[Sportschosun reporter Ahn So-yoon] Director Na Hong-jin shared his thoughts on taking on creature-feature directing through the film 'Hope.'
Na met with Sportschosun at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Jongno District, Seoul, on the 7th and said, "Animation work involves so many tasks, and the work just never seemed to end." He added, "Director Bong Joon-ho also worked on full animation, and I thought that must be no ordinary job."
'Hope,' which opens on the 15th, tells the story of Beom-seok, the head of the Hopo Port Branch Office in the DMZ, who hears from local young men that a tiger has appeared. As the entire village goes on alert, he is confronted with an unbelievable reality. The film is directed by Na Hong-jin, known for 'The Chaser,' 'The Yellow Sea,' and 'The Wailing.'
The film drew strong attention even before its release by casting Hollywood couple Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander. Na explained, "I don't think many Korean audiences would know exactly what Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander actually look like." He continued, "I have had a long relationship with Alicia Vikander. At first, instead of sending the script, I sent her the long story for this project and suggested, 'This woman is the lead of the film. Would you like to try it?' She said yes, and that was how it came together. I imagine Michael Fassbender agreed because Alicia Vikander asked him to join."
The two actors appear as alien characters in the film, so their real faces are barely shown. On that point, Na said, "I wondered what it would be like if another new story continued after 'Hope.'" He added, "If there is a sequel, their story would truly begin in earnest, so in that sense, it was absolutely necessary."
Asked about their fees, he said, "In Korea, this film's budget is considered the highest, but by Hollywood standards, it is at the level of an independent film." He added, "They only received a small appearance fee, and I told them to save some pocket money for me if the film does well. Thankfully, both actors took part at an independent-film level, so it did not place a major burden on the production budget."
Finally, speaking about his experience directing a creature feature through 'Hope,' he said, "There is just too much work, and it's driving me crazy. The work never ends. I really worked nonstop without a single day off. I was even checking how much blood was on the alien's fingers, and it was enough to make me lose my mind." He added, "Director Bong Joon-ho is working on full animation, and I realized that this is truly no ordinary job. My respect for the animation artists I have admired has grown several times over."
Ahn So-yoon, reporter antahn22@sportschosun.com
