[Interview①] "Cold and Sharp" Director Woo Min-ho Reveals 'The Man Standing Next'

[Lee Isul, Entertainment Reporter]

Director Woo Min-ho shared the efforts he put into 'The Man Standing Next.'

On the afternoon of the 21st, Director Woo Min-ho held an interview at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, ahead of the release of the film 'The Man Standing Next,' where he talked about various aspects of the work.

On this day, Director Woo said, "Post-production alone took eight months after filming was completed," adding, "Some viewers might have political prejudices before watching the film, but I tried to make it neutrally, excluding political views."

Director Woo stated, "'Inside Men' and 'The Drug King' are films that boil over uncontrollably with heat, but 'The Man Standing Next' was made coldly with restraint from a neutral stance."

He continued, "I first encountered Professor Kim Choong-sik's (then a reporter) original novel after my military discharge. The cold, calm, and sharp perspective and attitude in the original work were intriguing. So, I adopted this directly in the film."

Also, Director Woo, who put great effort into recreating locations such as the United States, France, and the An-ga (safe house) in Gungjeong-dong, said, "The incident actually takes place in Paris, France. I wanted to capture the feeling of that era through the location. Since the An-ga in Gungjeong-dong is no longer preserved, we had no choice but to build a set. We tried to meticulously recreate the space that was the core of power."

Meanwhile, Director Woo credited the actors. He said, "The actors' strength was great. No, it was entirely the actors' responsibility. Of course, I talked with them alongside, but ultimately, expressing it was up to the actors."

He added, "From the actors' perspective, close-up shots must have been burdensome. It could easily reveal everything. But actors including Lee Byung-hun performed brilliantly. There is also the pleasure of seeing the actors' new faces and excellent acting."

'The Man Standing Next' is a film depicting the 40 days before Kim Gyu-pyeong (played by Lee Byung-hun), the director of the Korean Central Intelligence Agency, known as the second most powerful figure, carried out the assassination of the President of the Republic of Korea in 1979. It is the new work of Director Woo Min-ho, who created a blue-rated box office hit with 9.15 million viewers with 'Inside Men' (2015).

At 7:40 p.m. on October 26, 1979, the director of the Korean Central Intelligence Agency assassinated the president at the An-ga of the KCIA in Gungjeong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul. This event marked the end of an 18-year dictatorship and is recorded as a major event in modern history. The original work is a nonfiction bestseller based on a serialized investigative report written by author Kim Choong-sik during his two months as a reporter. Director Woo Min-ho focused on the October 26 incident from the vast original work and adapted it into a film. It will be released on January 22.

Reporter Lee Isul

Photo=Showbox