Actor Park Jung Min shared why he signed on to director Yeon Sang-ho’s new film "The Ugly" with no pay.
A screening for "The Ugly" was held Wednesday afternoon at COEX Megabox in Seoul. With the team in Canada for the Toronto International Film Festival, Yeon and cast members Park Jung Min, Kwon Hae Hyo, Shin Hyun Been, Im Sung Jae, and Han Ji Hyun met the Korean press virtually for a Q&A.
Park, who plays Im Dong-hwan and the younger version of Im Young-gyu, said, “I’ve been a big fan of the original graphic novel. When I heard it was being adapted, I felt it was a rare chance to deliver the author’s―and the film’s―message to audiences in a clear, weighty way. As an actor, being part of something like that is meaningful and genuinely exciting.”
He added, “I especially love when Yeon grumbles at society―that edge in his voice. That’s why I was more than willing to jump in.”
Kwon Hae Hyo, who plays the older Im Young-gyu, said, “My first project with Yeon was 'The Fake.' A few years back, while we were filming 'Peninsula,' he handed me the 'The Ugly' graphic novel and it brought me right back to 'The Fake.' I felt this production approach really lets Yeon flex his strengths as both a director and a writer.”
Shin Hyun Been, who stars as Jung Young-hee, said, “I was drawn to the sheer power of the story.” On acting without showing her "The Ugly" onscreen, she noted, “It’s not a setup actors encounter often―it can be tough―but I saw it as a new challenge and a real opportunity.”
"The Ugly" follows Im Young-gyu (Kwon Hae Hyo), a blind master of seal engraving, and his son Im Dong-hwan (Park Jung Min) as they dig into the 40-year-old mystery surrounding the death of Dong-hwan’s mother. The film adapts Yeon Sang-ho’s 2018 graphic novel of the same name.
"The Ugly" opens September 11 in Korea.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kim Ji-hye)