Jo Jung-suk Takes on Summer Box Office with 'Zombie Daughter': A Family Comedy with a Twist

Actor Jo Jung-suk is set to challenge the summer box office once again with his new film 'Zombie Daughter,' following his previous hits 'Exit' and 'Pilot.' Despite its zombie theme, the film is a family comedy rather than a horror thriller, and the cast emphasizes that it's a movie families can enjoy together.

On the 30th, a production briefing for 'Zombie Daughter' was held at CGV Yongsan I'Park Mall in Seoul. Director Pil Gam-sung, along with actors Jo Jung-suk, Lee Jung-eun, Jo Yeo-jeong, Yoon Kyung-ho, and Choi Yoo-ri, were in attendance.

'Zombie Daughter' is a comedy about a father who undergoes secret training to protect his daughter, the last remaining zombie in the world. The film is based on a webtoon of the same name.

Director Pil Gam-sung explained, "It's a family comedy drama, not a horror thriller. However, the zombie details were important. We needed to show how Soo-ah (played by Choi Yoo-ri) changes in response to Jo Jung-suk's character, Jung-hwan. We didn't want to miss those motions."

The film's crew includes Jeon Young, the choreography director from 'Train to Busan,' art director Chae Kyung-sun from 'Rampant,' and makeup director Jo Tae-hee from 'All of Us Are Dead.' Director Pil added, "We wanted Soo-ah to be portrayed as scary yet lovable, like a pet. Another key element is dance, which connects Jung-hwan and Soo-ah. We incorporated choreography and group dance motions into the zombie movements."

Jo Jung-suk plays Jung-hwan, a doting father who transitions from a wild animal trainer to a zombie daughter trainer. He shared, "I received the script without having read the original webtoon, and it was so entertaining that I decided to join the project."

Jo Jung-suk expressed his hopes for the film's success, saying, "Following my previous summer releases 'Exit' and 'Pilot,' 'Zombie Daughter' is also set for a summer release. I feel lucky and grateful for this opportunity, and I hope it does well this summer."

He added, "In the movie, the zombie daughter starts biting her father from their first meeting, leading Jung-hwan to struggle in various ways. His friend Dong-bae (played by Yoon Kyung-ho) helps with the zombie daughter training."

In real life, Jo Jung-suk is also a doting father. He shared a parenting anecdote, saying, "I recently got scratched on the nose while playing with my daughter, so I covered it up with makeup today."

Lee Jung-eun plays Bamsun, the top-ranking grandmother who keeps the zombie granddaughter in check. She explained her reason for joining the film, saying, "I was looking for a project that families could gather and laugh together."

Lee Jung-eun takes on both comedic and action roles in 'Zombie Daughter,' even performing wire action scenes. She said, "I love wire action. I wanted to fly around in this role," and Jo Yeo-jeong praised her, saying, "She was more lovely than in the original."

Having played grandmother roles on stage in the past, Lee Jung-eun shared, "I played a 70-year-old in my 20s on stage. It was great to use that experience in the film. These days, seniors have such good skin, so it wasn't difficult. It's an active grandmother role, allowing me to show what I couldn't on stage."

Jo Yeo-jeong plays Yeon-hwa, a zombie hunter and Jung-hwan's first love. She said, "I've always been waiting for a warm story. When I heard about the cast, I thought, 'Even if I have just one line, I'll take this role.' But it turned out I had quite a few lines," she laughed. "I joined because I loved working with them."

Describing her character, Jo Yeo-jeong said, "Yeon-hwa despises zombies. She fights them with kendo and even receives a commendation from the government. Her presence in the village adds tension."

Yoon Kyung-ho plays Dong-bae, Jung-hwan's hometown friend and a pharmacist who joins the zombie daughter training. Known for his charming role as a proctologist in the Netflix series 'Trauma Center,' Yoon Kyung-ho humorously introduced himself as "the visual of 'Zombie Daughter.'" Jo Jung-suk jokingly countered, "That's not something we agreed on," adding to the laughter.

