Director Hwang Byeong-guk of the film 'YADANG: The Snitch' emphasized the need for 'prosecutorial reform' and the social message through the extended version.
Hwang Byeong-guk conducted an interview on the morning of 6th at Mega Box Seongsu in Seongdong-gu, Seoul. In this meeting, he conversed with domestic reporters about the film 'YADANG: The Snitch: Extended Cut' (Directed by Hwang Byeong-guk, provided/distributed by Plus M Entertainment, produced by HYBE Media Corp) that is releasing today.
'YADANG: The Snitch: Extended Cut' is an extended version of the film 'YADANG,' which was released on April 16th and attracted 3.37 million viewers. 'YADANG' is a crime action film where a prosecutor aiming to rise higher based on the drug scene in Korea, a broker shaking the drug investigation, and a detective risking everything to eliminate drug crimes are intertwined, each with different goals. The extended version has about 15 minutes of additional footage that emphasizes the message of 'prosecutorial reform' centered on the protagonist, Prosecutor Koo Kwan-hee (played by Yoo Hae-jin), expanding on character narratives that were not included in the main film.
Regarding the extended version of 'YADANG,' Director Hwang Byeong-guk noted, "I felt good that 'YADANG' was released and received love from the audience. However, while watching the film, I thought, 'Why does that person act like that?' As you all know, there's a lot of discussion lately about the issue of prosecutorial reform or stories about prosecutors, and I thought, wouldn't it be interesting to re-examine the story from the perspective of a prosecutor?" explaining the reasoning behind the creation of the extended version.
He continued, "So, after about two weeks of reviewing the film, I realized there were scenes of Prosecutor Koo Kwan-hee that I hadn't included, and I remembered the supporting characters that the audience felt were lacking in the main film. I thought it would be more fitting for our current era to view the movie from a different perspective, so I decided to go ahead. Most existing films tend to add additional edits in the director's or extended versions, but I thought that wouldn't provide much cinematic enjoyment for me, so I considered re-editing it to match the current zeitgeist instead of just adding more content."
"I hadn't even considered an extended version from the beginning," said Director Hwang Byeong-guk. "In the main film, the main story revolves around Lee Kang-soo (played by Kang Ha-neul) and drug crimes, and I thought that was attractively sufficient as a commercial film. However, after finishing filming, I found myself drawn to the stories of people like Prosecutor Koo Kwan-hee, who represent the 'prosecutors' that had been hidden from view," he remarked.
He later revealed, "When I did the final edit and watched it in theaters, I thought about the scene where Prosecutor Koo Kwan-hee is caught by investigators and his expression as he briefly appeared in the prosecutor's office while looking at a phrase in a frame. After the main film ended, I thought those moments could build another story."
Among the added content compared to the main film, the most significantly extended part is that of Yoo Hae-jin's character, the prosecutor. Director Hwang Byeong-guk explained, "I aimed to incorporate the psychology and conflict through Yoo Hae-jin's narration. In contrast to the main film, the timeline is structured according to the order, and the supporting character stories, which left some questions in the main film, become clearly revealed in the extended version, along with a more detailed explanation of the relationship between Prosecutor Koo Kwan-hee and Lee Kang-soo (played by Kang Ha-neul). In this respect, audiences will find it easier to follow the story," he expressed with confidence. He added, "Yoo Hae-jin also felt that 'this way the story can develop too,' and he called it a meaningful opportunity, showing his pride in the work."
Above all, Director Hwang Byeong-guk emphasized the contemporary and social message of 'prosecutorial reform.' He stated, "The reason Lee Kang-soo became YADANG is because of Koo Kwan-hee, and it appears that Koo Kwan-hee orchestrated everything. Therefore, the story unfolds anew. The main film is from Lee Kang-soo's perspective, while in the extended version, it changes to be a film from Koo Kwan-hee's viewpoint," he asserted.
He explained, "The atmosphere of the times is even more so now. When Prosecutor Koo is being arrested, there is a final narration. He recalls, 'I remember my oath as a prosecutor from when I was appointed,' and while it was too long to include everything, the phrase I deem important is 'the courageous prosecutor who drives away the darkness of injustice, a warm-hearted prosecutor who cares for the powerless and marginalized, and a fair prosecutor who follows only the truth,' expressed the meaning and purpose of the prosecutor's creation, serving the people and the nation. This contrasts entirely with Prosecutor Koo Kwan-hee in this context."
Furthermore, Director Hwang Byeong-guk stated, "In the main film, the cockroaches represented the prosecutors. In the extended version, the meaning of the cockroaches expands to symbolize the general public." He added, "In reality, not all prosecutors are like that. 99% of prosecutors are diligently focused on catching criminals in their small offices, whereas it's the 1% of prosecutors that present issues."
Finally, he concluded, "At the end, just before Koo Kwan-hee is captured, he throws a cockroach with his shoe and says, 'I am still a prosecutor in Korea; if I am given another chance, I will demolish everything.' I thought the person in the Seoul Detention Center might think that way if given another chance. I would assume he would say something like that if offered another opportunity." He also added, "During the main film's press screening, I had to speak cautiously. I focused more on the drug aspects, but now I believe there is no need to do that. There is much discussion about prosecutorial reform in society, after all."
(Continued in Interview②.)
[Photo] Provided by Plus M Entertainment.
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