Actors, from left, Yoon Kyung-ho, Park Sung-woong and Kwak Si-yang pose during a press event for the upcoming film "The Desperate Chase" at a theater in Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap

Actor Park Sung-woong, known for his charismatic performances in the noir film "New World" and the Netflix drama "Bloodhounds," returns to the big screen with the comedy action flick "The Desperate Chase."

Set on Jeju Island, the film follows a chaotic chase involving con artist Kim In-hae (Park), hot-tempered detective Jo Soo-gwang (Kwak Si-yang) and mafia boss Zhu Linfang (Yoon Kyung-ho), who gather on the southern island for different reasons.

Director Kim Jae-hoon said he got the inspiration for the movie while living on Jeju Island for a month in 2017. While talking with people there, he learned about the island's beautiful nature being damaged by reckless development and the concerns of residents, which he wanted to highlight in the film.

"I saw and heard about resources being destroyed due to development projects backed by Chinese capital, and actual fights also broke out. I wanted to make a film to raise awareness about this someday," Kim said. "I'm not completely against development, but I included the idea of maintaining a balance while preserving what needs to be protected."

Actor Park Sung-woong portrays scammer Kim In-hae in the upcoming film "The Desperate Chase." Courtesy of TCO

Park portrays a master con artist who mesmerizes people with his extraordinary talent for disguises. Revealing that he played seven different roles, he said it took up to five hours for one makeup session.

"I constantly pondered how to portray the character when not in disguise and tried not to lose sight of this throughout the filming," Park said during a Tuesday press conference in Seoul. "It was my first time cross-dressing, and I wore a bra for the first time. It was so uncomfortable and difficult. I really respect women."

Discussing challenges during filming, he mentioned suffering a hamstring rupture.

"While shooting in winter, my hamstring suddenly snapped. I filmed desperately while limping, and the real injury naturally translated into the performance in the movie," he said.

Yoon, who plays the mafia boss, said he chose this film to work with Park, adding that the film "has a refreshing quality to cool down summer heats."

"This is my sixth project with Park Sung-woong. I greatly love and respect him, so when he said he was doing it, I wanted to join without hesitation," Yoon said. "It's a half-foreign role I've never played before. I thought it would be challenging, but I wanted to take on the challenge."

"The Desperate Chase" will hit theaters on Aug. 21.