[On the Record] Seol Kyung-gu: "The real culprit who came to see 'Boys' felt conflicted"

Actor Seol Kyung-gu Interview

'The Boys' Samrye Super Incident (1999) Film Adaptation
"A World Where Even Telling the Truth Requires Courage"

"You don't know me!" Actor Seol Kyung-gu (56) laughed as he responded to the comment that he seemed like a "good person." Following films based on real incidents such as The Scam (2007), Hope (2013), and Birthday (2019), he also appeared in Boyz, which deals with another true event. When asked if he was afraid, he retorted, "What is there to be afraid of?" and added, "If I refuse by saying no, it feels like I'm avoiding it, so it weighs on my mind." This time, he teamed up with director Jeong Ji-young, who has explored the darker sides of our society through films like Arrow, The Ultimate Weapon, Namyeong-dong 1985 (2012), and Black Money (2019). He recalled, "I couldn't avoid the passionate gaze of Director Jeong."

Actor Seol Kyung-gu [Photo by CJ ENM]

Seol Kyung-gu, whom I recently met at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, said, "Directors who adapt films based on true stories have something special," and added, "I'm drawn to their intense energy." Regarding Jeong Ji-young, he said, "She is someone who delivers social messages that others are too cautious to even mention," and described her as "passionate."

A chance meeting at a funeral home led to Boyz. Seol Kyung-gu said, "I didn't meet Director Jeong through a project but by chance at a funeral home, and we greeted each other. She said to me, 'We should work on a project sometime,' and I replied, 'It would be an honor.' Then, a week later, she sent me a book (script)," he laughed. The first book he received was titled Accusation. He recalled, "After doing the film Public Enemy Returns (2008), I had pushed aside detective roles." However, he said, "Since Boyz was about a real incident and the book was given by Director Jeong, I couldn't refuse."

In 1999, a trio of robbers broke into a supermarket in Samnye-eup, Wanju-gun, Jeonbuk Province, resulting in the death of the elderly owner. Nine days after the incident, three local boys were arrested as suspects, confessed to the entire crime, and the investigation was closed. However, the case was later revealed to have been fabricated. The so-called "Samnye Nara Supermarket Incident" was made into a film by Director Jeong Ji-young, who is celebrating her 40th year as a filmmaker this year.

Boyz recently held a preview screening in Jeonju, Jeollabuk-do, where the actual incident occurred, showing the film before its release to bereaved families, three victims who were falsely accused, the real culprit, and lawyer Park Jun-young. Seol Kyung-gu began, "I just came back from Jeonju the other day."

"There were bereaved families, one of the boys (victims) came, along with his family, and the real culprit was there too. Ah, just talking about it gives me goosebumps... Two people who were falsely accused in the Nakdong River murder case also came, as well as a person falsely accused in the 8th case of the Hwaseong serial murders and Hwang Ban-jang from the Yakchon Five-way Intersection case. Seeing the victims, it felt like their resentment was deeply rooted. One said she went to prison when her daughter was one year old and came out when she was 24. She went in at 23 and came out at 44. Her life was completely taken away. It's not about money compensation. They seemed to have reached some kind of spiritual level. Even when looking at the real culprit of the Samnye incident, my feelings were strange. Should I be thankful because he gave a statement? He also came to watch the film. It got complicated."

Actor Seol Kyung-gu [Photo by CJ ENM]

Seol Kyung-gu said he actively talked with those gathered. One of the three real culprits attended the preview. Another had taken his own life, and the third continued to deny the crime. He said, "I never got to talk with the real culprit," trailing off. He continued, "I just couldn't bring myself to go to him. I didn't even know what to ask, and my feet wouldn't move. I greeted him but didn't go over."

Also present was lawyer Park Jun-young, who revealed the existence of the real culprit. Lawyer Park has been defending socially vulnerable people who have been wrongfully accused. He is also the real-life protagonist of the film Reversal of Fortune (2017). Seol Kyung-gu called him "an extraordinary person" and continued.

"I asked Lawyer Park, 'How do you make a living?' and he said, 'I get a little these days.' He said he earns a bit from lectures. We didn't talk much, but it was intense. He is a respectable person. I heard that someone involved in a case cried because of Lawyer Park. They didn't know he lived so modestly. (laughs)"

No actor is completely free from considerations of box office success or appearance fees when choosing projects. In this context, Seol Kyung-gu's consecutive appearances in films based on true stories are noteworthy. When asked why he willingly takes on the risk and stands on the side of the vulnerable, he said, "I didn't seek them out. But I don't deliberately avoid them either. When directors come in with anger and fire in their eyes, how can I ignore them?" he said with a hearty laugh.

Still from Boyz [Photo by CJ ENM]

"People say the Samnye Supermarket Incident is well known, right? I thought so too, but during filming, I realized it was an unknown case. It was a misconception. Do young people know about it? They don't. A young audience member at the Jeonju screening, who even lives in Jeonju, said they didn't know about the incident. The Yakchon Five-way Intersection case? They don't know. Many people seem to mistakenly think they know. I hope the film will raise awareness."

Society is often quick to pinpoint and stigmatize. Considering the various interests involved, when asked if he was afraid to appear in films based on real incidents consecutively, he said, "That's backward," and emphasized, "We need to be courageous." He added, "It takes courage to speak the truth in this world."

Seol Kyung-gu said, "In the film, there is a final courtroom scene where the boys courageously shout, 'We are not the real culprits.' While filming, I thought it was somewhat rough, but after watching the film, I was surprised." He said, "I realized that was what the director wanted to say through Boyz. She probably wanted to shout to the world with the children. I saw it as a story of ordinary citizens standing on the side of the vulnerable who were unfairly pushed aside."

Actor Seol Kyung-gu [Photo by CJ ENM]

"The boys who were actually falsely accused said they were grateful after watching the final courtroom scene in the film. They said they wanted to do that in court but couldn't. They said they never got to speak out about the injustice they suffered. They were afraid even when going for retrial. Their memories were stuck about ten years ago. They have aged but were still afraid. They worried about what would happen if they cursed. They thanked us for telling their story, even if just through the film. The film tells the story of a world where rough, less-educated kids have to find the courage to speak about things they didn't do."