Ha Seok-jin, Lee Shin-young, and Dahyun's 'Sprint' is coming.
On the 5th, a press screening and a media conference for the movie 'Sprint' were held at Lotte Cinema World Tower in Songpa District, Seoul. Director Lee Seung-hoon was present alongside Ha Seok-jin, Lee Shin-young, Dahyun, Lee Soon-won, and Yoon Seo-bin to discuss the film.
The film 'Sprint' is a running drama that depicts a man running in the present and a man running in the future, showcasing their sprint toward a perfect ending as they run through time. It is set to premiere on the 10th.
The film portrays Gu Yeong (played by Ha Seok-jin), who is the fastest man in Korea but at the end of his prime, striving to cut just 0.02 seconds to fulfill his dream of participating in the Men's 100M at the World Athletics Championships. Actor Lee Shin-young plays the role of high school student Kang Seung-yeol, who has legs faster than a soccer ball, diving into the joy of running as a budding high schooler.
Adding a unique charm, TWICE member and actress Dahyun plays Lim Ji-eun, who captures Seung-yeol's heart with her happy running appearance.
On this day, Director Lee Seung-hoon opened up about his thoughts on the release, saying, 'Our actors have sprinted through this film like the title suggests since last summer. I tried to capture the sweat of the actors well, though I'm not sure how it turned out. I hope for your support.'
The protagonist Ha Seok-jin said, 'I've never been known for being fast at running since I was young, but taking on the role of an athlete made me train hard. We filmed this movie while intensely running since February and March of last year, and I stood there with excitement.' Lee Shin-young also noted, 'When we were filming, we tried hard to capture youthfulness and filmed while laughing. I feel good that it seems well captured.'
Dahyun expressed, 'Our movie is truly a passionate film that dashes toward dreams with all its heart. I hope you enjoy it.'
'Sprint' is a movie inspired by the real-life athlete Kim Guk-young. Director Lee Seung-hoon said, 'I love watching sports intuitively. I happened to have intuitively watched the 100M race once, where an older athlete won by a considerable margin but seemed to be straining. It turned out that he had to break the world championship standard of 10.05 seconds but was at 10.07 seconds.'
Director Lee Seung-hoon, feeling a sense of empathy with his own experiences, shared, 'I've also worked hard for a long time as a director and found it difficult when I was just one step short. I hope 'Sprint' becomes a movie that illustrates people running toward their dreams, even if it's not on a track; a moment that can shine brightly and decorate a page in life. I'm grateful that we could release this film.'
He also discussed key themes in the film, stating, 'I wanted to offer encouragement and support to myself and also to Kim Guk-young, who serves as a motif, and to the characters Gu Yeong and Seung-yeol in the film. As an East Asian, it's challenging to record under 10.05 seconds, and I want to cheer for the passion of those giving their best, conveying that even if one fails, the act itself is beautiful. I considered encouragement and support while writing the script.'
This film 'Sprint' marks Ha Seok-jin's return to the screen after 9 years. He said, 'In truth, acting in front of the camera is not a huge difference, as I haven't been resting for 9 years. Before the media preview, there was a stage greeting. It made me think how it's been a long time since I did something like that.'
He continued, 'I've kept promoting my work through movie theater advertisements. Being honored to take on the role of a sprinter feels wonderful and nostalgic, considering I could see myself on the screen.'
Isn't acting as an athlete tough? Ha Seok-jin said, 'I received the script around December 2023, and the filming started last summer. In a way, I'm at a point in my life where I should be beyond youthful stories. There were aspects where I found similarities with Gu Yeong.'
Ha Seok-jin noted, 'I had never heard that I was fast at running as a child, but I started learning how to run at age 42, thinking that I could practice. I practiced alongside Lee Shin-young, who was born in 1998, and Yoon Seo-bin, born in 1999, but couldn't keep up. The next day, it was like a vivid experience but I couldn't endure it. Because of that process, I think I was able to accumulate the feelings of joy and sorrow that Gu Yeong experiences as I prepared for filming. At the time, I genuinely felt that I was sprinting to become Gu Yeong.'
Lee Shin-young took on an athlete's role for this project following the movie 'Rebound' released in 2023. When asked about her athletic skills, she replied, 'Actually, I do have a slightly better athletic instinct than others. But I had that thought before I met Seo-bin. I had a certain pride since I was someone who placed 1st or 2nd during my school days, but upon running with Seo-bin, I realized there are people even better than me. I became humble.'
Lee Shin-young expressed, 'While building my character, I became focused on record times and felt a surge of ambition about training. This seems to be the thrill athletes feel, and I think that's the charm of being a track athlete.' She shared, 'I had finished 1st or 2nd during my school days and even made it to the finals in competitions, but meeting Seo-bin made me realize my shortcomings.'
Dahyun discussed her character Lim Ji-eun, saying, 'I think Ji-eun is a happy girl when she runs. There was a scene where she collapses on the track while running, placing her hand on her chest to savor the moment.' She added, 'Though breathless, I wanted to convey the happiness of feeling alive as I heard my heartbeat while running. I aimed to express Ji-eun's pride, excitement, and happiness.'
In particular, Dahyun shared her past ankle injury, saying, 'I had an ankle injury, which made me feel connected to Ji-eun, and it was reflected in my portrayal. The frustration and disappointment of things not going my way resonated with me.'
She went on to say, 'At first, Ji-eun was not interested in Seung-yeol. She hadn't smiled in a while, but she could only smile around Seung-yeol. Filming in school uniforms made me really happy as it felt like I was creating memories that took me back to those times when I laughed and joked around.'
They also shared some anecdotes from their practice. Lee Shin-young mentioned that on particularly hot days, they would take breaks when Director Lee Seung-hoon was not present. Director Lee responded, 'I was aware of everything because I got reports. However, the actors practiced amidst their schedules. While emotional acting is important, I emphasized that physical expression is a critical factor, and I want to express my gratitude for their hard work.'
Finally, as the release approaches, the actors delivered their concluding remarks. Dahyun started, saying, 'We truly filmed with all our effort since last summer. I believe viewers will feel various dreams, goals, passions, friendships, competition, and love while watching the film. I hope it serves as encouragement for those sprinting towards something while finding healing.'
Lee Soon-won added, 'In fact, you will see our youthful story of running toward our dreams. It feels like experiencing a one-plus-one mentality, where I achieved my dreams but still want to break through my limits alongside Seok-jin.' Yoon Seo-bin expressed, 'Amidst an influx of provocative content, we aimed to not lose direction while wanting to express pure resonance. I hope this film lets you ponder and savor what your own sprint might be.'
Lee Shin-young remarked, 'There are advantages that sports films have. I hope this film becomes a great dream and source of confidence for children growing up from watching it, as well as for everyone living in modern society.' Ha Seok-jin added, 'Sometimes when doing work, one wonders, 'Why am I doing this?' Watching our movie makes me think, 'Oh, I started this because I love it.' I believe this film inspires audiences to figure out what their next step should be, providing motivation to sprint.'
Meanwhile, the movie 'Sprint' is set to be released exclusively at Lotte Cinema on the 10th.
[Photo] Lee Dae-seon, reporter.
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