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| Actor Ahn Jae-hong / Courtesy of Barunson E&A |
By Kwak Yeon-soo
Actor Ahn Jae-hong said "Rebound" is a feel-good sports movie that reminds viewers to cherish every moment in life. Based on the true story of JungAng High School basketball team in 2012, the drama follows Ahn who takes on the role of enthusiastic basketball coach Kang Yang-hyun (Ahn Jae-hong), trying to rally a struggling basketball team.
Under Kang's guidance, undersized and under-skilled players defy the odds and naysayers to rise to the finals of the national high school basketball league.
"I think today's generation doesn't appreciate the present moment so much. Many sacrifice the present for the future. Our movie conveys a message of 'Let's cherish the moment,'" he said during an interview with The Korea Times, Wednesday.
To capture the spirit of his real-life counterpart, Ahn studied the coach's mannerisms; the way he moved and talked. He even gained 10 kilograms in a week to fully embody the character.
"I wanted to look and sound like coach Kang, so I watched every video of his interviews and basketball games. I even tried to mimic his accent," he said.
"The best part of portraying a real-life person is that I was able to talk to him anytime and consult with him on my character. For instance, I asked him why he only brought two shirts with him to the basketball league (Kang's answer was he thought his team would only advance to qualifiers) and why he would wear blue (that's JungAng High School's official color). Coach Kang is only four years older than me, so by the end of filming, he felt like a brother to me."
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| Actor Ahn Jae-hong in a scene from the film, 'Rebound' / Courtesy of Barunson E&A |
Ahn revealed that he watched every good sports documentary and film he could find to get help in crafting his character. "Sports films are always exciting to watch because they are full of heart, thrills and adventure. The audiences love the story of an underdog squad defeating big teams," he said.
The 37-year-old actor talked about working with director Jang Hang-jun, known for his humor and humanity.
"A lot of my fellow actors have asked me if director Jang is funny in real life. He really is a funny guy. He never puts on a bad face, which makes him popular with all the film crew. He made everyone feel really close," he said.
Ahn explained that he always carried the final edition of the "Slam Dunk" comic book to the set to keep him inspired.
"I carried it around like my charm. I have the full version of the comic book series at home and I also have the poster in the living room. It was a surprise to see it being adapted to an anime film," he said. "I hope 'Rebound' can continue the winning streak of 'The First Slamdunk.'"
"Rebound" hits theaters on April 5.
