Actor Bae Seong-woo repeatedly apologized for the belated release of his starring film "The Final Investigation" seven years later.
On the afternoon of the 25th at CGV Yongsan I'Park Mall in Seoul, a press screening for the film "The Final Investigation" was held. Present were lead actors Bae Seong-woo, Jung Ga-ram, Cho Han-Cheul, Yoon Kyung-ho, and director Park Cheol-hwan.
"The Final Investigation" (written and directed by Park Cheol-hwan, distributed by Ace Maker Movie Works Co., Ltd., produced by Cheongnyeon Film Co., Ltd.·IAAN Pictures Co., Ltd.) tells the story of veteran detective Seo Jae-hyuk (played by Bae Seong-woo), who was demoted to a rural backwater and given one last chance in life, and the events that unfold when he and rookie detective Kim Jung-ho (played by Jung Ga-ram) head to Seoul to wrap up an investigation to catch the real killer entangled with two suspects.
Inspired by a true case, "The Final Investigation" is director Park Cheol-hwan's first feature film; Park has shown his directing skill on series such as "Grid" and "Blood Free." The film promises nonstop entertainment with a chain of developments and repeated twists in the search for the real culprit within the situation of "one incident, two suspects," plus diverse chemistry. Bae Seong-woo and Jung Ga-ram play veteran detective Seo Jae-hyuk and influencer-turned-rookie detective Kim Jung-ho, respectively, presenting a detective duo with gritty chemistry; Esom appears as straightforward prosecutor Kang Mi-joo, Cho Han-Cheul as elite detective Oh Min-ho, and Yoon Kyung-ho joins as murder suspect Jo Dong-o to complete the acting ensemble.
Above all, lead actor Bae Seong-woo was caught driving under the influence in November 2020 at a level warranting license cancellation. At the time he left the SBS drama "Fly, Gaecheon-yong" midproduction and took a period of self-reflection, and he was fined 7 million won on charges of drunk driving under the Road Traffic Act.
He later returned through the 2024 Netflix series "The 8 Show," and continued activities with appearances in the Disney+ "Light Shop" and Coupang Play variety show "SNL Korea Reboot Season 7." The film that had been indefinitely delayed because of the drunk driving incident, originally titled "Business Trip Investigation," was retitled "The Final Investigation" and released to the public after seven years.
Wearing an all-black suit and appearing tense at the news conference, Bae Seong-woo said, "I am grateful just that it is being released after many things," and added, "I appreciate you all coming today. I hope those who watch the film leave with an enjoyable experience."
In response to the question, "We're curious how it feels to see yourself on screen again. Does it feel like you're back in the field?" he said, "I haven't really thought about thinking, 'I'm back in the field.' I am just grateful that it's being released; that in itself feels like a relief. Even when I worked before, I didn't have that feeling," adding, "I think I only thought about the work itself, and I hope viewers enjoy it. I hope those who spend money or time coming here do not feel it was a waste."
On his feelings about the film being released after seven years, he said, "Honestly, I feel very sorry that it was released so late because of my mistake. I have never really thought, 'I'm back in the field.' I'm always cautious. It's not just about this period; I think I should continue to live like that going forward," and added, "I worked on this film for a very long time, starting from the first revision of the script. As I said earlier, I hope you enjoy a pleasant two hours."
He continued, "When I watched the film after a long time and saw the heavily edited final cut, the other actors performed so very well that it was wonderful," and said, "Before coming in here I told Kyungho that it was really frightening; Han-cheol and Ga-ram, too, and although she is not here today, Esom also performed her roles so well that they shone. I am very grateful and also feel sorry. I am thankful to the director as well," expressing sincerity.
Jung Ga-ram, who also saw his film after seven years, said, "Thank you for coming all the way; it's my first time watching the film, and I'm grateful we could all see it together in a theater. I hope you enjoy it," Cho Han-Cheul said, "I also watched the film for the first time today and it was a fun time. The movie was entertaining. I'm a bit excited now. Thank you all for coming and please support us," and Yoon Kyung-ho said, "I played the wrongfully accused suspect Jo Dong-ho. Watching the film and seeing a different version of myself was pleasant. Scenes we filmed then keep coming to mind, and it felt fresh," they each said.
Director Park Cheol-hwan, who waited more than anyone, said, "This is the first time it has been shown to the public like this. I am very nervous and excited. I would be grateful if you enjoy it," and added, "I took the motif from a real case and actually investigated several incidents. In reality, I pieced together many Japanese cases. The cases that happened in Korea had already been made into films. Trying to distinguish ours, I looked a lot at cases from Japan. I thought the plausibility of the case itself had to be there. I thought that alone was not enough, so I paid attention and wrote carefully."
Bae Seong-woo, who said he received the script first, said, "In a way it's a typical concept, but thinking about what our distinguishing factor could be, I thought how it would feel to have a veteran detective and a rookie detective. They called that gritty chemistry. Often they start off not getting along and then grow closer. I followed that approach. As an older veteran there are pros and cons, and as a rookie there are pros and cons. If they use those pros and cons as weapons to solve cases, viewers will feel a sense of satisfaction. There is also an honest harmony between generations," he appealed.
About Jung Ga-ram he said, "At first Ga-ram gave me the impression of being rude. (laughs) After watching the film 'Fourth Place' he played the young version of Park Hae-jun's character and I felt bad because he was handsome and had an impressively good physique. (laughs) But looking back, he was so innocent and a very hardworking type. I was impressed by the actor. Just as Seo Jae-hyuk is moved by Jung-ho, Bae Seong-woo was moved by Jung Ga-ram," he praised without reserve.
Jung Ga-ram smiled and said, "Senior Bae Seong-woo is a veteran as an actor, and I am a rookie, but even with our age gap he felt very open. He joked a lot and was serious when he needed to be. Throughout the shoot I leaned on and loved my seniors."
Finally, Bae Seong-woo added, "I am grateful whenever any film is released, but this project brings a lot of both apology and gratitude. I sincerely hope viewers enjoy it."
Meanwhile, "The Final Investigation" opens on Apr. 2.
[Photo] Reporter Lee Dae-seon
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