Yoon Kyung-ho shared, "I wanted to show a different charm, but it seems I'll be showing the same charm as before. I told the director I wanted to approach it seriously, not just aiming for laughs because it's a comedy. I wanted to create a realistic comedy that people naturally find funny. The director agreed, but I couldn't quite achieve it. The director often had to restrain me. I think I'll be showing a restrained charm," he said, causing laughter. Jo Jung-suk added, "Kyung-ho is funny even when he's just standing there."

Yoon Kyung-ho described his character, saying, "People often say I have a duality in my face. You can watch this film without any doubt. I have a neighborhood brother or uncle vibe," he said, then humorously added, "Maybe not brother," before concluding, "Jung-hwan's friend," eliciting more laughter.

The actors shared their connections and enjoyed reminiscing. Jo Jung-suk, Jo Yeo-jeong, and Yoon Kyung-ho are all the same age. Jo Jung-suk remarked, "It's amazing that the three of us are the same age," to which Yoon Kyung-ho humorously replied, "What's amazing about that?"

Jo Yeo-jeong and Jo Jung-suk previously worked together in the musical 'Grease.' Jo Jung-suk said, "Ironically, we haven't worked together since then. I was so happy to reunite this time." Yoon Kyung-ho and Jo Jung-suk are part of a group called 'Pal-gong-san,' meaning '80s-born friends.' Jo Jung-suk expressed his joy, saying, "I roared with excitement when I found out I'd be working with Kyung-ho, my close friend."

Yoon Kyung-ho shared, "Jo Jung-suk is a real-life friend and an on-screen friend, so we were close." About Jo Yeo-jeong, he said, "I knew we were the same age and wanted to be friends. I thought it would take time, but she approached me first and affectionately called me 'Dong-bae' on set. I became a fan while being a friend."

Jo Yeo-jeong and Lee Jung-eun both appeared in the film 'Parasite.' Jo Yeo-jeong said, "We didn't have many scenes together in 'Parasite.' I wanted to work with her someday, and I'm glad we met this time. I hope to work together again in the future."

Choi Yoo-ri plays Soo-ah, the last remaining zombie daughter in the world. She expressed her gratitude, saying, "It was an honor to work with the director and actors. I was happy to play a character I loved in a project I had long admired." Yoon Kyung-ho praised her, saying, "She gave us all flowers today. We should have given them to Yoo-ri, who is attending her first production briefing. She has many talents, including writing books." Choi Yoo-ri added, "Jo Jung-suk always treated me like a daughter, and I'm grateful for that."

In the film, Soo-ah is a teenage zombie girl who loves K-pop dance. Choi Yoo-ri shared, "I'm not naturally good at using my body, so I worked hard with a dance teacher to become Soo-ah. I also studied the movements of animals like dogs and cats to portray Soo-ah's lovable side."

Director Pil Gam-sung praised Choi Yoo-ri, saying, "She was the first actor to join our team. She needed to perform zombie acting, zombie motion acting, and K-pop dance. She balanced it with her studies and always approached it with enthusiasm. It was great to see her enjoying it without any discomfort." He added, "Special makeup is a challenging task. Some lenses make it hard to see. Yet, she always approached the staff with a smile. One day, I told her, 'I've decided to respect you from today.' She's an amazing actor and a mature person."

Jo Jung-suk described 'Zombie Daughter' as "a colorful zombie film. The quality of the zombie makeup will be more intense than any previous film." He added, "It's a common phrase, but 'a movie that captures both fun and emotion' perfectly describes 'Zombie Daughter.' It has both." Yoon Kyung-ho said, "It's a film that can create memories for the whole family. I plan to bring my kids." Director Pil Gam-sung encouraged viewers, saying, "Even though 'zombie' is in the title, it's a film that even those who don't enjoy zombie movies can enjoy."

Following 'Exit,' 'Pilot,' 'Grease,' and 'Parasite,' all with three-letter titles, Jo Jung-suk humorously predicted an audience of "3.33 million." Then he jokingly said "33.33 million," prompting laughter from those around him.

'Zombie Daughter' is set to be released on the 30th of next month.

Kim Ji-won, TenAsia Reporter bella@tenasia.co.kr