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| From left, director Woo Min-ho, actors Kwak Do-won, Lee Sung-min, Lee Byung-hun and Lee Hee-jun pose for a photo during a press conference for new film "The Man Standing Next" in Seoul, Wednesday. / Yonhap |
By Kwak Yeon-soo
Political thriller "The Man Standing Next" dramatizes the assassination of former Korean president and dictator Park Chung-hee, sparking a debate on how to interpret Park's legacy.
People remain sharply divided over the legacy of Park, who ruled the country for 18 years after taking power through a military coup in 1961. Some recall him as a brutal dictator who suppressed Korea's democracy, while others give him credit for accelerating the country's economic development.
"It's true that assassination of Park was a major event in the country's modern history, but I don't want politics to get in the way of assessing the film," Director Woo Min-ho said during a press conference for the film in Seoul, Wednesday.
"I want to let the audience decide whether the assassination was an act of high treason or revolution."
Set 40 days before President Park's assassination in 1979, the film unfolds a hidden story of the Korean Central Intelligence Agency (KCIA) and its political maneuvering in the 1970s. It also explores relationships and feuds between former and incumbent spy agency chiefs.
The KCIA chief Kim Gyu-pyeong, played by Lee Byung-hun, apparently becomes the second-in-command after former KCIA chief Park Yong-kak, played by Kwak Do-won, flees to the U.S. to testify against the Korean government.
However, Lee faces a power struggle as the chief officer of Presidential Security Service Kwang Sang-cheon, played by Lee Hee-jun, earns President Park's trust and outranks him.
The film was adapted from a journalist-turned-writer Kim Choong-sik's book with the same title.
"I first read the book in 1997 after being discharged from the army. I was amazed by how the author, then a journalist, dissects the story with an investigative mind," Woo said.
"After the film "Inside Men" became a hit, I contacted the author and expressed my desire to adapt this book into a screenplay."
At the press conference, Lee Byung-hun talked about the difficulty of playing a real-life character and filming close-up shots.
"It's pretty overwhelming to play a real-life character, who is so well-known," he said.
"Another challenging part was that there were a lot of close-up shots to allow the audience to focus on my character and emotions."
Lee Sung-min, who plays President Park, has been praised for his performance and many have noted his physical resemblance to former President Park.
"While shooting, I could feel the weight of history. I tried to stick to the authentic character as much as possible through voice, posture, fashion and prosthetic make-up," Lee said.
The film will hit local theaters on Jan. 22.
