"Overseas Cast and Crew Also Shocked"
Director Bong Joon-ho, ahead of the release of the film 'Mickey 17,' described President Yoon Suk-yeol's declaration of martial law as "more surreal than any sci-fi movie." He made this remark during an appearance on JTBC's 'Newsroom' on the 9th, expressing strong shock and disbelief when asked about the current political situation.
Director Bong recalled, "When I was in the 4th or 5th grade of elementary school, it was the period of 1979 and 1980, the setting of the film 'Spring in Seoul.'" He added, "My memories are faint, but I do remember the martial law." He continued, "It's been 40 years, and I never imagined I would experience that again in my life. It was absurd, ridiculous, and shocking. The overseas actors and crew who worked with me on 'Mickey 17' were also shocked and sent me many texts and emails asking, 'What on earth is going on?'"
He said, "In a country that was filled with stories about popular culture like BTS and Blackpink, the sudden appearance of martial law was extremely bewildering." He also mentioned, "It reminded me of the recently released American film 'Captain America: Civil War.'" 'Civil War' is a war drama about journalists heading to Washington to interview the president amid the worst civil war in American history.
This is the second time Director Bong has expressed his stance on martial law. In December last year, he, along with directors like Park Chan-wook and other filmmakers, issued an urgent statement demanding the dismissal of President Yoon. Seventy-seven film organizations, including the Directors Guild of Korea (DGK), and over 2,500 film industry professionals criticized the martial law situation, saying, "Even with cinematic imagination, this would be dismissed as delusion. It is utterly incomprehensible from a common-sense perspective."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
