MOVIE
Unveiling the Intriguing Trivia Behind the Film 'My Daughter is a Zombie'
◆ The Hilarious Ad-lib of 'Dong-Thor' Yoon Kyung-ho and the Story of Almost Becoming 'Harley Quinn'
In an effort to revive the memories of his zombie daughter Sua (Choi Yoo-ri), her father Jung-hwan (Jo Jung-suk) and his friend Dong-bae (Yoon Kyung-ho) decide to visit her favorite amusement park. Dong-bae's impressive Thor cosplay, aimed at getting a discount on park entry, becomes the film's top comedic moment. Adding to the humor, Bam-soon (Lee Jung-eun) delivers the witty ad-lib, "Thor? Or are you just crazy?" Yoon Kyung-ho recalls this scene as his most memorable, with a surprising backstory: Dong-bae was initially supposed to be 'Harley Quinn.' Director Pil Gam-sung suggested Thor for a more natural flow, leading to the creation of 'Dong-Thor.'
Lee Jung-eun, who plays the grandmother Bam-soon, has been the talk of the town since the trailer release due to her uncanny resemblance to the original character. To portray a character older than her actual age, extensive special effects makeup was used, rivaling that of the zombies. The makeup team first pondered, "What age should the grandmother appear to be?" and conducted numerous tests across various age ranges, each taking five hours. The focus was on highlighting Bam-soon's charming traits, resulting in the unique 'comic book grandmother' after endless discussions with Lee Jung-eun and Director Pil Gam-sung.
The story of 'My Daughter is a Zombie' truly begins when Jung-hwan arrives in his hometown of Eunbong-ri to hide his zombie daughter Sua. Director Pil Gam-sung thought, "It would be interesting if a zombie were hiding in a quiet, beautiful seaside village," and thus transformed the original mountain village setting to a coastal one. After searching various coastal areas, Namhae was chosen as the primary filming location. Art Director Chae Kyung-sun crafted Bam-soon's warm and inviting home, reminiscent of a storybook. Interestingly, the original creator, Lee Yoon-chang, hails from Namhae, a fact Director Pil Gam-sung discovered later, much to his surprise.
'My Daughter is a Zombie' is a comedic drama about a devoted father who undergoes secret training to protect his daughter, the last remaining zombie in the world. It has broken the year's highest opening score and topped the box office. Now showing in theaters nationwide.
Kim Ji-won, TenAsia Reporter bella@tenasia.co.kr
