Joo Won Returns as a Human Weapon: "Raw Action, I've Been Waiting for a Fiery Challenge"

Netflix 'Carter' Production Report
Joo Won Performs Intense Action Scenes Himself
Jumping, Twisting, Rolling
"A Sweaty and Fun Movie," Confidence Expressed

Joo Won / Photo by Netflix

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Isul] Actor Joo Won (34, Moon Junwon) returns as a human weapon. To portray a mysterious agent, he underwent intense training for 3 to 4 months, bulking up over 7kg to achieve a strong physique. Having showcased delicate acting in dramas such as 'Bridal Mask,' 'Good Doctor,' 'Yong Pal,' and 'Alice,' he is now taking on the most transformative role of his filmography.

On the morning of the 2nd, at the Netflix film 'Carter' production briefing held at JW Marriott Hotel Dongdaemun in Jongno-gu, Seoul, Joo Won said, "I performed high-intensity action every day. When I arrived on set, I wondered, 'How many people will I fight today?' Everything was new, from memorizing choreography to filming techniques."

'Carter,' which will be released on the online video streaming service (OTT) Netflix on the 5th, tells the story of Carter (played by Joo Won), who is deployed on a secret mission and must regain his memory and complete the mission within a given time. The action unfolds in real-time over more than two hours.

Recalling when he first received the offer, Joo Won said, "I thought it would be an incredible project, so I wanted to take on the challenge." He added, "It’s been a while since I filmed a movie, and this is a project I’ve been waiting for. I attempted a fiery transformation. When I first read the script, I wondered if it was possible, but if it turned out well, it would be an amazing work in my filmography, so I was eager."

Director Jung Byung-gil, who took the helm, cited Joo Won’s eyes as the reason for casting him. The director said, "There is a sadness in Joo Won’s eyes. I thought he could express Carter’s complex emotions well."

Joo Won performed high-level action scenes including skydiving, car chases, helicopters, motorcycles, and trains. Behind the intense action was a strong trust with the action team. He said, "I wondered if I had ever trusted anyone this much. The action team rehearsed more than 10 times before filming to ensure the actors could shoot safely and with absolute confidence. I’m grateful." He added, "I will deliver raw, unfiltered action."

Director Jung said, "We spent more than 10 sessions filming the skydiving scenes. The free-fall time we could film was only 30 seconds." He continued, "When accidents happened, we changed angles and sometimes captured even better shots. There was no loud noise on set." He named the bathhouse scene as his favorite. The director said, "It was a scene from another script, but we brought it into 'Carter.'"

Director Jeong Byeong-gil, Joo Won / Photo by Netflix

'Carter' steal

Carter is a character who must complete a mission to bring back a girl who is the only cure for a virus that has devastated the world, despite not knowing his own name or age. When he wakes up, an unknown device is implanted in his head, and a lethal bomb is installed in his mouth, leaving him in a desperate situation where he moves only by relying on a strange voice heard in his ear.

On set, Joo Won expressed his determination to perform the difficult action scenes himself. Director Jung said, "While preparing for the project, I wondered how we would find stunt doubles for this amount of stunt work, but the actor said he would do it all himself, which surprised me. He performed a large portion of the stunts himself."

Director Jung Byung-gil shared, "There are films by close director friends releasing in theaters around the same time as 'Carter,' and I hope they all do well. The Korean film industry has struggled since COVID-19, so I hope we all succeed together."