Director Kim Hyung-joo expressed various feelings as the theatrical release of the film 'Victory' approaches.
'Victory' tells the story of South Korea's greatest Go legend, Cho Hun-hyun (played by Lee Byung-hun), who, after losing a match against his disciple, challenges himself to reach the top once again with his innate competitive spirit. Lee Byung-hun plays the living Go legend Cho Hun-hyun. His disciple and world-renowned Go genius, Lee Chang-ho, is portrayed by Kim Kang-hoon as a child and Yoo Ah-in as an adult.
One of the lead actors, Yoo Ah-in, was imprisoned for habitual drug use, including propofol and marijuana, and was released after receiving a suspended prison sentence during an appeal hearing held on the 18th of last month. After much turmoil, 'Victory' is set to be released on the 26th.
When asked about his feelings ahead of the release, Director Kim Hyung-joo said, "I have mixed emotions. Fortunately, the moments of mental anguish have passed," and added, "We had been working on mixing and other format-related tasks for Netflix, but seeing it back in theaters allowed me to appreciate the actors' performances and details. I was satisfied because we originally worked on it for theatrical release."
Regarding the Yoo Ah-in incident, he shared, "For the first few months, I only drank alcohol. There was nothing I could do, so I endured. Life can't always be good, so I reflected on my life. I wondered if I lived it poorly. For a few months, I was out of it, and then I got married when someone suggested it," he joked, adding, "At first, I couldn't believe it. I needed time to accept it. I needed to send one project out before I could accept the next, and I felt lost in that regard. Since he made a mistake, I hope he rehabilitates himself for his own sake."
Director Kim mentioned that he did not contact Yoo Ah-in after the incident, saying, "I'm not the type to reach out much, so I haven't contacted him. The only time I saw him was when I paid my respects after the passing of his father last year. Given the situation, we couldn't have a long conversation. He briefly apologized, saying, 'I committed a grave sin' and 'I have nothing to say.'
Regarding the decision not to edit out Yoo Ah-in's scenes, he explained, "Removing cuts doesn't solve the issue because everything is interconnected. No matter how many times you try, there's no answer. Therefore, the only way was to present a film that fits the complete structure for those coming to the theater."
He revealed that Yoo Ah-in's appearance about 30 minutes into the film was decided before the incident.
He said, "I thought it would be advantageous for Yoo Ah-in to appear early on, but the adult version of Lee Chang-ho is a character that doesn't express much. Therefore, the audience needed time to empathize, and we had to create a contrast with the child version. I wanted the audience to follow the character of Lee Chang-ho rather than separating the child and adult roles, so I edited it that way."
Regarding Yoo Ah-in's performance, he stated, "Since Lee Byung-hun was cast first, I wanted to capture a contrasting feeling from the Cho Hun-hyun character, so I cast him. I felt that their appearances and acting styles were distinct, which was good. He was an actor who didn't get overshadowed by Lee Byung-hun's aura and expressed the contrasting aspects of the previously portrayed dark and manic feelings well. I don't think we should deny the good memories just because the incident happened. I think he expressed it well in terms of acting."
He praised Lee Byung-hun, who played Cho Hun-hyun, saying, "At first, I thought he didn't resemble Cho Hun-hyun, but he really embodied the character well."
Director Kim described 'Victory' as, "Although it is based on Go, I believe the main story is the drama between the two characters. I was drawn to that," and added, "While Go terminology is used in everyday life, I wanted to explain the terms kindly within the work. However, I couldn't go through every detail of the flow. The more I explained, the more it hindered the flow of the story, so I chose to provide minimal understanding."
He continued, "I thought that if we provided kind explanations and the flow of the game for those who don't know Go, they could follow the character drama. Since the two characters mainly sit in front of the Go board, there was a temptation to add action, but I aimed to utilize extreme close-ups of the two characters. I also tried to incorporate elements like sports commentary in the direction."
Finally, Director Kim remarked, "The theater market is very poor. I try to think positively. I'm glad it's being released in theaters. There is a player who is an owner of T1, who after being frustrated at the brink of victory said, 'How beautiful is the place that blooms? The most beautiful flower blooms after many twists and turns,' which gave me strength. I try to think positively. Life doesn't always go as planned," and added, "Now it's out of my hands and up to the public's judgment. As a director of commercial films, investors must have been anxious. Crossing the break-even point (1.8 million) is a part that can give trust to a commercial film director. I hope it reaches that level."
[Yang So-young, Star Today Reporter]
