Hajungwoo has three films that each attracted over 10 million viewers and holds the glamorous title of 'the youngest 100 million actor' in the Korean film industry, but he still does not have a strong presence as a director. However, through his third directorial work "Lobby," he shows what Director Hajungwoo excels at and what his future direction is, raising expectations on par with his acting career.
"Lobby" (Directed by Hajungwoo, produced by Workhouse Company and Film Momentum, provided by Michigan Venture Capital Co., Ltd. and WYSIWYG STUDIOS Co., Ltd., distributed by SHOWBOX Co., Ltd.) depicts the story of Changwook (played by Hajungwoo), the representative of a startup who only knows research, as he begins his first lobbying golf game to secure a $4 trillion national project. Hajungwoo, who made his directorial debut in 2013 with "Roller Coaster" and has released his third directorial work a decade later after "Heo Samgwan" in 2015.
While working on "Lobby," Hajungwoo took on three roles as director, screenwriter, and lead actor. He reflected his usual wit and charm in the screenplay and maximized the back-and-forth dialogue among the characters. Additionally, he introduces unique characters in situations that seem entirely out of place, providing clever humor. For example, a foreign wife of a friend who appears at her mother's funeral and an eavesdropping agent from the monk background.
"Lobby" resembles Director Hajungwoo's first work "Roller Coaster." Although the story development and main actors are different, the parallels are unavoidable. It is a black comedy depicting the tumultuous happenings on a flight from Japan to Korea, featuring top star Majungryu (played by Jung Gyeong-ho), with vibrant settings and appealing dialogue.
Twelve years ago, "Roller Coaster" evoked the chaos occurring within a confined space and even felt like watching a play. The film divided opinions sharply; while fans whose tastes were hit enthusiastically embraced it, it did not succeed commercially. In contrast, the new work "Lobby" retains the wit and brilliance of "Roller Coaster" but follows a more mainstream commercial film structure. It is different in essence from B-grade movies overflowing with meaningless puns.
In addition to Hajungwoo, various characters are portrayed by actors with no acting holes, including rival company representative Park Byeong-eun, influential political figure Kim Eui-seong, pro golfer Jinpro Kang Hae-rim, charismatic actor Ma Tae-soo Choi Si-won, golf club lady Cha Joo-young, Changwook's assistant Director Kim Kwak Seon-young, corrupt Minister Jo Kang Mal-geum, and golf course representative Park Hae-soo, providing plenty of entertainment.
Without being too tacky or heavy-handed, the latter part of the film clearly reveals what message Director Hajungwoo wants to convey to the audience.
April 2 release, rated for ages 15 and older, runtime 105 minutes.
[Photo] Movie poster and stills
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