Lee Soo-hyuk and Ha Yoon-kyung are set to hit the screen with the unexpected journey depicted in 'Blue'.
On the afternoon of the 28th, a press screening and meeting for the film 'Blue' was held at CGV Yongsan I-Park Mall in Seoul, attended by director Kang Dong-in and actors Lee Soo-hyuk and Ha Yoon-kyung.
'Blue' is an emotional mystery that portrays the unexpected journey of two people who, due to their families' sins, could not die and genuinely want to live: the son of the perpetrator and the daughter of the victim. Director Kang Dong-in, who won the Jury's Special Award at the 21st Beijing Film Academy Film Festival and the Gold Award for Group at the 20th Korea Youth Film Festival with his short film 'Good Time', wrote and directed the film.
Director Kang Dong-in stated, "I started with a short idea. I thought about whether I could bear the guilt if I received an organ transplant from a criminal, and I expanded the idea from there. Can one human trust another? I began to question how the system of trust operates. I created the story by expanding my own questions."
He continued regarding the casting, "I had a desire to try something with Lee Soo-hyuk. I wanted to approach the character from a different angle. I was curious about the face of an actor grounded in reality. I thought the unique points that are unrealistic or somewhat detached from reality would be well handled by him. Ha Yoon-kyung has always seamlessly embodied any role she has taken on. She had to portray a character who just turned 19, and because I trusted her acting, I proposed without hesitation, and she gladly accepted, allowing us to shoot the film."
In the film, Lee Soo-hyuk plays Tae-hwa, a clay shooting athlete who receives the lungs of his criminal father, while Ha Yoon-kyung portrays Mi-ji, a victim who wanders and hides her wounds while engaging in criminal activities.
Lee Soo-hyuk shared, "When I first received the proposal and read the script, it was a story about overcoming difficulties, even though each character's situation is different. While filming, I also worked on other large-scale projects, but regardless of the scale, I was happy to work with people who are sincere about the film." He added, "I usually learn a lot from my seniors and the director while researching what I want. During 'Blue', I wanted to work with this director because we have similar tastes in films and I wanted to build a good relationship with him."
He also mentioned his return to the screen after four years, saying, "It's been four years, so I will work hard," and added, "I was thinking about how to show my sincerity in acting and projects more than before when a good opportunity came. The director seemed like he would work with me a lot in the future, so I worked hard."
Ha Yoon-kyung expressed, "I found the story of Tae-hwa, who becomes the son of a murderer, intriguing. Initially, the character of Tae-hwa appealed to me more than Mi-ji," and continued, "Mi-ji also has a complex side. Internally, she has a delicate side and a pure aspect. There are commonalities between Tae-hwa and Mi-ji. The way they are fated to intertwine was interesting, and I thought it would be fun to work on this project."
She added, "While portraying Mi-ji, who is exposed to domestic violence and has no protective boundaries, I thought about how a friend who has just turned twenty would cope with this. Like Tae-hwa, Mi-ji would feel guilt and confess, regretting her mistakes. Living life, we experience various degrees of guilt, and I reflected a lot on how to navigate through that."
When asked if he felt the popularity from the MBC variety show 'Good Day', Lee Soo-hyuk replied, "Nothing has changed. I stay at home, and fans see the good in me, so I just work hard. Thankfully, I think I will be able to show various sides of myself this year, so I am in a good mindset," hinting at his busy schedule.
'Blue' is set to be released on April 9.
