'Possible Love' How Zo In-sung & Cho Yeo-jeong Captured Director Lee Chang-dong's Eye

"I could not think of anyone other than Zo In-sung."

Director Lee Chang-dong has revealed the reasons behind casting Zo In-sung and Cho Yeo-jeong in "Possible Love," his first new film in eight years.

Attending the press conference for the film "Possible Love" held on the morning of the 25th at Hotel Naru Seoul M Gallery, Director Lee stated that casting Jeon Do-yeon and Sul Kyung-gu, whom he considers his personas, was a "natural given," while also sharing why he chose the two newly joined actors.

First, speaking about the character Sang-woo played by Zo In-sung, he introduced him by saying, "He is a figure within the structure that governs the unseen stories in this film. He is strong, handsome, charming, and capable in everything, yet he does not reveal himself." He added, "I could not think of any other actor like that besides Zo In-sung. I worried what I would do if he turned it down. It seems casting was made possible because Director Ryoo Seung-wan helped bridge the gap," bringing a smile to the room.

At the time, Zo In-sung was filming "HUMINT" following "HOPE." His physical fatigue had reached its absolute peak due to consecutive overseas location shoots. However, upon receiving an offer from Director Lee Chang-dong, Zo changed his mind and thought, "Let us rest after finishing just this film."

Zo In-sung shared, "I admired the director's work so much," adding, "There are not many opportunities to learn as an actor, so I went to the set with the mindset of learning from the director. I truly learned a lot and felt honored to have such an opportunity."

Praising Yeji, Sang-woo's wife, Director Lee Chang-dong stated, "In a way, she is a character who holds my perspective and stance throughout the entire film. Although I had not worked with Cho Yeo-jeong before, I thought she was an actor who possesses all the self-awareness, empathy, and sensitivity of someone working in film." He spared no praise, saying, "I thought it fit Yeji's inner self, and on set, she tried to simply exist as that character."

Recalling when he received the casting offer from Director Lee, Cho Yeo-jeong said, "Working with Director Lee Chang-dong was something I had long hoped for, so receiving the offer felt surreal and wonderful. After reading the script, much like what Do-yeon unnie said, the lingering resonance was profound. After pondering for about three days whether I had the depth to take on this film, I reached out to him."

Director Lee Chang-dong's films have consistently featured actors of a similar tone—actors possessing exceptional acting skills and faces that can represent ordinary people, such as Sul Kyung-gu, Moon Sori, and Jeon Do-yeon. Starting with his previous work "Burning," however, he began enlisting actors with distinct, independent personalities.

Zo In-sung and Cho Yeo-jeong represent a casting choice that allows viewers to look at "Possible Love" from a more intriguing angle. Having originally written a script centered on characters played by Jeon Do-yeon and Sul Kyung-gu, Director Lee newly created the married couple Sang-woo and Yeji—played by Zo In-sung and Cho Yeo-jeong—thereby multi-layering the film's perspective and message.

"Possible Love" tells the story of a laid-off worker and his wife, alongside a documentary director and her husband, who meet to produce a documentary and confront their different lives and hidden desires. As Director Lee Chang-dong's first Netflix film, "Possible Love" will premiere in theaters on September 23 before meeting global viewers on November 6.

(SBS Entertainment News | Kim Ji-hye)