| Four stars of "Avengers: Infinity War" pose during a press conference at Four Seasons Hotel in Seoul, Thursday. From left are Pom Klementieff, Tom Hiddleston, Benedict Cumberbatch and Tom Holland. / AP-Yonhap |
By Kwak Yeon-soo
The cast of the upcoming movie "Avengers: Infinity War" said Thursday they were honored to be part of the box-office hit series and encouraged Korean fans to see it.
During a press conference at Four Seasons Hotel in Seoul, actress Pom Klementieff said it was incredible being cast in "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" and "Avengers: Infinity War."
She said she went through minor inconveniences while shooting the film but she was fine because she was drawn to her new role.
Having to wear a corset, contact lenses and antennas for her character Mantis made her feel claustrophobic, but she said she truly enjoyed creating a new character.
She talked about her bonds with Korea by discussing how she earned her first name. "My mother is Korean and my parents chose the name Pom because it sounds like spring and tiger in Korean," she said.
Benedict Cumberbatch, who plays Doctor Strange, appreciates Korean fans for their warm welcome of the cast. "I was humbled. It was very flattering," he said.
The actor mentioned the Korean fans who greeted him and his fellow actors at the airport when they arrived there.
"It's my first time (in Korea) and I'm really thrilled to be here," he said.
When asked what it feels like to be part of the next installment of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), Cumberbatch said "It's a huge privilege." He said big, epic films showing humor and depth of characters are the reasons behind the success of MCU movies.
The Avengers cast made their Korean visit two weeks before the new movie hits the screens in Korea.
Also joining the cast are Loki actor Tom Hiddleston and Spider-Man actor Tom Holland.
It's been a decade since MCU began with the 2008 box office hit "Iron Man," and has led to over 18 movies, bringing together Marvel Comics' biggest storylines and characters to the big screen.
Hiddleston, who is visiting Korea for the third time, surprised his fans with a witty introduction, blurting out "Loki is back" in Korean.
Holland, whose most recent visit to Korea was last July with 2017's "Spider-Man: Homecoming" movie, said it feels like deja vu. "Being able to bring Avengers to Korea is an honor," he said.
The third movie of the "Avengers" series assembles the biggest cast of MCU heroes to battle the evil villain Thanos, who tries to destroy half the universe.
Hiddleston, who was cast as Loki in 2009 for "Thor: Hammer of the Gods," is astonished the MCU has become a universal culture. "Seeing it grow and expand is amazing and very exciting," he said. "Over a decade, films have gotten bigger and braver."
In terms of who most resembles his or her character, all four chose Holland and Thor actor Chris Hemsworth. Holland is an acrobat and Hemsworth is Thor himself, they said. "He is huge, and seems like he's made up of different materials," Hiddleston stressed.
During the press conference, the Korean host, comedian Park Kyeong-rim, complimented Cumberbatch on his low, stunning voice. As a response, Cumberbatch humorously said he'd be willing to record an outgoing voicemail message for her.
All actors received a picture scroll of their movie characters and said they look forward to meeting with their fans here.
The release date of "Avengers: Infinity War" in Korea is April 25, two days before its North American release.