In 'Crime City,' the evil-fighting 'One Punch Man' Ma Dong-seok comes to hunt demons in the film 'Holy Night: Demon Hunters.'

On Dec. 2, a production report for the film 'Holy Night: Demon Hunters' (written and directed by Lim Dae-hee, provided and distributed by Lotte Entertainment, produced by Big Punch Pictures and Nova Film, abbreviated as 'Holy Night') was held at Lotte Cinema’s Kondae branch in the Gwangjin District of Seoul. At this event, the film's lead actors Ma Dong-seok, Jung Ji-so, Kyung Soo-jin, Seo Hyun, Lee Da-wit, and director Lim Dae-hee gathered to share stories about the film under the guidance of broadcaster Park Kyung-rim.

'Holy Night' is an occult action film where the 'Holy Night' team of dark fixers Ba-o (Ma Dong-seok), Sharon (Seo Hyun), and Kim-gun (Lee Da-wit) take on the forces of evil in a city plunged into chaos by a cult that worships evil. Actor Jung Ji-so plays Eun-seo, a girl possessed by a demon, while actress Kyung Soo-jin plays Jeong-won, Eun-seo's sister who requests assistance from the 'Holy Night' team.

In particular, the film is generating anticipation as Ma Dong-seok's new work following the 'Crime City' series, which solidified his status in Chungmuro as 'One Punch Man.' Director Lim Dae-hee, although a rookie director with this being his debut feature, is a fan of the occult genre, which adds to the film's completeness. Ma Dong-seok emphasized the film's thrilling appeal by saying, "it's a refreshing occult action movie."

There is growing anticipation about whether his 'big punch' can also resonate within the occult genre, going beyond just fighting criminals. Ma Dong-seok, who also participated in the planning, noted, "Director Lim Dae-hee is specialized in horror genres. We worked hard for a long time on the script together and while planning the movie. We wondered what it could be like to incorporate action and fantasy into a typical exorcist-style occult film, hoping to create a somewhat new mixed genre."

Director Lim Dae-hee is someone who has even written papers related to the occult genre. He expressed humility, stating, "I'm not an expert by any means," while also showing confidence about the genre by saying he has written several papers. Lee Da-wit, who is taking his first challenge in the occult genre, added, "There was a refreshing kick. It gave a very refreshing thrill," emphasizing the enjoyment of the film as an 'action movie.'

Ma Dong-seok described his character, "Ba-o is a friend with extraordinary strength since birth. There is a fantasy setting. Fundamentally, it’s a Ma Dong-seok character, but with a bit more of a fantasy inclination. He works alongside Sharon and Kim-gun, who were previously trapped by the powers of demons, saving them as a team. As a dark fixer, he plays an active role. Ba-o has a hidden secret that you will find out when you watch the movie," he explained, adding to the intrigue.

He also explained, "I decided to retain the basic attributes of the Ma Dong-seok character. Since my character emerges, boxing action is naturally included. This time, a certain degree of fantasy has been added, which means we used a lot of wires. We also used a lot of special effects, so even in the same boxing action, a bit of a fantastical aspect has been infused. We designed it that way, and with action director Heo Myung-hyeong, who has worked with me on all my projects including 'Crime City,' we strive to find different aspects even in the same punching action. While fantasy has been added, we tried to express it realistically while keeping it as close to the ground as possible."

Seo Hyun's character Sharon is a special exorcist who can feel the presence of evil and has the ability to exorcise it. She was even prey to a cult worshiping evil due to her strong spiritual energy until Ba-o rescued her.

Since Sharon is an exorcist, more than 70% of her lines were not in Korean. Seo Hyun noted, "This was my first time seeing such a character, and while it was very attractive, I had to memorize incantations based on an ancient language motif. I considered looking for other films initially, but I felt a desire to create my own version of Sharon. To avoid sounding unnatural while speaking those ancient incantations, I kept my earphones in all day, even before bed and while brushing my teeth, trying to express it as naturally as my own speech."

Lee Da-wit described Kim-gun, saying, "Apart from the boss's punches and Sister Sharon's exorcism, he does everything. He takes care of all the tasks, from the start to the end of case requests. Without Kim-gun, 'Holy Night' would fail," he laughed. He added, "Kim-gun has a quirky and bright personality, providing moments of levity. As for ad-libs, there were many because senior Ma Dong-seok's ideas overflowed."

