Song Joong-ki portrays the distant land of ‘Bogotá’ over a span of 12 years. He has transformed into a young Korean immigrant who grew up too quickly.
On the afternoon of the 19th, a press screening and meeting for the film ‘Bogotá: The Last Land of Opportunity’ (hereafter Bogotá) was held at Megabox COEX in Seoul. Director Kim Sung-jae and actors Song Joong-ki, Lee Hee-joon, Kwon Hae-hyo, Park Ji-hwan, and Kim Jong-soo attended.
‘Bogotá’ tells the story of Guk-hee (Song Joong-ki), who heads to Bogotá, Colombia, on the other side of the world with new hopes right after the IMF crisis, and becomes entangled with the influential figures in the Korean community in Bogotá, Su-young (Lee Hee-joon) and Sergeant Park (Kwon Hae-hyo). Director Kim Sung-jae, known for ‘Minority Opinion,’ took the helm.
Director Kim Sung-jae stated, “I set it up as a crime genre. Just as Seoul is not a crime city, neither is Bogotá. It’s a story about people who have left for distant places. They tried to go out into the wide world but ended up trapped in a small community, so it’s taken to the extreme,” adding, “I chose this genre to express the feelings of a young person who has grown up too quickly.”
He continued, “While ‘Minority Opinion’ focused on contemporaneity, I wanted to focus on universality in ‘Bogotá.’ It’s not a story about here and now, but about people who have gone far away, which made it appealing. People go with dreams when they emigrate, but when they actually arrive, desires and emotions can appear vividly and densely within a small community, so I chose this. I conducted a lot of research and interviews, including about the padding business,” and added, “Although it’s a 12-year chronicle, I wanted to create a story that the audience could watch without getting tired and find interesting.”
Song Joong-ki plays Guk-hee, a young man dreaming of the highest place from the lowest, while Lee Hee-joon plays Su-young, the second-in-command of the smuggling market in the Korean community in Bogotá. Kwon Hae-hyo portrays Sergeant Park, the highest authority in the Korean community in Bogotá and a major player in the smuggling market, while Park Ji-hwan plays the role of Little Park, Sergeant Park’s nephew, who is influential in the Korean community. Jo Hyun-cheol plays Jae-woong, a junior who looks up to Su-young, and Kim Jong-soo plays Guk-hee’s father, Geun-tae, creating a synergy together.
Song Joong-ki said, “It was a shoot for each episode,” adding, “Since it was overseas filming, there were many unexpected variables, so it wasn’t easy. Rather than focusing on the unfamiliar environment, I concentrated on the narrative of dealing with the conflicts of Koreans within it,” and shared, “I had many conversations with my seniors and the director, and many unexpected ideas came out of that.”
Having portrayed 12 years in the film, he explained, “I divided Guk-hee’s narrative into three stages: when he arrived in Colombia, when he was living after adapting, and when he became the president of the Korean merchants' association in the latter part. I had a desire to express that change. However, that’s not the first reason I chose this film,” adding, “I like to try things I haven’t done before. I have a great curiosity about collaborating in a new environment.”
He further added, “If we talk about the character’s narrative change, a pure and innocent little boy comes to have the determination to survive because of his father. I had a strong desire to portray that change well.”
Song Joong-ki confessed, “Just as I had Italian lines in ‘Vincenzo,’ I wanted to feel what it would be like to have Spanish lines this time,” stating, “That curiosity was a big reason for my choice.”
He mentioned, “I focused on Spanish. I thought that showing Guk-hee’s proper settlement in Colombia would help illustrate his transformation, so I had a strong desire to speak Spanish well. I wanted to do more than just memorize lines; I aimed to deliver a natural performance with appropriate ad-libs.”
Meanwhile, Director Kim addressed the portrayal of Bogotá as a crime-ridden place in the film, saying, “The time I set in the movie was actually when Bogotá was one of the most dangerous places in the world. Even at the time we were filming, there were still aftershocks. I didn’t intend to create genre fiction, but rather to deal with narratives and conflicts using realistic materials without intending to tarnish the country’s image. We talked a lot with the local production, and American filmmakers come to make much harsher works, so our film seemed to be received without much concern.”
In response, Song Joong-ki said, “My mother-in-law is Colombian, and many of my family live there. We have interactions. As far as I know, in the past, they tried to erase or be ashamed of such images. The Colombia I experienced is vibrant, full of warmth, and the food is delicious. The people are also warm, and I’ve seen efforts from those trying to break away from the old image. I have many pleasant memories there, and it felt like a familiar place because of my family.”
He added, “When we were filming, there wasn’t much information about Colombia, but now there are many travel YouTubers, and it’s easy to get information,” suggesting, “I think those images have been erased. I don’t think our film will be viewed negatively because of that.”
Song Joong-ki married British actress Katie Louise Saunders in 2023 and announced the birth of their first child in June and their second child in November of the same year.
The cast of ‘Bogotá’ expressed satisfaction with the overseas filming. Kim Jong-soo said, “It was nice because it was an unfamiliar environment. It helped create a sense of presence. The staff prepared well, allowing us to focus solely on filming,” while Park Ji-hwan shared, “Since we spent time together every day, we had plenty of time to discuss the project and share a lot.”
Kwon Hae-hyo explained, “Rather than staying in the accommodation, I went to outdoor cafes to feel the atmosphere. I tried to feel like I was living there by tanning on the hotel rooftop.”
Lee Hee-joon shared, “To feel the local rhythm, I attended salsa classes. On our days off, I went to dance classes. We filmed in a safe area with limited space, so we only talked about Bogotá. We discussed every day how to deliver good performances.”
Kwon Hae-hyo remarked, “It’s a film about change. We are standing in front of many changes, and I’m curious about how the audience will receive it,” adding, “I think it’s still a relevant story. I hope you will spend the last day of this year and the first day of the new year with our film.”
‘Bogotá’ will be released on the 31st.
