South Korean actress Son Ye-jin smiles during a news conference to promote her new film “Bad Guys Always Die” in Busan on Oct. 2, 2015. (Image : Yonhap)
BUSAN, Oct. 2 (Korea Bizwire) – Korean actress Son Ye-jin returned to the silver screen after one year with a Korean-Chinese co-produced action comedy.
“Bad Guys Always Die” also marks her debut film in the growing Chinese market.
“I came to debut in a Chinese film,” Son said during a news conference in this port city of Busan to promote the film on Friday. The event was held on the sidelines of the 20th edition of the Busan International Film Festival that kicked off on Thursday for 10-day run.’
Son last appeared in “The Pirates,” a Korean action comedy that hit the local box office last year.
Directed by Chinese rookie filmmaker Sun Hao, the flick depicts things that happen to four Chinese men after they encountered a mysterious woman during their trip to South Korea’s southern resort island of Jeju.
South Korean actress Son Ye-jin smiles during a news conference to promote her new film “Bad Guys Always Die” in Busan on Oct. 2, 2015. (Image : Yonhap)
Son plays the Korean woman named Ji-yeon who is found unconscious by the Chinese men after a car accident. She then wakes up and takes them hostage.
Asked why she chose the film, the 33-year-old actress said she has long hungered for a road movie and the beautiful scenery of Jeju Island also enticed her.
“I always wanted to do a road movie, and this film is kind of it,” she said. “I felt the script was attractive because although it is a Chinese film, it would be filmed in all over South Korea, including the beautiful Jeju Island.”
Taiwanese actor Chen Bolin speaks during a news conference to promote his new film “Bad Guys Always Die” in Busan on Oct. 2, 2015. (Image : Yonhap)
Taiwanese heartthrob Chen Bolin starred alongside Son in the film co-produced by Korean filmmaker Kang Je-gyu, best known for “Taegukgi,” and Feng Xiaogang from China.
“It was my honor to work with her,” Chen said. The film, however, was a challenge to the 32-year-old actor because of the language barriers.
“Since I began writing the film’s script, I have considered Chen as the only fit for the male lead,” director Sun said. “Chen actually had language problems because he is not a Beijing native but he overcame them very well.”
For Kang, finding a common point that both Korean and Chinese audiences will empathize with was the most challenging part in doing the film.
“I think I’ll have to complete this homework in the future,” he said.
The film will be screened in the “A Window on Asian Cinema” section of the film festival. It is set to open in China on Nov. 27 and in South Korea in early December.
(Yonhap)
