[Sportschosun Jo Ji-young] The comedy film "Wild Sing" (directed by Son Jae-gon, produced by About Film) is gaining box-office momentum thanks to Oh Jung-se's standout performance as the perennial No. 2 balladeer Choi Seong-gon.
In "Wild Sing," Choi Seong-gon's signature song, "I Like You," is sparking a powerful craze both on and off the screen.
The music video for "I Like You," released at 6 p.m. on the 2nd, has recorded 1.84 million views as of 10 a.m. on June 10. Related clips, including the stage performance clip with 1.6 million views and the one-hour repeat version with 240,000 views, are also drawing strong attention.
The excitement has spread to social media, where the "I Like You" challenge is now going viral. Actor Ryu Seung-ryong kicked things off by transforming into Choi Seong-gon, and fellow actors including Lee Sung-min, Kim Moo-yeol, Jin Ki-joo, P.O, Ryu Seung-soo, and Kim Seon-ho have joined the relay. K-pop idols such as Winter of aespa, Kihyun of MONSTA X, TAESAN of BOYNEXTDOOR, Lee Sangwon of ALPHA DRIVE ONE, Sumin of STAYC, and Hearts2Hearts Ian have also taken part, along with a wide range of popular celebrities from other fields, including Bada, Cho Kyuhyun, Jeong In, Ko Young-bae of Soran, AIKI, Lalal, magician Choi Hyun-woo, chefs Choi Kang-rok and Do-yun Kim, announcer Jo Jung-sik, and baseball player Gwak Been. They have all joined the ranks of the "Gondu" fandom, the film's fan name for Choi Seong-gon.
Oh Jung-se himself, in his main role, has also been winning fans over with active promotions as Choi Seong-gon, from a Q&A interview to a "Boompala" challenge video with Jena of Rescene.
Most notably, the film has produced an unusual real-world music chart result that continues the story world beyond the screen. Choi Seong-gon's "I Like You" ranked No. 34 on the Melon HOT100 chart as of 2 p.m. on June 9. In particular, it placed higher than the rival TRIANGLE's "Love Is" at No. 62, as if finally breaking the curse of being stuck at No. 2 for 39 consecutive weeks in the film. After 20 years, Choi Seong-gon has claimed a thrilling victory, giving audiences a refreshing sense of catharsis and drawing new fans into the "Gondu" fandom.
This weekend, on the 13th, Oh Jung-se, transformed into Choi Seong-gon, is set to visit theaters in person and meet audiences for a special event. The stage greeting and the "Choi Seong-gon Birthday Party Special Screening" sold out completely as soon as reservations opened, proving the explosive interest in the film. The event, which brings the film's universe into the real world, is expected to leave fans with unforgettable memories.
"Wild Sing" follows TRIANGLE, a mixed-gender dance group that once swept the music scene but disbanded after an unexpected incident, as they get a chance to make a comeback more than 20 years later and head back to the stage. The film stars Kang Dong-won, Uhm Tae-goo, Park Ji-hyun, and Oh Jung-se, with Son Jae-gon, who directed "My Scary Girl" and "Secret Zoo," at the helm.
Jo Ji-young reporter soulhn1220@sportschosun.com
