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| "Alienoid" director Choi Dong-hoon / Courtesy of Caper Film |
By Kwak Yeon-soo
Director Choi Dong-hoon's latest sci-fi action fantasy "Alienoid" is a mixture of Hollywood superhero blockbuster and Asian martial arts film. Set in two different worlds of the 14th and 21st centuries that cross paths when a time-traveling portal opens, the epic film combines Taoist "magic" with science fiction elements, like aliens and spaceships.
The director, whose previous films "The Thieves" (2012) and "Assassination" (2015) each attracted over 10 million admissions, explained that his new film was greatly inspired by Samgukyusa (Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms), a collection of folktales mainly from the Korea's Three Kingdoms: Goguryeo, Silla, Baekje.
"I've always been fascinated by Korea's ancient myths and folktales, which are entertaining and filled with supernatural creatures. I think infusing Korean sentiment and cultural traits into the sci-fi film makes it more interesting. I hope 'Korean magic' appeals to foreign audiences as well," he said during a recent interview with The Korea Times.
"Alienoid" centers on Taoists in the late Goryeo Kingdom (918-1392) who try to obtain a mysterious sword, and humans in the present day who try to hunt down an alien prisoner confined to a human's body. The director uses parallel universes to tell a twisty story and introduces traditional cultural artifacts such as a danyusemun-gyeong ― a bronze mirror ― in the film.
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| Actress Kim Tae-ri in a scene from the film, "Alienoid" / Courtesy of CJ ENM |
The film is intense in visual effects, but some critics have said there are many characters and threads in the story that are left unexplored.
Asked about reviews that say the film is simply trying to do too much, Choi said, "The structure of characters moving through space and time was absolutely necessary, though I was a bit worried that the present connecting with the past appears too late in the film. Even if the storyline is complicated, viewers can understand perfectly well."
The 51-year-old director said he appreciates when actors suggest improvised lines to be added to a script.
"I try to listen to actors and hear what they have to say about the film. I also try to find out what triggers their emotions or what annoys them because an actor's personality always comes out in his or her performance. Actors' brilliant ideas often serve the story better than the original script, so I always carry around my laptop to add them to the script," he said.
Choi revealed that he had specific actors in mind when writing the script, and to his surprise, all of his envisioned stars accepted their roles. The sci-fi action fantasy film boasts a stellar cast including actors Ryu Jun-yeol, Kim Tae-ri, Kim Woo-bin, So Ji-seob, Yum Jung-ah and Jo Woo-jin.
"Casting was probably the most satisfactory part of this project. Ryu has a genuine smile that radiates happiness. Kim Woo-bin is incredibly reliable and humble. I was not only impressed with Kim Tae-ri's acting throughout 'The Handmaiden,' but her way of channeling those emotions felt so true," he said.
"Alienoid" is the first of a two-part series. The second installment is scheduled for release next year. "It's shameless to say this, but I guarantee that the follow-up is even more entertaining," he said.
"Alienoid" will hit local theaters on July 20.
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