Kang Ha-neul, Yoo Hae-jin, and Park Hae-joon engage in a thrilling action drama that straddles the line between legality and illegality.
On the afternoon of the 7th, a media distribution preview and press conference for the film "The Opposition" (directed by Hwang Byeong-guk) was held at Megabox Coex in Gangnam, Seoul. Director Hwang Byeong-guk and actors Kang Ha-neul, Yoo Hae-jin, Park Hae-joon, Ryu Kyung-soo, and Chae Won-bin attended the conference.
"The Opposition" is a crime action film revolving around the broker "The Opposition," who designs the drug trade in South Korea, a prosecutor striving to rise higher, and a police officer who is committed to eradicating drug crimes, intertwining for different objectives.
When asked about the reason for choosing "The Opposition" as the subject, director Hwang Byeong-guk explained, "The characters representing 'the opposition' are individuals standing on the boundary between legality and illegality, so I thought it would be interesting as a film subject. Furthermore, I pointed out that the film changes after the 2/3 mark. To enhance the final part, I calculated carefully to ensure we could reach there."
In the film, Kang Ha-neul plays the role of drug broker Lee Kang-soo. He shared about his character, "The most important part was that this friend is working for the opposition. Since many people think they need to follow the character Lee Kang-soo because the title is 'The Opposition,' it seemed difficult to make them engage if he looks too evil, and I didn't want him to come across as justifying his actions and trying to look good. I discussed a lot with the director about that middle ground. I hope viewers will be curious about how this friend will turn out and continue to follow along. I had that desire, but I'm not sure if it came across that way."
He continued, "In the latter half, I wanted to convey the clarity of emotions I wanted you to feel, so I discussed with the director how to express that with varying facial expressions and breathing. There were times when we shot various takes of different expressions."
Yoo Hae-jin took on the role of the ambitious prosecutor Koo Kwan-hee, who is filled with a desire for power to climb higher. He said, "While playing the role of prosecutor Koo Kwan-hee, what I focused on was how to express someone with ambition. Overall, there are many lively aspects, and many characters have various colors, so I thought a lot about how to express the ambition inside while toning down the colors. When expressing the inner desire, I felt that being too externally obvious would make it seem lightweight. So I pondered a lot about how to balance it."
Recently gaining popularity for stirring buzz with 'When Life Gives You Tangerines,' Park Hae-joon plays detective Oh Sang-jae from the drug investigation unit. He expressed, "I am very curious about how it will be received. I portrayed a detective, known as the Jade Emperor in the drug ring, who is very persistent in his work. And as the head of a family, I also appear as a somewhat cool drug investigation team leader to my junior detectives. In other aspects, I aimed to showcase a unique look of detectives in the drug investigation unit that's different from other detectives, so I'm not sure if I succeeded in that. I gave it my all during filming, and I hope it was enjoyable for everyone to watch."
He added, "Oh Sang-jae divides into two parts in the film, so it was necessary to adjust that. There were aspects to think about regarding how he changes from a successful drug investigation detective to another state. I had to think about filling in the remaining parts."
Especially after showing a warm image as 'Father Geum-myeong' in the previous work, he said, "I'm very grateful that you have shown so much interest in 'When Life Gives You Tangerines.' Honestly, I thought about wearing a padded coat to this event for the promotion of 'When Life Gives You Tangerines.' Now that I'm here, it might not be bad to give it a shot for the success of 'The Opposition.' But I think I made the right decision coming in this stylish outfit," he joked. He added, "I coincidentally found myself once again portraying a detective as the head of a family. This work holds a different meaning in its own right. Looking back, I think it wouldn't be bad to surpass veteran actor Choi Bool-am and become the next father figure for citizens."
Ryu Kyung-soo plays the role of Jo Hoon from the Untouchables in South Korea. He shared, "This character can be seen as someone living a pleasure-centric life. I hope it's more of a mischievous type than a villain. I think I tried to express more of the naive aspect of a child who simply accepts everything. I thought the character would be impulsive, and since filming usually doesn't go in order, I thought it was important to adjust. I thought, what if we didn't calculate it? It could be an odd character that seems entirely different from yesterday to today. If there is a narrative arc, I think it can be interesting even if it doesn't strictly adhere to it."
Regarding his rude portrayal of senior Yoo Hae-jin, he mentioned, "When filming 'Hostage,' I kidnapped senior Hwang Jung-min, and that experience helped me a lot. I don't think he sees me as a junior but respects me as a colleague alongside the process. I was surprised that he responded flexibly during takes, even when I unwittingly broke out with something unexpected. I felt again that being flexible is essential." Yoo Hae-jin then remarked, "In movies, when I get annoyed, I often think, 'Can't you stay quiet? Is that so difficult?' During the first shoot, I had the urge to slap him in the back of the head. He was acting so annoyingly. The situation of causing big trouble and then munching away was that way too."
Chae Won-bin, who plays actress Eom Su-jin, who falls from grace due to drugs, stated, "I had to research a lot regarding Eom Su-jin's life, relationships, and circumstances that were unfamiliar to me. I think I put in a lot of effort in those aspects." She revealed, "Since Eom Su-jin is always in dramatic situations, I needed a lot of instant focus, and I think I concentrated on that part."
She added, "As always, I feel regret after watching a work. I often think, 'Could I have done better?' so I have a lot of regret about myself. When I film with seniors, I often worry and feel tense, but I believe that seniors acknowledged that and helped me, allowing us to finish the filming session successfully. Additionally, the director provided many impressive monitors, which was also a memorable and valuable learning experience for me."
Finally, Park Hae-joon stated, "The material is fresh, and it has speed and excitement. That's good, and I can watch it without realizing time passed. The intricately intertwined roles, with characters bearing what feels like explosive pressure, add strength to this work. So, I'm really looking forward to it," adding, "I'm happy to be part of a well-crafted movie, and I'm thrilled to showcase such a film." Ryu Kyung-soo added, "I hope many people will enjoy 'The Opposition' this spring in a refreshing and exhilarating way."
Meanwhile, 'The Opposition' is set to premiere in theaters on the 16th.
[Photo] OSEN reporter Jo Eun-jung
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