Jung Ji-so, who plays Eun-seo, the target of exorcism, and Kyung Soo-jin, who plays her sister Jeong-won, emphasized their emotional scenes. In particular, Kyung Soo-jin highlighted the need for discussion with the director about the emotional lines of a character who has to exorcise her younger sister, stating, "I talked a lot about variations with the director."

Jung Ji-so, who is challenging her acting transformation, stated, "I have always liked the occult genre and also enjoyed action. I particularly liked films that combine occult and action like 'Purge Lady' and 'Man in the Dark.' I'm proud that 'Holy Night' incorporates Dong-seok's unique wit into the occult genre, making it very attractive," she said. She continued, "I was nervous initially because I was surrounded by prominent seniors, but the director brought up the topic of the occult first, so it led to a good conversation."

Following the success of 'Tomb Exhumation,' various occult genres are now gaining popularity. What is the differentiating point of 'Holy Night'? Ma Dong-seok commented on the film's unique element, saying, "Our film has been in planning for a long time. I really enjoyed 'Tomb Exhumation' and think it's very desirable to see a lot in the occult genre," and added, "Before making 'Crime City,' there weren’t many films specialized in the action genre. I hope we see more horror and various genre specialized films."

He also mentioned, "We have been planning this film for a long time, and while I had an interest in making a movie about exorcism, there was also a thirst for stories about 'dark heroes.' So, rather than thinking about definitely combining the occult and action, I wanted to initially tell a story about dark heroes coming out against the forces of evil in a dark setting. While it is fantasy, we made efforts to bring it closer to reality. I hope to see many films in this mixed genre going forward, which led to discussions with director Lim Dae-hee about writing and various stories."

Moreover, he shared, "Director Lim Dae-hee has researched a lot for the incantations Sharon uses, including ancient languages, and while I wanted to create an entertaining film, there were parts where the film needed adjustments because they didn’t fit. However, I also invested a lot of time in research and various considerations. How the film will be received is up to the audience, and now it has been handed over to them, but we have done our best in our efforts."

Seo Hyun, attempting to transform her acting, stated, "It was true that I was worried about becoming a character that Sharon had not shown before. While there were some meanings embedded in the incantations in the ancient language, many lacked them. I was concerned that I might come off just reciting the incantations thoughtlessly. So, I created my own meanings for the lines," she confessed.

She also mentioned, "It had to be catchy. Those listening might find it very unfamiliar. Since it’s an invented language based on an ancient language that doesn't exist, I wanted to convey emotions. As you said, we have a 'dark hero' vibe that isn't realistic, but she is a character with a warm heart and tenderness more than anyone. I tried hard to express the restrained emotions inside," she added.

Director Lim Dae-hee added, "The occult genre has strong individuality, and the action genre also has strong individuality. I worked hard to maximize the suspense while blending the fantasy elements of action. I aimed for both genres to be enjoyable together."

Furthermore, Ma Dong-seok, challenging his first occult genre, shared, "While preparing for this movie, I also worked on the adaptation, and during that time, I must have watched thousands of horror films from Japan, Korea, and the United States. It got a bit tiring. There were times when I fell asleep while watching horror films on TV. I paused and tried to take a break, but I'd end up falling asleep, and when I woke up in the morning, a ghost's face was staring at me," he joked.

He continued, "After watching thousands of films, I realized that there are fresh horror films that slightly change the settings based on each era. Rather than focusing solely on horror films, I aimed to create a new genre of dark hero films. That's how I ended up starting with the occult film. Usually, exorcism is mostly done by priests in the Catholic Church, but the character played by Seo Hyun performs exorcisms resembling ancient shamanism. I see those aspects as a differentiating factor."

He also noted, "There were a lot of wire actions, so both I and the stunt team experienced various minor injuries. There were many dangerous scenes. However, upon watching the film, it was well expressed. I thought, 'I'm glad it turned out well.'"

Like Ma Dong-seok's beloved series 'Crime City,' could 'Holy Night' become a major series that follows in its footsteps? Ma Dong-seok responded about the sequel series of 'Holy Night,' saying, "It's a secret," with a smile, adding, "In fact, the webtoon currently being serialized is a prequel to 'Holy Night' stories. We decided to start serialization after the film is released. We have developed some stories within the universe of 'Holy Night.' I don't know yet if it will become a film, a series, a game, or an animation. For now, we have some stories prepared. Ultimately, I think we need this film to be released and receive a certain level of love before we can create more, so I’m waiting with it filed away in my drawer," increasing anticipation.

'Holy Night' is set to be released on the 30th.

[Photo] OSEN Lee Dae-seon reporter.

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