Film 'Alien+In' Production Report
'The Thieves'·'Assassination' Director Choi Dong-hoon’s First New Work in 7 Years
Ryu Jun-yeol·Kim Woo-bin·Kim Tae-ri·So Ji-sub and Others
387 Days of Filming, Part 1 & 2 Series
"Korean Technology is the Best in the World... Domestic Production"
"Dedicated to the Last Film of Youth"
[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Isul] "I want to offer the public a fun experience as beautiful as the stars. No one can predict a hit. I will leave it like a sailboat drifting on the river. The title of 'double ten-million director' is a burden, but new things are always scary. I will entrust it to the fate of the film."
Director Choi Dong-hoon, who directed 'The Big Swindle' (2004), 'Tazza: The High Rollers' (2006), 'Jeon Woo-chi' (2009), and the ten-million viewers films 'The Thieves' (2012) and 'Assassination' (2015), is returning this summer with an SF fantasy. On the morning of the 23rd, at the production presentation of the film 'Alien+Human' held at the Grand Ballroom of Conrad Hotel in Yeouido, Seoul, Director Choi shared his thoughts on presenting a new work after seven years.
He said, "When I was a child, thinking about aliens was an exciting, scary, and fun imaginary figure," adding, "I made this with the hope that imagination would become reality." He also expressed confidence, saying, "It is a hard-fought adventure story depicting the fateful relationships of the characters. Wouldn't it be a fun movie if it unfolds in a Korean magical world?"
'Alien+Human' Part 1, opening on July 20, is a film depicting the story that unfolds when the gate of time opens between Taoists trying to obtain a legendary divine sword rumored in the late Goryeo period and those chasing an alien prisoner imprisoned in a human body in 2022. Actors Ryu Jun-yeol, Kim Woo-bin, Kim Tae-ri, So Ji-sub, Yum Jung-ah, Jo Woo-jin, Kim Eui-sung, and Shin Jung-geun star in the film. Part 2 will be released later.
Why is the title 'Alien+Human'? Director Choi said, "The film starts with questions like how people in the past accepted aliens and why yokai entered human bodies. It is a story about the conflict between aliens and humans," adding, "I wanted to make a film where two things collide: 'Such things will really happen' and 'They won't actually happen'." He explained, "In the end, it will be called 'Alien,' but the title contains the basic meaning of the film."
Having completed a series organically connecting Part 1 and Part 2, Director Choi recalled, "It was hard to write the screenplay, so I tried this and that, but the volume was large. I had experience reducing a 4-hour length to 2 hours and 20 minutes, so I had one film in mind." He continued, "Afterwards, it was a difficult process, but I decided to go with the concept of a two-part series and worked hard."
"I worried whether Part 1 alone would have cinematic completeness. Deciding at which point to end and start was the most difficult. Both are adventure stories but have emotional differences. The biggest reason for shooting simultaneously was not to reduce production costs. As a director, it was important to allow actors to fully express their characters. The 13-month shoot was long, but it was enjoyable to see the actors maintain consistency."(Director Choi Dong-hoon)
Why did he set the past background in the late Goryeo period? Director Choi said, "I thought about the era when Taoists lived. The Joseon Dynasty is familiar, but I thought people might not know much about the Goryeo period. Perhaps the last era when Taoists lived was Goryeo. I wanted to express the stylish space of Goryeo, even if it was lacking."
Ryu Jun-yeol plays the fake Taoist Muruk trying to get the divine sword, and Kim Tae-ri plays Ian, who shoots thunder, forming a good chemistry. Kim Woo-bin plays a guard managing the escort of the alien prisoner, So Ji-sub plays detective Moon Do-seok, who is chased by the alien, and Yum Jung-ah and Jo Woo-jin portray the two immortals Heukseol and Cheongun of Samgaksan.
The actors unanimously said they were surprised when they received the screenplay. Ryu Jun-yeol said, "When I first read it, I thought, 'What is this?'" Kim Woo-bin nodded, saying, "'Huh?' I kept asking questions like, 'Is this really happening here?'" So Ji-sub said, "I wondered if it was possible. I couldn't picture it in my head."
Kim Eui-sung recalled, "I usually read scripts quickly. I tend to write reviews within 30 minutes, but 'Alien+Human' took a long time to read. It was hard to read because it was a story I had never seen before."
'Alien+Human' had a pre-production period of one year and completed 387 days of shooting. Director Choi Dong-hoon said, "At first, I was worried if the film would be made, and some staff suggested borrowing technology from abroad," adding, "The technology for making films in Korea has reached almost the highest level. We made the film using only domestic technology."
He also expressed the fatigue from the grueling shoot. "Many things happened during the 13-month shoot. I wondered if the film would really end, and it was hard to maintain concentration to the point of experiencing tinnitus, but the set was enjoyable. Thanks to the energy the actors showed on set, I was able to endure." He added, "Currently, we are in the final stages of post-production, and thinking about showing the film makes me excited and feel a pleasant fear."
Kim Woo-bin returns to film after six years following his recovery from nasopharyngeal cancer. At that time, Director Choi was preparing 'Wiretap' but did not crank up and postponed production. Later, while writing 'Alien+Human,' he cast Kim Woo-bin. Director Choi said, "Woo-bin was recovering while I was writing the screenplay. He wanted to act even in a small role, so at first, I wrote the guard as a minor role. As I wrote the screenplay, the guard became important. I worried if Woo-bin could do it, but since there was no action, he agreed. When filming started, the action intensity, including wire work, gradually increased. We had fun shooting."
Finally, Director Choi shared his special feelings about presenting the film. "I feel like I devoted the last of my youth to this film. It was tiring to maintain focus for five years, but looking back now, it was enjoyable. Meanwhile, some people have had children. I feel that life is contained within making a film."
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