Director Lee Sang-geun Returns with New Comedy 'Pretty Crazy' After Six Years

Director Lee Sang-geun, who made a successful debut with the film 'Exit', is back with his new comedy 'Pretty Crazy' after six years. Once again, he has cast Im Yoon-ah, who starred in 'Exit', for this project. Lee expressed his gratitude and trust in Im Yoon-ah for her refreshing comedic performance and in Ahn Bo-hyun for his attempt at a new acting transformation.

'Pretty Crazy' is a comedy about a young unemployed man, Gil-gu (played by Ahn Bo-hyun), who gets involved in a bizarre part-time job of monitoring Seon-ji (played by Im Yoon-ah), who turns into a devil every dawn. Recently, director Lee shared insights about the film during an interview at a café in Seoul's Sogyeok-dong.

Lee initially wrote the script for this film in 2014, considering it for his debut. "I started in early July and finished by early August, writing aggressively in a café among studying high school students," he recalled.

The film's production gained momentum in 2022, with the title changing from 'Date at 2 O'clock' to 'Pretty Crazy'. Lee explained, "The title 'Date at 2 O'clock' always appeared at the top of my file list due to the number '2'. When I revisited it years later, I found it had matured differently from my initial thoughts. It was raw and experimental, reflecting my boldness as a film-loving student back then." He added, "After my debut, I felt I could refine and present it to the audience. I rewrote everything from scratch, except for the title and character names."

Lee noted, "The original title was hard to search due to a radio program with the same name." He continued, "I like titles with narratives. The original title lacked the twist of '2 AM' instead of '2 PM'. The new title 'Pretty Crazy' was chosen because the film begins with Seon-ji moving in. Moving signifies not just physical relocation but also emotional shifts. I hope the film resonates emotionally with the audience."

Lee reunites with Im Yoon-ah, who contributed to the success of 'Exit', which attracted 9.42 million viewers. "I thought she might have fond memories of working with me and would agree to join this project," he said. "Fortunately, she accepted the offer due to the unique script."

In the film, Seon-ji is a wild character who eats voraciously and jumps into the Han River. Regarding the challenging scenes, Lee said, "Eating while speaking is difficult, but Yoon-ah did it without embarrassment. She performed well even in scenes that seemed over-the-top." He added, "Although I didn't explicitly pressure her, she seemed to enjoy the filming."

When asked if Im Yoon-ah might have declined the role, Lee replied, "I believe in finding the right timing and connection. I was more than 80% confident she would accept."

Lee meticulously crafted every detail of the characters, including their birthdates and names, even creating a dessert cake called 'Ponpon Chiffon' that Seon-ji eats at night. "It's not product placement; we made it," he said. "The plain flavor is plain, and the mint flavor is mint. It's delicious. I love chiffon cakes, and it would be great if the film's success led to its release."

Im Yoon-ah reportedly ate over ten cakes during filming. Lee appreciated her effort, saying, "Chiffon is soft, so it can get stuck in your teeth, but she handled it well."

Lee praised Ahn Bo-hyun for his transformation from a masculine image to a character with a 'dumb charm'. "When I first saw him, I thought, 'Is there someone this big?' He's an 'alpha male'. I wished I was born like him," Lee said. "He easily understood the expressions and life I wanted to portray. Despite his 'fighter' appearance, he has a 'cat' inside. He's an INFJ, empathetic and quick to grasp our discussions."

Regarding the limited romance between Seon-ji and Gil-gu, Lee explained, "Veteran directors say it's better to imply than to show directly. Instead of showing 'they lived happily ever after', suggesting 'they will live happily' stimulates the audience's imagination." He humorously added, "I will film a kiss scene someday."

Lee's new film blends comedy, romance, and humanism. "'Exit' was about two people running for survival, representing youth's uncertain journey. Similarly, this film explores a journey, but this time, two lost individuals meet by chance and discover their paths," he explained.

The male protagonist being unemployed is a common theme with 'Exit'. Lee joked, "Maybe it's time to stop portraying unemployed characters, or perhaps I'll switch to portraying 'unemployed women'." He added, "My next project might also be about finding one's path, but I want to try different approaches. Directors often incorporate their philosophical reflections into their work." He concluded with a laugh, "I might try something completely different, but I won't write about chainsaw-wielding maniacs."

'Pretty Crazy' is set to release on the 13th.

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