Actor Ahn Bo-hyun said he thought of 'Pretty Crazy' while watching 'Better Late Than Single.'
Ahn Bo-hyun met with reporters on the 7th at a cafe in Sogyeok-dong, Jongno District, Seoul, to talk about the film 'Pretty Crazy' (directed by Lee Sang-geun, provided and distributed by CJ ENM, produced by Ouyun Naekang).
'Pretty Crazy' is a comedy about a young unemployed man, Gil-gu (Ahn Bo-hyun), who becomes embroiled in a bizarre part-time job monitoring Seon-ji (Im Yoon-ah), who wakes up as a demon every morning. The film, praised for its unique premise of the encounter between a demon and a young unemployed man, is the second work of director Lee Sang-geun, who achieved blockbuster success with his previous film 'Exit,' which garnered 9.42 million admissions. Lee's pure and harmless direction stands out.
The character Gil-gu, played by Ahn Bo-hyun, falls in love at first sight with Seon-ji (Im Yoon-ah), who moves into the apartment below him, and after discovering the shocking fact that she transforms into a demon every morning, he volunteers for an extreme part-time job to protect her every dawn. Despite his tall stature and solid build, Gil-gu is shy and gentle, showcasing Ahn Bo-hyun's unexpected charm.
Ahn Bo-hyun, who has been notable for his charismatic performances, meets audiences on screen as the 'realistic unemployed' Gil-gu. Ahn Bo-hyun said about Gil-gu, "In reality, I am closer to Gil-gu. While not everyone is like that, I too had a somewhat introverted side like Gil-gu. I was even more so during my school days. As I became an adult and pursued acting, I wanted to become more outgoing, and I think I improved. Because of certain aspects of Gil-gu, Im Yoon-ah and the director, along with the staff, often told me I resembled him. I'm not sure if that's a compliment," he laughed.
Actually, there were casting issues before Ahn Bo-hyun became Gil-gu. Kim Sun-ho, who was cast as the counterpart, dropped out due to personal issues. Ahn Bo-hyun commented on the casting issue, saying, "I wanted to play this character even before the casting issues came up. I've often played roles that looked strong and masculine, so I thought it would be a challenge to do something different. I wondered if there were aspects of that within me, and I believed it would greatly help me. I approached it with that mindset, without feeling a lot of burden or confidence."
Gil-gu, played by Ahn Bo-hyun, truly experienced 'hardships' caring for Seon-ji, who becomes a demon at night. Ahn Bo-hyun explained, "When I see the actions of demon Seon-ji, they are behaviors an adult cannot normally do. I thought of them as actions a child might take, and when I reflect on them, they seemed reminiscent of a child's tantrums. There were many moments that appeared cute, so at first, Gil-gu is taken aback and floored, but later, he tries to stop and protect demon Seon-ji. I didn't see those actions as irritating or stubborn; rather, I felt increasingly inclined to embrace her."
In particular, regarding the numerous scenes where he had to carry Im Yoon-ah, he said, "Yoon-ah felt like a feather. She was so light that I thought, how heavy could she possibly be? Compared to the weights I lifted while exercising, she was truly like a feather. If the person being carried holds on well, it becomes easier. Every time she came down, she would say sorry, but I wondered if it was actually harder for her since she was wearing heels. Senior Sung Dong-il had a tough time, but since I held and carried properly, it wasn't exhausting for me."
When Ahn Bo-hyun heard comments that characters like 'Gil-gu' seem fantastical and do not exist in reality, he remarked, "That's not true," citing the Netflix show 'Better Late Than Single.' He said, "Watching 'Better Late Than Single,' I noticed friends like Gil-gu do exist. It seems possible that such friends could actually exist in real life. Of course, a friend like Gil-gu probably wouldn't have the temperament to appear on such a program."
So, what if you were to meet someone different during the day and night? Ahn Bo-hyun said, "I've never really thought about that, but if I had to choose one, I would lean towards the nighttime Seon-ji. If it were a person who coexists as an individual, that would be interesting. Each would have their own charm, and if it were to be realized, it could be fun. Night Seon-ji's actions weren't sharp; she felt like a child, so if I could choose, I would prefer a friend like night Seon-ji."
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