[Limelight] Life-Threatening Escape Stimulating Nerve Cells

Director Pil Gamseong of the film 'Injil' pursues raw, rugged action
Carefully expresses expanded pupils and forehead sweat drops
Detailed psychological portrayal and life-or-death struggle, a thrilling and humorous tightrope walk

After finishing the film production briefing, actor Hwang Jung-min heads home alone. A few men sit on his car and start provoking him. "Wow, it's really you. You're Hwang Jung-min, right? 'Ode to My Father,' 'Veteran.' No swagger, no money?" "Sir, how can you just get on someone else's car like that?" "This is my car." Hwang Jung-min suppresses his rising anger and heads home again. Suddenly, a truck blocks the road. The men he met earlier reappear, cover his mouth, and assault him. Hwang Jung-min loses consciousness from a stun gun. When he wakes up, his whole body is tied up, and a sock is stuffed in his mouth. Another man and a woman look at him with curiosity. "Wow, it's Hwang Jung-min."

The film 'Hostage' is an action thriller about Hwang Jung-min, who is kidnapped without evidence or witnesses, risking his life to escape. Hwang Jung-min plays a role bearing his own name. This is a strategy to enhance both the realism and pace of the story. The backstory of the character is simplified, focusing on building tension. The dramatic performances of supporting actors and various visual elements add vitality to what could have been a predictable story. Hwang Jung-min's famous lines like 'Druwa~ Druwa~', 'Hey Brother~', and 'No swagger, no money?' are placed appropriately, evoking laughter and adjusting the rhythm of tension.

Director Pil Gam-seong drew inspiration from the 2004 kidnapping of actor Ou Yaobo (?若甫) in China. The film 'Saving Mr. Wu' (2015), starring Andy Lau (Liu Dehua·劉德華), which was revisited first, mainly depicts the police rescuing the top star Wu, who was taken hostage. It uses a nonlinear plot that shifts between past and present to create unique tension. 'Hostage' focuses on Hwang Jung-min's survival and escape process. It emphasizes detailed psychological portrayal and a life-or-death struggle to deliver a differentiated entertainment experience. Director Pil said, "I tried hard not to lose realism. This is a work where immersion must not drop even for a moment. I tried to maintain rhythm without missing that point."

- It is rare for a film to cast the actual actor as a character. This can sometimes hinder audience immersion due to the gap from reality.

"I wanted to enhance the realism of the story. I aimed to give the feeling of entering a real incident rather than just watching a movie. Since a familiar actor was featured, I thought it could also bring new enjoyment."

- The film doesn't solely focus on Hwang Jung-min, right?

"That's right. Even the camera focusing on Hwang Jung-min mixes his perspective and the perspectives directed at him. I was confident that if the distance was well controlled, complete immersion could be induced. That was the intention?to direct the early to mid parts that way and smoothly expand it to the whole story."

- Hwang Jung-min has rarely shown weak acting. What kind of expression did you focus on?

"He is strong and warm even off-camera. I thought it could be a new challenge. I wasn't worried. He meets all three conditions: fame, acting skills, and many catchphrases (laughs)."

- You used many close-up shots, especially focusing on his face after the production briefing and after the kidnapping.

"In the elevator at the event venue, I wanted to express loneliness in the crowd through his reflection in the mirror. I told Hwang Jung-min to express it as he usually does. We even made a separate room to shoot that scene. I thought the multifaceted aspects reflected in the mirror connected with the film's symbolism. The dilated pupils and sweat on his forehead after the kidnapping were entirely calculated and expressed by Hwang Jung-min. We wanted to convey not only the urgent situation but also the character's psychology clearly. However, since it required considerable immersion, we couldn't delay filming. At most, there were three takes."

- The uncalculated movements in the action scenes stand out.

"That was intentional. In 'Veteran,' Hwang Jung-min hits a fire hydrant and shows pain. I wanted that tingling sensation. We focused on creating a rough and crude feel without specific choreography. There was only one accident. It was the scene where Hwang Jung-min falls backward while tied to a chair. He continued acting the pain vividly, and it was captured as is in the film."

- The highlight of 'Hostage' is the scene where Hwang Jung-min wakes up after rolling down a hill. Using a crane for a long take, it captures his various emotions.

"Actually, it was a bust shot confirming a branch stuck in his leg. But Hwang Jung-min expressed pain, sadness, anger, and sorrow all at once. Not wanting to miss a single expression, I didn't call 'cut.' Suddenly, he tore his clothes and wrapped them around the wound like a bandage. Even after that, cinematographer Choi Young-hwan signaled not to stop, capturing his face as he vented his rage. It was a scene only possible because it was Hwang Jung-min."

- The kidnappers in the film remind one of the Jijeonpa, a group responsible for serial murders. It seems you paid a lot of attention to editing to avoid copycat crimes.

"It's true that we referenced the Jijeonpa story. I thought the setting of a top star being kidnapped in Gangnam could come across as absurd. Some degree of realism was necessary for effective immersion. However, after editing as is, I worried that copycat crimes could occur regardless of the rating. The blind screening mainly received responses that it was heavy and cold. We decided to maintain a certain boundary as an entertainment film and deleted many scenes. The process of making weapons was also simplified. Instead, we placed music that felt like it was scratching nerve cells to maintain consistent emotion. We couldn't lose the sensitive and sharp feeling."