Actor Kim Soo-hyun has come under scrutiny again with his lead role in the film 'Real' (2017) following the controversy involving the late Kim Sae-ron's alleged relationship with a minor. As 'Real', which Kim Soo-hyun starred in and was directed by his family member, Lee Robe (formerly Lee Sa-rang), became embroiled in a late controversy over a forced exposure audition, director Lee Jung-seop, who stepped down midway, made a clarification.
'Real', released in June 2017, heightened the curiosity of potential audiences amidst critiques of being a 'monstrosity of a film' since the press preview. The film, having unveiled itself to the public, missed out on both critical acclaim and box office success.
On the 29th, the director said on social media, "I do not have the 'director credit', so I do not have the qualifications for an official clarification. However, regarding the article, the production staff did not let me attend the initial stages of this audition," explaining that he was excluded from the selection for fairness.
He continued, "I was able to meet around the final eight actors selected by the production staff, and I directly selected one of them, which was the rookie actress Han Ji-eun, who passed and joyfully filmed with me as the lead." He also added, "The rookie actor Jo Woo-jin also went through the audition process, and I carefully selected him. I first met him at the VIP screening before the release and conducted the interviews and casting for the work. I ended up working with both actors through the public audition."
However, he reiterated, "Since I do not have the 'director credit' for 'Real', I do not have the qualifications to clarify this matter."
When some fans of Kim Soo-hyun claimed that the director was inciting, he responded, "I have been saying this for a long time and have quietly done my work. I expressed my personal and sad feelings that nobody was paying attention to, but suddenly, the media, which had not been moving, is using me just to receive the advertising fees they want. There is nothing more and nothing less than that."
He emphasized that he did not want to be exploited by netizens or the media, stating, "If you are a good fan of him, you need to check how his actions have affected the world and take action. I was once a fervent fan of his as well."
According to the past announcement for the public audition of 'Real', the two leading actresses had to perform scenes with a high level of exposure. Notably, the intense bed scene between Sulli and Kim Soo-hyun proved to be more explicit than the circulated rumors, demonstrating that it was not merely for 'marketing'. Sulli's bold setup involved her being addicted to drugs and gradually destroying her inner self. Her daring portrayal, even in a short amount of screen time, led to responses that the only merit of this film was Sulli.
However, there have been allegations that the production team pressured Sulli into unreasonable exposure scenes. Sulli's brother has raised concerns about the exposure scenes in 'Real' and demanded clarification. They claim that despite the presence of a stunt double, Sulli was forced to perform scenes with high levels of exposure.
'Real' was produced and directed by Lee Robe, who is known as Kim Soo-hyun's family member and the representative of his agency, Gold Medalist. It is reported that the reason for director Lee Jung-seop's departure was due to differences on the editing direction with the production company.
Sulli's brother, identified as Mr. A, has raised concerns and demanded clarification from the production team, causing a stir. The production team has yet to issue a statement.
[Photo] OSEN DB
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