"Virus" Jang Ki-ha revealed the casting process of the film.
On the morning of the 16th, a production report meeting for the movie "Virus" took place at Mega Box COEX in Seoul. Attendees included actors Baek Doona, Kim Yun-seok, Jang Ki-ha, and director Kang Yi-kwan.
Based on the original novel "Youth Extreme Phase," "Virus" (directed by Kang Yi-kwan, provided and distributed by Vi Film Studio Co., Ltd., produced by The Lamp Co., Ltd.) depicts an unexpected journey involving Oh Tae-seon (played by Baek Doona), who becomes infected with a 100% lethal virus that causes people to fall in love for no reason, as well as three men: lonely researcher Nam Soo-pil (Son Suk-ku), longtime friend Kim Yeon-woo (Jang Ki-ha), and the only expert capable of developing a cure, Lee Kyun (Kim Yun-seok). This work, featuring the unique and delightful perspective of the unusual "Toxo Virus" theme, arouses curiosity and showcases various actors with distinctive personalities and lethal charm who create synergy together.
In particular, Jang Ki-ha is expected to show significant activity in the film as a formal actor rather than as a singer. He formed the band "Jang Ki-ha and Faces" in 2008 and gained widespread popularity with his debut song "Cheap Coffee," followed by a series of hit songs such as "The Moon Is Rising, Let's Go," "I Heard It Through the Wind," "I'm Not Jealous," etc., as a singer-songwriter. Currently, he is actively involved in various roles, including writer, radio DJ, and music director for films "Smuggling" and "Veteran 2." After making a surprise appearance in last year's film "Fast Lives," he now takes on a leading role in the new work "Virus" and showcases his acting in daily life.
Jang Ki-ha noted, "I play a former elementary school classmate of Tae-seon who is a hardworking office worker and a car dealer. It's common for me to send sales texts to classmates. Suddenly, Tae-seon appears in the sales department and becomes entangled. He's the most ordinary character but ends up in a special situation, and I think that's what makes his startled expression amusing."
In response to the comment that "Yeon-woo and Jang Ki-ha seem similar," Jang Ki-ha said, "I don't have much acting experience, so I couldn't be placed in a character far from myself. I think I was given the role due to the commonalities between us, and in reality, there are many similarities. I would feel very unfair if I were to get involved in something ridiculous while living such a peaceful daily life."
Although the director had proposed casting several times, Jang Ki-ha initially declined but eventually accepted. He said, "I received a call and got the script, and it was much longer than I expected. I had done a sitcom once, but I had never acted in a film before. I was unsure if I could handle such a significant role. I said, 'Thank you, but I'm okay.' But then senior Kim Yun-seok told me, 'People in the film industry do not take their work lightly. You don't have to do well; just think of it as playing since we will set the stage for you. You can come.' Hearing that made me realize I had been arrogant. It's not easy to meet such wonderful people in the film industry, so I thought I would try it with the mindset of learning."
Meanwhile, "Virus" is set to be released on May 7.
[Photo] Ji Hyung-jun, reporter
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