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| ▲ A promotional poster for the sci-fi film "The Moon" is seen in this photo provided by its distributor, CJ ENM. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
Korean film-director
Space survival drama unfolds in 'The Moon' with star-studded cast
By Kim Eun-jung
SEOUL, June 27 (Yonhap) -- Bankable director Kim Yong-hwa said Tuesday his latest sci-fi blockbuster, "The Moon," is a space survival drama that will give viewers realistic visual experiences and touch their hearts with a human story.
Set in 2029, the story follows South Korea's second manned lunar exploration mission following a failed one five years earlier, which once again faces disaster as a strong solar wind causes a spaceflight to malfunction.
Do Kyung-soo stars as Hwang Seon-woo, an astronaut who was stranded on the moon alone due to the accident. Seol Kyung-gu plays a former head of Korea's Naro Space Center who tries to rescue him, while Kim Hee-ae appears as a director general of a NASA space station in the United States who has a hidden secret.
The star-studded film has drawn attention as director Kim's latest film following "Along with the Gods" (2017-2018), which both surpassed 10 million admissions at the local box office.
Kim said space exploration is a subject he has been captivated by since childhood, and his visual effects (VFX) and art teams focused on creating hyperrealistic images to provide an immersive experience to viewers.
"I have always dreamed and yearned for lunar exploration from an early age and thought the Korean (VFX) technology was ripe for a project about the subject," Kim said in a press conference.
The director said all of the scenes were shot with various kinds of IMAX and 4K cameras to create high-resolution images best suited for premium theaters, such as IMAX and Dolby Cinemas.
"I want to offer viewers the best visual experience to make them feel like they landed on the moon and were stranded at the scene of a disaster," Kim said.
Do, a member of K-pop group EXO, said he focused on portraying the realistic movements of an astronaut wearing a heavy space suit and the complex emotions of fear, panic and loneliness while being stranded in space.
"It is amazing to see that the Korean film industry has advanced to finally make this level of a space movie," he said.
Sol said he joined the project out of curiosity for a Korean-style sci-fi film, while Kim Hee-ae, who has mainly taken leading roles in TV drama series, said she was "thrilled and happy" with her first experience of performing in the genre.
"The Moon" will hit local theaters Aug. 2.
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