contact from Yoo Ah-in before the release, stating, “I have seen him separately,” and added, “He apologized. It’s hard to reveal the exact wording, but he conveyed his regrets.”

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

(Continued in Interview②.)

[Photo] Provided by NEW, Annapurna Films.

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