The veil has been lifted on actress Kim Shin-rock in the film "Gunchae."
On the 8th, the film "Gunchae" (director Yeon Sang-ho, provided/distributed by SHOWBOX, produced by Wowpoint·Smilegate, co-produced by Midnight Studio) released character stills of Choi Hyun-hee, played by Kim Shin-rock.
"Gunchae" is a film about survivors trapped inside a building sealed off by an unknown infection who confront infected people evolving into unpredictable forms. It is the new work from director Yeon Sang-ho, who received acclaim for films and series including "Train to Busan," "The Face," and the Netflix series "Hell." It is expected to show a new "Yeoniverse (Yeon Sang-ho universe)."
Having shown solid acting skills and a distinctive presence through years on the theater stage, Kim Shin-rock drew strong public attention with a powerful impression as Park Jung-ja in "Hell." Since then, she has demonstrated flexible acting across genres and platforms—from stage to screen and OTT—in works including the drama "Reborn Rich" and "Queen of Tears," as well as the films "Jeon, Ran" and "Project Y." With each project she has shown a wide acting spectrum and taken over scenes, and Kim Shin-rock promises another variation in "Gunchae."
Choi Hyun-hee, played by Kim Shin-rock, is one of the survivors trapped by the infection after she visited the Dunguri building to have lunch with her younger brother Hyun-seok during a rare vacation. Kim Shin-rock said she set the character direction based on director Yeon Sang-ho's remark that "Choi Hyun-hee is a character who has faith in human society and human goodwill," adding anticipation for a character who will show courage beyond survival instincts.
Director Yeon Sang-ho also said, "I wanted to portray the disabled character Choi Hyun-hee three-dimensionally. While thinking about how to express her differently, I thought actress Kim Shin-rock was right for the role." For the character, Kim Shin-rock not only got used to using a wheelchair but also lost weight for action scenes where she is carried on the back of her younger brother, Choi Hyun-seok, played by Ji Changwook.
Ji Changwook said, "Although I was the one carrying her, I instead relied on Kim Shin-rock," and Jeon Ji-hyun, who plays Kwon Se-jung, the leader of the survivor group fighting alongside them, said, "Acting alongside my peer Kim Shin-rock brought us much closer, and I learned a lot," raising expectations for the Choi Hyun-hee character born from deep mutual trust.
Among the released stills, those capturing the multilayered emotions Kim Shin-rock portrayed as Choi Hyun-hee attract attention. In contrast to scenes where she moves through the building with a bright expression, shots of her guarding her surroundings with a cold gaze fully convey the tension of being isolated by the infected. Then, a shot of her speaking on the phone with a desperate expression further heightens curiosity about whether Choi Hyun-hee and her younger brother will escape the crisis.
"Gunchae" opens in theaters in May. <
[Photo] Provided by SHOWBOX.
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