The spicy and humorous comedy 'Pretty Crazy' has unveiled its details.
On the 9th, the press conference for the film 'Pretty Crazy' (provided/distributed by: CJ ENM | produced by: Oeyun Naegang Co., Ltd. | directed by: Lee Sang-geun) was held at CGV Yongsan I'Park Mall in Seoul. The event was hosted by Park Kyoung-rim, with attendees including Lim Yoona, Ahn Bo-hyun, Sung Dong-il, Joo Hyun-young, and director Lee Sang-geun.
'Pretty Crazy' tells the story of a young unemployed man named 'Gil-gu' (Ahn Bo-hyun), who gets a bizarre part-time job to monitor 'Seon-ji' (Lim Yoona), who wakes up as a devil every dawn, resulting in a comedic tale filled with devilish mischief.
On this day, director Lee Sang-geun personally appeared, expressing his gratitude by saying, "I would like to first thank everyone who came here. I volunteered to come because I wanted to express this. I did not come out of coercion or persuasion; I came of my own accord, and I felt sincerity in wanting to express my thanks. Having observed various press conferences in the past, I thought about someone I must meet again, so I would like to introduce Ms. Park Kyoung-rim, who is hosting today."
Director Lee noted, "In the past, when making my first film, I had no idea and felt nothing, but it's great to announce the beginning of my second film and to see Kyoung-rim after such a long time." He added, "I was very thankful for the love we received for 'Exit,' and I pondered what I could show for my second film. I thought this time, although it is a bit smaller, I wanted to delve deeper into the characters and humanity. Originally, this was the work I prepared as my debut work, but it got pushed back. I wanted to resolve that regret and began from the start to reorganize it."
Regarding the casting of actors, he said, "I had very positive memories of actress Lim Yoona, and the character of Seon-ji is one that Yoona had not shown much transformation in. I thought she could express it well, and there would be synergy between us, so I made the proposal. When I first saw Ahn Bo-hyun, I was overwhelmed, thinking, 'How can someone like this exist?' I truly thought he was a completely different person. He has a strong outward appearance but brings a comforting feeling inside, which I thought would fit well with the character of Gil-gu."
Furthermore, he expressed, "I respect Sung Dong-il very much, and since there are many key elements that need to be covered to carry the genre of the film, I made a difficult request to him. I observed Jo Hyun-young's acting and found that comedy acting is indeed difficult, requiring great observation and calculation. I thought she was a remarkable actress who could express not only simple comedy but also detailed emotions, so I decided to work with her."
Director Lee Sang-geun and actress Lim Yoona reunited six years after their hit debut film 'Exit,' which attracted 9.42 million viewers and created a summer box office sensation in Korea. He remarked about Lim's performance, saying, "I was quite surprised by many aspects. As our familiarity grew, she seemed able to alleviate some of the burdens within her limits. I was grateful that she broke through some of her unexplored limitations. Whatever Lim Yoona performs, I receive it gratefully. In fact, there were moments when I wondered, 'Is it really okay to do this?'"
Lim Yoona shared, "I had so many good memories from working together on 'Exit.' If I could work with this team again, I would be so happy, and I thought that when the director offered me the lovely character, I gladly accepted the project. As I felt during the process, we had a wonderful environment to work in during 'Exit,' and the same was true for this current set. It was even easier for me to understand the director's codes, and I have a special affection for the character Jung Seon-ji. I wanted to bring out the aspects that the director wanted to express while leveraging the memories of our previous collaboration."
She continued, "I found the script itself very enjoyable. From the moment I received it, I felt that I really wanted to express this, or it truly embodied the director himself. During 'Exit,' it was our first meeting, and I didn't know much about him while shooting, but after filming, I realized that 'this movie contains so much of the director's essence.' With this work, as I got to know him better, I thought that if it were him, he would depict it this way. It was a script I viewed with trust, so I wanted to join willingly."
About her character, Lim Yoona explained, "At first glance, I wanted to create a clear differentiation. For daytime Seon-ji, I aimed for a pure, clean, and girl-like image. In contrast, the devil character, starting with curly hair, needed to incorporate every essential strong element." She continued, "In fact, each character has elements from director Lee Sang-geun. Even my laugh was molded to fit; I tried to express the director's essence as a motif within myself."
