Between Shock and Brutality in 'Neukdae Sanyang'... Will the Adult-Only Film Divide Opinions?[Summary]

Movie 'Neukdae Sanyang' Press Screening
Starring Seo In-guk and Jang Dong-yoon
Opens September 21

Seo In-guk/Photo by TCO(The Contents On Co., Ltd.)

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Isul] Will the controversial work "Wolf Hunt," stained with intense blood and violence, be chosen by the audience? Even considering the R-rating for teenagers, it seems inevitable to face reactions calling it cruel and sadistic. On the other hand, there is also a perspective that views it as a project-type film targeting enthusiasts.

Director Kim Hong-seon said at the press screening of the movie "Wolf Hunt" held on the afternoon of the 19th at CGV Yongsan in Ichon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, "Rather than a story that violence breeds violence, I focused on the process of finding humanity." He added, "It exceeded the limits of imagination, but not to the extent of causing mental harm." He continued, "I made it as much as I could until physical harm occurred," showing confidence.

The film depicts a hard-boiled survival action set in an extreme situation never seen before, where ruthless criminals must be transported from the Pacific Ocean to Korea. It is the new work of director Kim Hong-seon, who directed "The Conspirators" (2012), "The Technicians" (2014), and "Metamorphosis" (2019).

The actors unanimously said, "We used a lot of prop blood on set." Regarding the tense level, the director said, "A philosopher once said, 'Man is a wolf to man.' It starts with violence, but in the end, I wanted to communicate with the audience by accurately portraying a human weapon who has lost humanity."

Director Kim said, "I wanted to depict raw action. I got the motif by mixing two stories: the 2017 Korea-Philippines criminal extradition case and reports that Unit 731, which conducted human experiments in early 1940s China, also existed in the Philippines."

This year, it was invited to the Midnight Madness section of the 47th Toronto International Film Festival. This section is similar to the Midnight Screening at the Cannes Film Festival, where "The Host" (directed by Bong Joon-ho) was invited in 2006. Seo In-guk, who attended locally, said, "It was a festival where people cheered and talked while watching the movie," and "It was a precious experience." Jang Dong-yoon also said, "I was happy that the audience enjoyed it."

Seo In-guk plays Jongdu, a first-class murderer aboard the Frontier Titan, delivering intense action scenes. His passion stands out as he challenged full-body tattoos and buttock exposure. He shared, "I always had a desire to challenge villain roles, and after reading the script, I wanted to do it as if it were fate." He added, "I will challenge both villain and good roles in the future." Regarding the action filming, he recalled, "We choreographed and ensured safety before filming. I put aside greed to avoid getting excited and proceeded with filming safely no matter what."

The actors collectively urged the audience to watch the film. Jang Dong-yoon greeted, "As a movie-loving audience member, I hope many people watch it." Park Ho-san urged, "Please make sure to watch it in theaters."