"Lobby" star Kang Mal-geum revealed insights into the casting process.

On the morning of 27th, an interview with Kang Mal-geum, the lead actor in the movie "Lobby," took place at a cafe in Jongno-gu, Seoul.

"Lobby" (directed by Ha Jung-woo, produced by Workhouse Company and Film Momentum, presented by Michigan Venture Capital Co. and WYSIWYG STUDIOS Co., and distributed by SHOWBOX) depicts the story of a startup CEO, Chang-wook (played by Ha Jung-woo), who only knows research, as he begins his first-ever lobbying golf session to secure a 4 trillion won national project. This is the third directorial work from Ha Jung-woo, who debuted as a director in 2013 with "Roller Coaster" and has returned after 10 years following "Heo Sam-kwan" (2015).

In the film, Ha Jung-woo plays Chang-wook, who is a startup CEO focused solely on research and aims to win through his technical skills. Park Byung-eun plays Kwang-woo, a rival company CEO who excels in lobbying. Kim Eui-sung portrays the veteran civil servant and political powerhouse Choi, while Kang Hae-rim plays professional golfer Jin. Lee Dong-hwi plays the reporter facilitating the lobbying, Choi Si-won plays the captivating national actor Matthew, Cha Joo-young plays the golf course owner Dami, Kwak Sun-young plays Kim, who supports Chang-wook, and Kang Mal-geum portrays the ambitious and corrupt Minister Jo, who shows no interest in practical affairs.

Kang Mal-geum is also showing a unique presence in the Netflix series "When Life Gives You Tangerines." She played the innkeeper, Geum-ja, who first teaches the harsh realities of the world to Ae-soon (played by IU) and Gwan-sik (played by Park Bo-gum), who have fled to Busan. She is active in both films and streaming platforms.

Ra Mi-ran commented on her collaboration with director and lead actor Ha Jung-woo, stating, "I don't want to praise too much, but I genuinely grew fond of him. His love and energy overflow, and I think he will be a great pillar for my acting career moving forward." She added, "We first met in June two years ago, and since then, it has felt like we have been continuously connected. The promotional activities have deepened that feeling. At this point, one could call him an artist. I wonder how he can direct three projects as an actor."

In response to the question, "How did you get cast?" she said, "Originally, there was an article that Ra Mi-ran was cast. I had a great time shooting the drama 'Bad Mom' with her, and she is an actor I respect. I was glad to get the role that Mi-ran could have played." She recalled, "I remember when I first got the casting call. For actors, receiving a casting proposal is the best moment. When I read the script, I noticed it was a colorful character. Was there any reason not to take it? The reading had already been in progress, and I was brought in midway. It was only natural to do it. Even if it was a lighthearted role, I was thrilled."

She added, "I received the script through the company, and it was wonderful. 'How did you know?' I felt like I could do this. Since there are many politicians who speak with a Gyeongnam dialect, I mentioned that during the meeting. I first suggested to director Ha Jung-woo, 'Would it be interesting if I used the dialect for the Jo character?' I was grateful that they acknowledged the potential I hadn't been able to show in media performance until now."

Meanwhile, "Lobby" is set to be released on April 2.

[Photo] Provided by SHOWBOX

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