Kang Dong-won and Park Jung-min showcased their acting chemistry in the film 'Uprising'.
On the 3rd, an open talk for the film 'Uprising' was held at the outdoor theater of the Busan Cinema Center in Haeundae-gu, Busan, as part of the 29th Busan International Film Festival (BIFF). Director Kim Sang-man, along with actors Kang Dong-won, Park Jung-min, Cha Seung-won, Kim Shin-rok, Jin Seon-kyu, and Jung Sung-il, attended the event.
'Uprising' is a Netflix film set in the chaotic era of the Japanese invasions of Korea. It tells the story of Jong-ryeo (played by Park Jung-min), the son of the top military family in Joseon, and his servant Cheon-young (played by Kang Dong-won), who become adversaries as a close confidant of King Seonjo (played by Cha Seung-won) and a volunteer soldier.
Kang Dong-won plays Cheon-young, a character of low status but with exceptional swordsmanship skills. Park Jung-min portrays Jong-ryeo, who becomes King Seonjo's bodyguard after passing the military examination.
The friendship between Jong-ryeo and Cheon-young is so strong that their scenes together almost have a melodramatic feel. Park Jung-min humorously shared, "Even I felt a bit surprised watching it, thinking 'Oh?'" He added about Kang Dong-won, "He's a senior I really admire. Filming the past scenes early on made me like him even more. There was a period of a couple of months when we couldn't see each other, and I found myself missing him. When we reunited, it was delightful and reassuring," he said with a laugh.
Kang Dong-won commented, "Cheon-young and Jong-ryeo are best friends, but due to the tragic circumstances of the era, misunderstandings build up and they grow apart. There's a scene where they train in swordsmanship as children, and a noblewoman watches them. We joked that it was too intense. That scene really captures their relationship well. They are joyful and fun together, a fateful best friend relationship. While acting, I thought of them as friends who love each other. They understand each other like no one else." He continued, "I think those emotions came out better because it was Jung-min. We had a brief appearance together in a previous film, but it was great to work together for a longer period this time. We joked around during filming, calling Jung-min's eyes 'melodramatic eyes' when they got teary, and 'bad eyes' when we fought," he said, bursting into laughter.
'Uprising' is a Netflix film and will be released on Netflix on the 11th.
The 29th Busan International Film Festival opened on the 2nd and will continue until the 11th.
Busan Kim Ji-won, Ten Asia Reporter bella@tenasia.co.kr