As the film 'HOPE' surpasses 2 million viewers nationwide just five days after its release, the supporting actors who contributed to the film are also receiving attention.
A notable example is Eum Moon-suk, whose casting was not even known until the film was unveiled. Eum plays 'Yang-bae,' a carpenter in Hopohang, and takes on a pivotal role from the middle of the film onwards.
If director Na Hong-jin's previous work 'The Wailing' reached a turning point in the plot with the appearance of Il-gwang (Hwang Jung-min), 'HOPE' features Yang-bae in a similar role. He is the character who provides the catalyst for the incident. With his disheveled appearance, vacant expression, and yellowed teeth, he exudes an unusual aura even at a glance.
Although 'Hopohang' is a small village located near the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) adjacent to North Korea, Yang-bae speaks with a Chungcheong-do dialect. His snappy line, "It's at my house!" provided great laughter, but the line also triggers massive repercussions and draws the audience's full attention. Yang-bae also delivers an unexpected performance in the latter half of the film, greatly surprising the audience.
In an interview, director Na Hong-jin explained, "The act committed by a person like Yang-bae is, in a way, a trivial matter, but the film shows how far this can escalate. This immense tragic situation can arise from such trivial things, and it becomes an evil act. However, if you look closely, there seems to be no malice at all. It is not a rule that the provider of an evil act must necessarily have malice. It seems that the tragedies of life happen that way. 'HOPE' is a film that tells that kind of story."
After the film's first premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, director Na Hong-jin returned to Korea and re-edited it. During that process, the running time was reduced from 160 minutes to 156 minutes. In this process, the entire portion featuring Park Young-gyu, who played the village head, was edited out.
Compared to the Cannes version, Yang-bae's screen time was increased in the domestic version. Director Na Hong-jin revealed that he put the most effort into the Yang-bae character in the final edit, even describing it as a "restoration." He emphasized, "I hoped that 'Yang-bae' would deliver the same impact to the audience that Il-gwang gave in 'The Wailing'."
At a GV (Guest Visit) event with director Bong Joon-ho, director Na Hong-jin revealed, "Eum Moon-suk acted so well that I had no choice but to cast him after several auditions." Director Bong Joon-ho also mentioned Eum Moon-suk, who showed an impressive appearance and acting ability in the film.
Eum Moon-suk's performance provides the fun of an unexpected discovery. His unique, personality-driven acting serves as more than just comic relief, even playing a role in heightening the tension in the latter half of the film.
'HOPE' is currently a box office hit, surpassing 2 million viewers nationwide just five days after its release. Eum Moon-suk is receiving warm applause from audiences while touring for stage greetings alongside Hwang Jung-min, Zo In-sung, and Jung Hoyeon.
(SBS Entertainment News Reporter Kim Ji-hye)
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