The comedy film Heartman, drawing attention as the first comedy of the 2026 new year, met audiences upon its release on the 14th.
On opening day, director Choi Won-seop and actors Kwon Sang-woo, Moon Chae-won, and Pyo Jihoon attended a stage greeting at CGV Yongsan I'Park Mall in Seoul, adding to the cheerful atmosphere.
Kwon Sang-woo, who previously attracted attention by kneeling and sincerely addressing the audience during a stage greeting for the Hitman series,.
At the press preview on the 8th, Kwon Sang-woo said, "At that time I happened to kneel because I wanted to appeal sincerely to the audience, and if kneeling means the film will do well I can kneel 10 times or more," and he added, "How grateful would it be if people came to the theater and paid to watch a film I appeared in. When our movie opens I want to sincerely convey my gratitude to the fans. I'm thinking now about what to do. I probably should do something, but that seems harder than filming," which drew laughter.
At the stage greeting that day, there was interest in what event Kwon Sang-woo would present.
Kwon Sang-woo told the audience, "It is finally opening day; if you watch the film to the end you will be satisfied with laughter, fun and emotion. I will take many photos for you so please post them in many places, and please support the new year's first comedy Heartman so it can run in theaters for a long time. To show my gratitude for coming to see it, in the previous film I kneeled out of desperation, but this time I will perform a deep bow wishing you many blessings in the new year," and he expressed his thanks by performing a group deep bow with Moon Chae-won and Pyo Jihoon.
Afterwards, Kwon Sang-woo approached the audience seats and created a warm atmosphere by kneeling and taking selfies while meeting the eye level of several fans. Following Hitman and now Heartman, his love for fans and heartfelt actions once again left a deep impression.
Meanwhile, Heartman (director Choi Won-seop, distributor: Lotte Entertainment, production: Movierock·Like M Company) is a comedy about Seung-min (played by Kwon Sang-woo), a man who returns and struggles to avoid losing his first love Bo-na (played by Moon Chae-won), but a secret that he can never tell her arises. It is a work from production company Movierock, which presented titles such as the 5 million-plus-selling Young Detective, Pilot, and Sweet and Bitter: 7510, reuniting comedy genre hitmaker Kwon Sang-woo and director Choi Won-seop, with Moon Chae-won returning in a first-love mood, Park Ji-hwan showing a strong presence in every work, and scene-stealer Pyo Jihoon adding vitality to the film.
Heartman will bring laughter and emotion to audiences visiting theaters in the new year. It remains to be seen whether the warm response will continue along with Kwon Sang-woo's sincerity.
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