MOVIE
Song Joong-ki Shares Behind-the-Scenes Insights on 'Bogota: The Land of Last Chances'
On the 6th, a production briefing for the movie 'Bogota: The Land of Last Chances' was held at Megabox COEX in Samseong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Director Kim Seong-je, along with actors Song Joong-ki, Lee Hee-jun, Kwon Hae-hyo, Park Ji-hwan, Jo Hyun-chul, and Kim Jong-soo, attended the event.
'Bogota: The Land of Last Chances' tells the story of Guk-hee (played by Song Joong-ki), who, after the IMF crisis, moves to Bogota, Colombia, with hopes of a new beginning. There, he becomes entangled with Soo-young (played by Lee Hee-jun), a key figure in the Korean community in Bogota, and Sergeant Park (played by Kwon Hae-hyo).
Song Joong-ki plays the role of Guk-hee, who leaves Korea with his family for Bogota after the IMF crisis, only to lose everything and do whatever it takes to succeed. Song described the film as a survival story, stating, “I approached the film thinking it was a story about survival.” He added, “What caught my eye in the script was not the location but the conflict among Koreans in a foreign land. I wondered how Korean conflicts would unfold against the exotic backdrop of South America. It turned out as well as I had hoped.”
Regarding his character, Song said, “The character changes with circumstances and age. Among the characters I've played recently, this one is the most driven by desire.” He continued, “He's a bundle of desires. The desire is simple: to survive. If I were to put it positively, it could be called responsibility.” He also mentioned, “When I first read the script, the character of 'Father Geun-tae' was the beginning and end of the film for me. The beginning and end are not good. The sense of responsibility and the will to survive rise intensely from within. As the story progresses, it boils over like lava.”
Song Joong-ki also shared insights about his appearance in the film, where he sports short hair and earrings. He said, “I usually don't like having things on my body. I've rarely bought accessories like watches, necklaces, or earrings with my own money.” He added, “When I went to pre-production, I observed the people of Bogota and suggested to the production team that I try earrings and cut my hair short. There were many firsts for me.”
'Bogota: The Land of Last Chances' is set to be released on the 31st.
By Kim Ji-won, TenAsia Reporter bella@tenasia.co.kr
