Director Park Chan-wook's 'Can't Help It' opens the Busan International Film Festival.
On the afternoon of the 17th, a press screening and conference for the opening film 'Can't Help It' (directed by Park Chan-wook) of the 30th Busan International Film Festival was held at the Busan Cinema Center in Haeundae, Busan, with director Park Chan-wook and actors Lee Byung-hun, Son Ye-jin, Park Hee-soon, Lee Sung-min, Yeom Hye-ran, and chief programmer Park Ga-eun in attendance.
'Can't Help It' tells the story of 'Mansu' (Lee Byung-hun), an office worker who felt satisfied with life, suddenly getting fired and preparing for his own war towards re-employment to protect his wife and two children, and to keep the house he struggled to acquire.
Chief programmer Park Ga-eun introduced the film, saying, "It is a work completed by the best filmmakers of our time, including director Park Chan-wook, who represents Korean cinema, and the actors on stage. I feel honored to have selected 'Can't Help It', which shows the strength of Korean cinema, as the opening film for the 30th edition."
Director Park Chan-wook said, "You know that this is a work I have been preparing for a long time, and it took a long time. I am overwhelmed to present it for the first time in our country, and it is exciting to be the opening film of the Busan Film Festival, which has been going on for so long. Moreover, since it is the 30th anniversary, it feels even more special. I will attend the opening ceremony with a trembling heart, wondering how the audience will receive it."
'Can't Help It', which director Park Chan-wook has wanted to talk about for a long time, depicts how an ordinary person overcomes the crisis of sudden unemployment through the director's unique perspective. It evokes deep empathy through realistic situations that anyone in modern society could experience.
As 'Mansu' faces increasingly extreme choices in the competition for re-employment, his internal conflicts draw the audience into unpredictable developments. With director Park Chan-wook's ironic humor added, 'Can't Help It' completes its unique charm.
Director Park Chan-wook explained, "When I read the original novel, I immediately thought I wanted to make it into a film. I didn't hesitate. It didn't take a long time. I saw the possibility of adding something to what already existed in the novel and what was not yet there. That was the possibility of comedy and what would happen if the family realized what Mansu was doing. These two things captivated me and made me hold onto this work."
He continued, "The personal story of the original and the social story completely combined, allowing us to create a work that could go outward and inward. It is a huge paradox. I wanted to include the paradox that the pure motivation of wanting to protect one's family and the desire to continue working in a beloved profession leads to moral corruption."
Regarding mise-en-scène and visual elements, he emphasized, "First of all, the house was important. I thought that the house, which was so desired, should be an important character. I spent a lot of time searching for that house. After finding it, the art team renovated it completely. The concrete that clings to the house like waves, the garden, and the greenhouse were newly decorated. I can say that this aspect is important visually."
With dramatic developments oscillating between tension and relaxation, sensory mise-en-scène, and solid direction, 'Can't Help It' features actors Lee Byung-hun, Son Ye-jin, Park Hee-soon, Lee Sung-min, Yeom Hye-ran, and Cha Seung-won, who together completed the work.
Lee Byung-hun said, "When we started this film, my mindset was that it was exciting and thrilling to work with director Park Chan-wook after a long time. I wondered if we would have fun working together, and I approached it with anticipation as I always do. The character I played is not a very strong personality but an ordinary person who faces a big situation and makes extreme decisions to overcome it. I focused on how to accept these extreme situations and what emotional state he would be in, which was a big challenge throughout the filming."
Son Ye-jin shared, "I thought that the character Mirae is perhaps the most realistic character in the film. I wanted her to appear naturally, not exaggeratedly, as a mother and wife in everyday life. Given the many tragic situations in the story, I thought about how Mirae would perceive this process. I focused on portraying her as a wise and realistic character, perhaps due to her surprisingly optimistic nature."
'Can't Help It', completed through director Park Chan-wook's perspective, is based on the novel 'The Ax' by American novelist Donald Westlake. Notably, this work is something Park has dreamed of adapting into a film for nearly 20 years.
Director Park Chan-wook stated, "When I want to create something, there are materials that need to be made at that time, but I believe this material is a novel that people can accept as their own story or their neighbor's story even as time passes. However, the advancement of AI technology is heralding fundamental changes. Although we are not yet at a stage where it fundamentally changes our industry and daily lives, the pace of development is hard to gauge, and we are in a state where we don't know what will happen soon. I tried to incorporate this idea into the drama, even in a state of chaos where we know nothing. That point is captured in the last scene, showing how it looks in the factory where they are employed."
Additionally, 'Can't Help It' has been selected as the opening film for the 30th Busan International Film Festival. Director Park Chan-wook expressed his hope that his work could contribute even a little to the struggling film industry.
He said, "Will you think of the lives of filmmakers while watching this movie? I think each person's life and profession will come to mind. However, when I read the original novel, I easily empathized with it because making paper is not considered an incredibly important or great job, yet the protagonists say it is their entire life. For me, making films is not necessarily a significant help in life or a realistic aid; it can be seen as a two-hour entertainment. Yet, I pour everything I have into it and stake my life on it. That's why I think I could easily relate to this character. I feel like I understand this character. It is true that the film industry is struggling right now, and especially in our country, it seems to be in a slower state due to the pandemic. However, I believe we will not remain in this state forever. I just hope our film can play a role in helping us get out of this predicament."
As for the audience he will soon meet at the opening ceremony, Director Park said, "Although this film is based on an American novel, I tried to express the limitations and foolishness of Mansu, a character shaped by the obsession with home and patriarchal systems and social customs, more distinctly by relocating it to Korea. I believe that the audience here will understand and empathize with it better than any other audience, perhaps shaking their heads in agreement."
Lee Byung-hun also emphasized, "As an actor who has worked together for a long time, I thought I knew the film well, but watching it a second time was different. I realized why certain directions were given, and I think we need to pay attention to those details. There is a clear reason to watch it in theaters. I strongly recommend watching it in theaters rather than on TV during the holidays next year or the year after."
[Udong (Busan) = Son Jin-a, MK Sports Reporter]