Ahn Bo-hyun said, "When I read the script, I had many thoughts about how I should portray it. I didn't have a specific role model in mind. However, through conversations with the director, I thought, 'This is the director's work,' and I aimed to grasp his heart and focus on that." He added, "There are similarities between me and Gil-gu. I've tried various sports, though I'm not exceptionally good. I can do them all, and while people want to take me along, I'm not that skilled. I do have height as an advantage, but I find similarities with Gil-gu. The director didn't put me through any suffering, but there were tough moments, which I think you'll have to see in the movie."
He conveyed their chemistry with Lim Yoona, noting, "Yoona really is quite tall. There are many scenes where I have to take care of Seon-ji. There are many moments of holding or picking her up, and I believed we would create a dependable two-shot there." Ahn Bo-hyun added, "We jumped into the Han River together, rode bouncing castles together, and spent the entire filming period close to each other without any solo shots. It seems such chemistry has come through on camera. Personally, I think Yoona is so easygoing that she almost resembles the devil version of Seon-ji, which contributed to the uplifting atmosphere on set, making us feel comfortable."
Sung Dong-il joked, "In this work, I have no particular image transformation. I worked hard to give joy as per the director's instructions." When asked about his focus in this work, he replied with a laugh, "None at all. Since the last project went so well, the director carried a lot of weight. On set, it felt like he was filming obsessively. I just took on the role of a father while also resembling a servant in the character." He added, "The director wrote it himself, and the stage setting is actually in his neighborhood. Since we captured familiar scenes, I genuinely have high expectations for how this will turn out. I felt I must give my best effort, considering that the director has captured everything except for the soles of my feet. I focused on every single scene, so it will surely go well."
Moreover, Sung Dong-il said, "Personally, I find the devil's daughter much more attractive. From a father's perspective, whether she's a devil or normal, it's all a burden. I don't think there are any easy children. I have two daughters myself, but I have to maintain the father's role. Actually, there's a long story behind that, so I feel worn out. While they are my children, there are times when they can be bothersome; I leave that burden with Gil-gu. I was surprised. Although she has a big stature, on set, she turned out to be very polite and boyish. I wondered why, with such a big size, she was that kind. She was an ideal character to throw my burdensome daughter to. Additionally, I unloaded all the stress I received from my real daughter onto Ara, so I am grateful she managed it playfully. I learned a lot on set, including self-management, communication, and hard work."
Specifically, Sung Dong-il responded to the question of "living with five devil Seon-ji vs. living with five Ara who goes to clubs every night" with a firm answer, "I would rather die. Let me go first." After entering the lineage of 'the girl of the devil,' Lim Yoona added, "Isn't that lineage already so famous? I felt like I obtained a certification by being able to be part of it." Sung Dong-il humorously commented, "One day, someone suggested that since there are three members of Girls' Generation among the girl of the devil group, we should gather all three to hang out."
Joo Hyun-young, who plays Ara, Seon-ji's cousin, said, "When I first read the script, Seon-ji was too strong. I was truly curious how senior Yoona would channel all that energy into her acting. Ara has the mission to take care of Seon-ji, so I thought I would need a certain backbone to handle her and tried my best to bring out the lively aspects within me."
He described his feelings about joining the movie, saying, "It felt like I descended from a plane into a jungle and crash-landed. Although I wanted to land, it was indeed a jungle." When Sung Dong-il humorously asked, "Was the set that uncomfortable?" Joo Hyun-young explained, "It was intense. This was my first film shoot, and the seniors I worked with had a character that was indeed vibrant like a fish. Because I had to bring that charm fully from the jungle, it was undoubtedly challenging. Therefore, the seniors continuously assisted me. Senior Yoona frequently whispered funny stories into my ear, igniting my competitive spirit, while she filled me with energy rather than making me feel burdened. Senior Bo-hyun emotionally supported me from the side, even taking film photos for me."
Regarding his chemistry with uncle Sung Dong-il, he said, "It's truly a hundred percent. I'm grateful to the senior who has captured the unpredictable charm of a lively fish," while also humorously quipping, "As for the chemistry between Seon-ji and Gil-gu, I would rate it at 9,999 percent, just one percent less than us."
Finally, director Lee expressed, "We are finally set to be released. I hope not only our movie but also Korean films coming out together this summer do well and that theaters become lively again as before." Joo Hyun-young added, "The timing seems great—the heat wave is on, and it suddenly rains. From my experience as a radio DJ, I can tell many people are waiting. I hope they come for this film to enjoy and have a happy time during their summer vacation." Lim Yoona appealed, "I think this movie is perfect for summer. The spicy and humorous 'Pretty Crazy' should definitely be seen in theaters."
Meanwhile, 'Pretty Crazy' will be available in theaters on August 13.
[Photo] OSEN DB
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