Actor Zo In-sung spotlighted what makes the theatrical film ‘HUMINT’ special on the big screen.
At an interview for ‘HUMINT’ held in Samcheong-dong, Seoul, on the 11th, Zo was praised as a key player behind the movie’s stylish action. He stayed humble: “Honestly, I don’t know if I did action well or looked cool. Action is Director Ryoo Seung-wan’s specialty, so I just did what he told me to do.”
‘HUMINT’ is a large-scale production with a budget of 23.5 billion won. It’s aiming squarely at theaters over the Lunar New Year holiday and has drawn intense interest as a potential lifeline for Korea’s sluggish film market. Audience hype is clear, with an opening-day reservation share nearing 40% and more than 180,000 pre-sold tickets.
Zo, who leads the film, is well aware of the heat around ‘HUMINT.’ “These days, audiences need a reason to go to the theater,” he said. “Movies have to offer a cinematic experience you can’t get on OTT or TV. I felt it watching the recent movie ‘F1’―you need that dopamine hit. That’s just my take.”
“In that sense, I think ‘HUMINT’ can deliver some real dopamine for viewers,” he added. “It’s satisfying in premium formats like IMAX.”
Zo continued, “Fortunately, recent box office signs―from titles like ‘Once We Were Us,’ ‘Choir of God,’ and ‘The King's Warden’―feel like early signals of spring. The question is how much bigger the overall pie gets compared to last year. Opening alongside ‘HUMINT,’ ‘The King's Warden,’ and ‘Number One’ could all help. I hope every film does well so it can mark a real spring for Korean theaters.”
Set in Vladivostok, where secrets and truths sink into the icy sea, ‘HUMINT’ follows a clash of people with different agendas. It opens nationwide today (the 11th).
(SBS Entertainment News | Kim Ji-hye)