'Master of acting' Yoo Hae-jin and Lee Je-hoon come together for the first time in 'Big Deal,' which is eagerly waiting to meet audiences.
On the morning of the 24th, a press conference for the movie 'Big Deal' was held at the Mega Box Coex in Seoul. Attending the event were lead actors Yoo Hae-jin, Lee Je-hoon, Son Hyun-joo, and Choi Young-joon.
'Big Deal' (provided and distributed by SHOWBOX, produced by The Lamp) tells the story of financial director Jong-rok (played by Yoo Hae-jin) trying to prevent the bankruptcy of the national treasure soju and In-beom (played by Lee Je-hoon), an employee at a global investment firm that solely pursues revenue, clashing over the fate of Korea's iconic soju.
Yoo Hae-jin passionately portrayed the financial director Pyo Jong-rok, who sacrifices himself to prevent the bankruptcy of KUKBO soju. He is a devoted director with a deep sense of loyalty but also has a down-to-earth side. However, he faces a major crisis when he meets In-beom, an employee of a global investment firm.
Yoo Hae-jin stated, "It's a movie dealing with alcohol, so the script was easy to read. There's a bromance element with Lee Je-hoon that develops into friendship as the story progresses. I'm curious if that aspect has been well reflected in the final product. Lee Je-hoon performed exceptionally well."
In the film, Yoo Hae-jin performed drinking scenes and said, "There's a new soju product introduced that emphasizes a concept of 'smooth and fresh' in taste. I acted with the intention of drinking like that. I usually like soju, so it wasn't hard to drink it deliciously. I hope viewers will think, 'I want a glass of soju' while watching our movie."
Lee Je-hoon also showcased drinking scenes, saying, "I don't usually drink well, so I have an image of soju being bitter and difficult. But through this project, I experienced drinking soju feeling 'cheers' and it made me feel sweet. Gradually, as I adapted to it, I found myself wanting soju more. If the audience feels, 'I really want to try that soju,' there can't be a happier moment than that."
Lee Je-hoon plays the capable employee Choi In-beom at a global investment firm. Initially unable to understand Jong-rok's dedication to the company and the company dinner where they share a drink after work, he starts to change during his interactions with Jong-rok.
Lee Je-hoon revealed the reason for choosing this project, saying, "I felt that it was a rare opportunity because senior Yoo Hae-jin was doing this work. All the actors fit their characters perfectly. I thought we could perform fantastically, including the acting ensemble."
Yoo Hae-jin praised his senior Son Hyun-joo, saying, "He is one of the few senior actors I truly respect. I always wondered how he could perform such acting. Now he tells me to do it cleverly. I thought, 'How old are you, Hyung?'. However, I heard he didn't hold back during the shoot and has faced many accidents because of it. He doesn't hold back at all, which is why I often thought, 'I really like his acting' when I saw him in the past."
When asked about the differences from the recently concluded drama 'The Art of Negotiation', Lee Je-hoon responded, "If you watch the movie, you'll realize that my character is completely different from the drama. The drama features a negotiation expert with high abilities, but 'Big Deal' portrays more childish aspects concerning his desires and ambitions. There are emotional expressions based on goals he wants to achieve. You'll be able to feel the character's humanity. While the work's overall temperature might be contextually similar, there are distinctly different points, so I hope you enjoy those differences."
Son Hyun-joo portrayed Seok Jin-woo, a second-generation chaebol who inherited KUKBO Group, while Choi Young-joon played lawyer Koo Young-mo, who is responsible for crisis management at KUKBO Group.
On this day, Choi Young-joon introduced his character, at which point Son Hyun-joo mentioned, "(Choi Young-joon) got married last year and is currently on his honeymoon."
Previously, on October 20 of last year, Choi Young-joon held a wedding ceremony with his long-term non-celebrity bride in a private location in Seoul.
At the time, Choi Young-joon's agency Ace Factory stated, "Actor Choi Young-joon will be getting married on October 20 to his long-term lover. The ceremony is set to be held privately in a hotel in Seoul," and thanked for the warm congratulations on his wedding news.
Son Hyun-joo mentioned, "He got married last year and is currently on his honeymoon." Lee Je-hoon added, "I heard he hasn't been able to go on his honeymoon yet, but says he will soon." Yoo Hae-jin joked about the honeymoon destination being in Europe, eliciting laughter. Choi Young-joon appeared embarrassed by his colleagues' honeymoon teasing.
Yoo Hae-jin expressed his respect for senior Son Hyun-joo, saying, "He is one of the few mentors I truly respect. I often wondered how he could perform like that while watching him in the media. He told me to start doing it cleverly. I thought, 'How old are you, Hyung?' But I've heard that he didn't hold back and had many accidents during the filming process. He puts himself out there like that, which is why I often thought, 'I really liked his acting' when I saw him in the past."
Unusually, director Choi Yoon-jin was absent from the press conference, as there are currently internal conflicts between the production company The Lamp and the director. The film was originally titled 'Moral Hazard' and completed filming, with the first edit finished. However, while working on post-production in 2023, it became entangled in a screenplay copyright dispute. Director Choi Yoon-jin received a notice last September from the production company regarding his termination. He subsequently filed a request with the court to suspend the effectiveness of the termination of his directing contract. The production company claims that the director deceived them by presenting a single script and later revealed that there is an original creator, stating that trust was broken and the first edit was so poor they could not continue working with him, alleging script theft.
With both sides engaged in a legal battle, there is concern that the film, set to be released soon, may suffer. A court's decision on the request is expected to be announced soon.
At the press conference, a question about the director's absence was posed to the actors, and MC Park Kyung-rim stated, "Today, it has unfortunately become a gathering of only the actors," adding, "There are some legal matters related to the film that we're waiting for a judgment on, so at this point, the production team and the actors cannot provide specific answers. We will provide a separate position or arrange a session to discuss the matters once the legal judgment is made. We appreciate your understanding."
Finally, Yoo Hae-jin remarked, "Unintentionally, our film is being released consecutively in theaters, and I ask for your love for 'Big Deal' as well." Lee Je-hoon said, "It has many exciting elements, and I'm curious how the audience will receive it. If you come to the theater, you will witness an incredible display of enjoyable movies and the chemistry of the actors on screen." Son Hyun-joo added, "'Big Deal' is an incredibly intense film. It's a film where you can feel the tension and fun not only from the actors here but from everyone involved. Please love it when it's released."
Meanwhile, 'Big Deal' is set to be released on June 3.
[Photo] Reporter Jo Eun-jung
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