[Comprehensive] Actors Turned Directors, Lee Je-hoon, Park Jung-min, Choi Hee-seo, Son Seok-gu Raise Expectations for 'Unframed'

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Iseul] Park Jung-min, Son Seok-gu, Choi Hee-seo, and Lee Je-hoon have swapped microphones for megaphones and transformed into directors. Attention is focused on what stories these actors stepping outside the frame will tell.

Lee Je-hoon said at the online press conference for the Watcha Original short film project 'Unframed' held on the morning of the 6th, "I realized that directing is not something just anyone can do," adding, "I have come to respect directors."

'Unframed' is a short film project where four artists (Park Jung-min, Son Seok-gu, Choi Hee-seo, and Lee Je-hoon) who explore new possibilities beyond the frame write and direct stories they have deeply held in their hearts. The project presents 'Class President Election,' 'Rebroadcast,' 'Bandi,' and 'Blue Happiness.'

Why did the four actors pick up the megaphone? Park Jung-min said, "It started with a phone call from actor Lee Je-hoon, who is one of the producers. I was grateful to receive the call. After directing once when I was 20 years old in school, I never dreamed of doing it again, so I am happy and proud to bring a scenario I had to life on screen."

Son Seok-gu recalled, "I happened to visit the Hardcut production company's office and heard about the project by chance. A few months later, they said the project would proceed, and it really came true." Choi Hee-seo added, "I got to know Lee Je-hoon through 'Anarchist from Colony,' and I heard Park Jung-min was also participating. It was like an 'Avengers'-level team, so I wanted to join," explaining her reason for joining.

Lee Je-hoon, who planned 'Unframed,' said, "Through the co-founded production company Hardcut, I wanted to create works directed by actors. I am honored to work with actors interested in directing, and I am grateful that good results have come out."

Park Jung-min directed 'Class President Election,' an elementary school noir depicting the fierce class president election scene in the fifth grade, class 2, as intense as the adult world. He said, "I gave the characters the names of my actual classmates," and added, "We held auditions to select actors, and I asked rapper MAMISON for the music, who kindly agreed to participate, so I am thankful," sharing the production process.

Son Seok-gu directed 'Rebroadcast,' a road movie portraying a troublesome yet tender day shared by an aunt and her nephew attending a wedding together. He explained the background, "One day, I happened to see guests at a wedding who looked like an aunt and nephew. They were leaning against a wall, and their relationship intrigued me, which gave me the idea."

Regarding the work, he laughed and said, "The relationship between the protagonist and the mother was directly referenced from my own mother and our relationship." He also said, "We put a lot of effort into casting to find actors who could give a natural feeling."

Son Seok-gu, who has been preparing to direct films for 10 years, said, "I wanted to talk about the 'real.' I wanted to select moments where the actors' performances felt genuine, and I found myself watching the monitor with intense focus on set without realizing it."

He also said with a smile, "I now understand the director's position. I will do everything asked of me. I realized how difficult the director's role is on set."

Choi Hee-seo directed 'Bandi,' a story about single mom Soyoung, who decides to reveal a special secret she has never told before, and her nine-year-old daughter Bandi.

Having worked with Park So-yi before in 'Deliver Us from Evil' (2019), Choi Hee-seo said, "'Bandi' was a project I started writing three years ago but left unfinished in a drawer. When the opportunity came, I decided to take on this work," explaining the casting background, "I felt that I had to work with Park So-yi."

She added, "The story of a single mom and her daughter might be a subject difficult to handle in commercial films. I hoped that through a short film, we could look more deeply into people's stories."

Choi Hee-seo, who also acted in the film as well as directed it, said, "I took on two roles because I wanted a close actress to Park So-yi to appear. I did not monitor my own acting. I hoped to spend that time filming more of Park So-yi's performance." She recalled, "I almost gave up on acting while filming. I worried a lot, but when I let go of greed, I found things became clearer."

'Blue Happiness,' directed by Lee Je-hoon, tells the story of Chanyeong, a job seeker who dreams of an ordinary life while facing anxiety and worries about the future, chasing happiness that is hard to grasp no matter how hard he tries.

Choi Hee-seo introduced the film, saying, "It is a shining work representing the faces of youth in their 20s and 30s, starring Jung Hae-in." She added, "I watched it three times, and the deeper the emotion grows each time. The more I watched, the better it got. Jung Hae-in's portrayal of the hardships of a job seeker, along with his bittersweet smile, left a strong impression."

Lee Je-hoon, who took the megaphone, said, "I listed keywords about what youth living in today's era are obsessed with and enthusiastic about, and wrote a story based on these themes. I wanted to depict the story of youth living in reality."

Regarding casting Jung Hae-in, Lee Je-hoon said, "I wondered who could represent the youth living in this era as the protagonist Chanyeong, and no one else came to mind but Jung Hae-in. I wrote the script thinking of him and cautiously showed it to him, and he said he would do it, which made me excited."

He added, "I felt the director's heart. When casting actors, I felt nervous, excited, and fearful all at once. It made me determined to direct well."

Lee Je-hoon recalled that Jung Hae-in sent a long message after reading the script, which left a strong impression: "Jung Hae-in said, 'The story of youth living in reality is both lonely and heartbreaking. I think many people will relate to the story,' which I appreciated." He added, "There is a tone in the works Jung Hae-in has shown before, and I hoped this work would be a collection of that tone or a look into his deep inner world. I wanted him to show a different, new side."

'Unframed' will be released on the online video streaming service (OTT) Watcha on the 8th.

Photo=Watcha