The Old Woman with the Knife has finally met its audience, garnering global attention. The film features a female assassin in her 60s as the lead, with the director even stating, "It's a miracle that it got released." The competing Korean film is The Night of the Holy Night, starring Ma Dong-seok. The box office rivalry between the two films is also highly anticipated.
On the afternoon of the 24th, a press screening for The Old Woman with the Knife was held at CGV Yongsan IPark Mall in Seoul. Attending the event were director Min Kyu-dong and lead actors Lee Hye-young, Kim Sung-cheol, Yeon Woo-jin, and Shin Si A.
The Old Woman with the Knife is an action drama depicting the intense clash between a legendary killer, Jojak (played by Lee Hye-young), who has spent over 40 years in an organization dealing with cockroach-like humans, and a mysterious new killer, Tuwoo (played by Kim Sung-cheol), who has pursued him throughout his life. This marks director Min Kyu-dong's return to directing after four years, known for spanning various genres, including The Secret and All About My Wife. The film garnered global attention through its world premiere at the 75th Berlin International Film Festival and has also been officially invited to the Brussels Fantastic Film Festival and the Beijing International Film Festival.
Lee Hye-young plays the legendary killer Jojak, Kim Sung-cheol plays the mysterious new killer Tuwoo, Yeon Woo-jin portrays the director of an animal hospital connected to Jojak, and Shin Si A represents Jojak's childhood memories.
Director Min Kyu-dong noted, "When I thought about an action noir featuring a female assassin in her 60s, I figured this wouldn't be possible; I believed many would try to dissuade it. In that moment, I felt a tremendous determination. Why do I hesitate while many consider it impossible? Why are we intimidated by this, and why have we not seen such stories? I thought we could create a unique film intertwining genre pleasures and drama, embodying reasons why ordinary people continue to live through losses while aged but still pursuing values. I believed that if we could achieve that, we would succeed as I conceptualized it."
Min Kyu-dong discussed the difficulties faced before the film's release, saying, "It was a miracle for me, something I never thought would happen. I feel like another delicious recipe is on the way."
Kim Sung-cheol stated, "From the moment I first saw the script, I thought the build-up between Jojak and Tuwoo was crucial; that energy needed to be condensed and released. During the actual filming, the instructor arrived at the location first, and we filmed for about a week after the battle scene. We shot the final scene from sunrise to sunset. This was my first time in action scenes with the instructor, and while it wasn't fully captured in the film, many more actions were designed and filmed. The director chose the best ones, which seems to have made them more dynamic."
Lee Hye-young remarked, "When I actually started the action, I got injured a lot, so Sung-cheol struggled. During practice with the stunt team, I was bold and adventurous, but when it came to hitting me, the strength was different. Sung-cheol must have felt regret about that," she added, expressing satisfaction that I appeared on screen as a much more capable woman than I truly am.
Reflecting on Jojak's character, Lee Hye-young stated, "I never thought about it like the lines in the movie, 'I am old' or 'I am waste.' Despite those words, she seems to be an unprecedented figure that breaks conventions. I thought of showing Jojak as a human, not just as a capable woman; I did not think of her as an 'old woman.'"
Recalling the action scenes with Lee Hye-young, Kim Sung-cheol said, "As we filmed, a sense of camaraderie formed between us. In my short acting career, I have a few memorable moments, and the biggest memory recently was the last take of the instructor in The Old Woman with the Knife. After finishing the final scene, the instructor plopped down, and the director came over and wept. I also cried watching that, and the three of us hugged and sobbed. I felt, 'This is a fascinating experience.' Even though I still have underwater filming left with a long way to go, it felt like the movie concluded. While doing those actions, I thought, 'We've built up a lot of camaraderie.'"
The lead Kim Sung-cheol personally sang the OST, and director Min Kyu-dong mentioned, "I thought it would be nice to have a song that pays homage to Jojak in the film. I took a long time to write the lyrics, and after refining them in various versions all year, I finally mustered the courage to ask actor Kim Sung-cheol to sing it. I wrote the lyrics with thoughts like, 'What would a song from Tuwoo to Jojak sound like?' I hope the image of Jojak stays deeply in people's hearts through the film's imagery. I'm curious about the audience's reactions."
Kim Sung-cheol expressed, "When I saw the lyrics, I thought they were wonderful. Personally, while the melody of the music is important, I prioritize lyrics, and I loved the lyrics written for Jojak by the director. But singing it was very burdensome. Especially if my voice echoes during the ending credits of the film, I can't possibly be present at that moment. I wondered, 'Will this be okay?'"
He continued, "However, the director suggested it might help the film, so I found courage. Later, the director said, 'It's a song for Tuwoo as a ghost,' which appealed to me greatly, and I sang it due to that one comment."
Regarding desired box office results, Shin Si A stated, "It would be wonderful if it reaches 3 million viewers. Everyone really put their best efforts and dedication into this. If it does reach 3 million, I would be truly happy." Min Kyu-dong humorously remarked, "That's modest. Ma Dong-seok from the competing film The Night of the Holy Night said 9 million, and you're aiming for 3 million in the first week?"
Finally, director Min Kyu-dong added, "I'm glad various films are pouring into theaters. I support the birth of all these films. However, I never imagined that The Old Woman with the Knife starring Lee Hye-young and The Night of the Holy Night starring Ma Dong-seok would be released on the same day. I hope this becomes an opportunity to attract many audience members. I thought the fight between Ma Dong-seok and Kim Mu-yeol in The Outlaws 4 would end, but since Kim Mu-yeol is in The Old Woman with the Knife, it doesn't seem to be over. With viewer numbers declining lately, I hope people can have a rich experience exclusive to theaters."
Meanwhile, The Old Woman with the Knife is set to release on the 30th.
[Photo] Journalist Ji Hyung-jun
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