News bites: July 5, 2022

by stroopwafel

Lee Je-hoon

• A new film starring Lee Je-hoon (Move to Heaven) titled Another Record: Lee Je-hoon will premiere next month on the streaming platform Seezn. Dubbed a “cinematic documentary,” it’s a new, experimental genre that blends fact and fiction. So, not quite a mockumentary but also not an actual documentary. The narrative will delve into the actor’s real life and the life he may have led if he hadn’t become an actor. With a focus on the road not traveled and dreams forgotten, the film is set to show facets of the actor that haven’t been shown on screen before. Several of Lee’s actual friends will also make appearances and though no one’s been named, I hope we see a few familiar faces. Maybe a little Park Jung-min (Hellbound) and Sohn Seok-gu (My Liberation Notes)? The cinematic documentary will be directed by rookie Yoon Dan-bi (Moving On), who won the 2021 Baeksang for Best New Director. [Asia Kyungje, Munhwa News]

• The squad is back, and The Good Detective is gearing up for its second season. The show is currently in post-production, and we’re getting a steady stream of promos lately, including stills from the first script reading. The original lead duo Sohn Hyun-joo (Tracer) and Jang Seung-jo (Snowdrop) will once again face off against villains whose thirst for bad can’t be quenched. This year, we’re in for a new set of antagonists, with Kim Hyo-jin (Human Disqualification) and Jung Moon-sung (The Veil) putting on their Bad Guy hats. Good Detective 2 will will premiere July 30 on JTBC. [XportsNews]
• Director Bong Joon-ho is going global again for his first post-Parasite project. His next film, Mickey7 is a venture into sci-fi and human clones. Much like his 2012 film Snowpiercer, the cast features a host of Hollywood names. Tilda Swinton, a bona fide Bong Joon-ho regular, will costar with Robert Pattinson, and Mark Ruffalo, Toni Collette, and Naomi Ackie round out the cast. Though Mickey7 is an adaptation of a novel by the same name, the film’s origin story actually dates back to when the novel was still in the manuscript stage. Author Edward Ashton gifted Bong a copy of his manuscript and he enjoyed the story so much that he began planning the movie version. Filming will begin in London next month and a tentative release date has been set for 2023. [Sports Chosun]

• Jang Hyuk (Red Heart) is back on the big screen in The Killer: A Girl Who Deserves To Die (what a heavy title). The action-thriller follows a former contract killer who’s forced out of retirement when inadvertently tasked with protecting a young girl. Jang Hyuk wore a lot of hats for this role; in addition to taking on the lead role, he personally recruited Cha Tae-hyun (Police University) and Sohn Hyun-jo (Tracer) to make cameos. On top of that, he also took on the role of fight choreographer and worked closely with the martial arts director to create an action style that focused on long, single-takes rather than fast, choppy cuts. Jang Hyuk is such perfection in sageuks, but I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t missed seeing him in a modern role. I half wish it was something a little less violent, but beggars can’t be choosers and the trailer has piqued my interest. The Killer: A Girl Who Deserves To Die will premiere simultaneously in South Korea and the U.S. on July 13. [Newsen, Ilgan Sports]
• Coupang’s Anna may have already premiered, but there’s no rest for leading lady Suzy (Start-Up). She recently sat for an interview and discussed the challenges of her latest role and her ambitions as an actor. Anna revolves around a woman who changes her entire life with a single lie. There’s a Talented Mr. Ripley-esque flavor to the drama and Suzy tacked the titular Anna, who starts life as an average woman from humble beginnings. The prospect of playing a character with two very different facets to her didn’t faze Suzy — in fact, it was one that she was particularly eager to take on. “I chose this drama because I was eager to show a new side of myself. I think the project will remain precious to me as it allowed me to show another side of my acting. When I get another good script that requires a bold change, I will continue to take that challenge on without hesitation.” [Star News]

Suzy

• Seriously star-studded and seriously tense, Emergency Declaration has new character posters and a trailer out in advance of its August premiere. Song Kang-ho (Parasite, Broker), Lee Byung-heon (Our Blues), Jeon Do-yeon (Human Disqualification), Kim Nam-gil (Through the Darkness), and Im Shi-wan (Tracer) come together in this thriller film. What starts out as a regular passenger flight quickly devolves into chaos when a terrorist threat on the plane is reported out into the world. With airports refusing the plane’s right to land, the movie will follow attempts both in the air and on the ground to stave off disaster. All signs point to Im Shi-wan being the source of the flight’s danger and chaos and I am here for it. I love swoony Im Shi-wan (see: Run On) but dark, creepy Im Shi-wan can be magnetic (see: Hell Is Other People). If my nerves can handle it, I’ll be watching this whenever it becomes available (no word on global screening rights ye, however). [Hankook Kyungje, News1]

 
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