[Seulssine] 'The Mathematician in the Strange Land' Welcome Back, Choi Min-sik's Kind Movie

Movie 'Isanghan Nara-ui Suhakja' Press Screening
Starring Choi Min-sik and Kim Dong-hwi

Photo by Showbox

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Isul] It is refreshing to see a wholesome film born amid a flood of provocative content. Will 'The Mathematician in the Strange Land,' filled with positive energy, warmly color the frozen theaters?

On the 22nd, the film 'The Mathematician in the Strange Land' was unveiled at a press screening held at Lotte Cinema Konkuk University Entrance in Jayang-dong, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul.

The film, opening on the 9th of next month, depicts the story of a genius mathematician who defected from North Korea and works as a high school security guard while hiding his identity. He meets a student and teaches a new perspective on mathematics.

Director Park Dong-hoon said, "I wanted to tell not only high school students tired of studying but also those pushed into competition after graduation that if they don't give up and look around, they can find positive possibilities."

From a former economic reporter to experts such as physics professors, various professionals participated in the scenario of 'The Mathematician in the Strange Land.' Screenwriter Lee Yong-jae, a former economic reporter who graduated from the Department of Economics and a former fund manager at a securities firm, completed a professional scenario based on his experience, including hypotheses and the Pythagorean theorem.

The highlight of the film is the 'Pi Song.' This is a piece created by attaching notes to the number pi (π), the mathematical constant, and it is a scene where Hak-seong proves the beauty of mathematics to Ji-woo, who finds math difficult.

Director Park Dong-hoon explained, "I wanted to intuitively show that mathematics exists everywhere around us. I wanted to convey that music and mathematics are closely related and that mathematics plays its role around us." He added, "I also aimed to present the formula scenes beautifully and stylishly."

In the film, the genius mathematician Lee Hak-seong, who defected from North Korea yearning for freedom, lives as a security guard at a private high school where the top 1% of gifted students gather, hiding his identity and story.

Han Ji-woo, who entered the private high school through a socially considerate admission process, struggles with math compared to classmates who attend expensive private tutoring. By chance, she meets the security guard student and begs him to teach her math.

Photo by Showbox

The genius mathematician Lee Hak-seong, who lives isolated from the world, is portrayed by Choi Min-sik, and the newcomer Kim Dong-hwi, selected through a competition ratio of 250 to 1, plays Han Ji-woo, the student who comes to Hak-seong.

Choi Min-sik said, "The words genius and defector come to mind, but I tried to exclude presence and symbolism rather." He added, "Although he speaks in a North Korean dialect, the scholar, who is heartbroken because he cannot pursue the beloved academic field, meets a student who lives with even greater heartbreak, and they share a human connection. I focused on those detailed emotions."

Kim Dong-hwi said, "When I first heard the news of my acceptance, I doubted, 'Why me?' 'Am I really doing this?' I acted my best in the given role. This film is very special to me."

Recently, amid the overflow of content with provocative themes, 'The Mathematician in the Strange Land,' which embraces warm charm, stands out. Characters who resolve conflicts in a kind way fill the runtime with positive energy.

Choi Min-sik emphasized, "On the surface, it looks like an academy drama or a drama that teaches life lessons to unfinished youth through mathematics, but I thought it might actually be a film for adults."

He continued, "As adults, we can reflect deeply and ask ourselves what values and standards we live by. Our lives have many paths. There is no correct answer. There are only our own value standards. It might be an opportunity to look back and reflect on ourselves."