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| ▲ Actor Kim Seon-ho, the lead cast member of the film "The Childe," is seen in this photo provided by its distributor, NEW. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap |
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| ▲ A scene from the crime action film "The Childe" is seen in this photo provided by its distributor, NEW. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
Korean film-actor
Actor Kim Seon-ho plays elegant, witty hit man in crime film 'The Childe'
By Kim Eun-jung
SEOUL, June 12 (Yonhap) -- Kim Seon-ho is back with his big screen debut in the crime thriller "The Childe" as a suit-wearing assassin who can't help hiding his smile even when he ruthlessly kills his enemies.
"The Childe," directed by Park Hoon-jung, follows a desperate Korean-Filipino man's ominous journey to search for his Korean father with villains chasing him down.
Kim plays the titular role of the childe, an archaic term for a young man of noble birth. He's an enigmatic character who calls himself a "professional" in front of his enemies and a "friend" to his target. He chases Marco (Kang Tae-joo), a boxer who goes on the search for his Korean father to raise money for his sick Filipina mother's surgery.
"I wondered what the director saw in me and decided to cast me for the killer role. I thought a lot about how to build the character," Kim said during a group media interview Monday.
Debuting as a stage actor in the 2009 play "New Boeing Boeing," the 37-year-old has appeared in several rom-com drama series, including tvN's "Start-Up" (2020) and "Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha" (2021), and rose to stardom. But he took a break over the past two years after his ex-girlfriend publicly accused him of coercing her into getting an abortion.
"The Childe," set to release June 21, drew attention as his comeback project after the scandal and his first villain role in the R-rated movie with scenes of mayhem, gun battles and bloodshed.
"I did my best in every scene when filming the movie to repay the director's support and trust. Sometimes, I was too focused on doing my best and worried later whether I appropriately controlled my tempo," he said.
In the movie, the handsome guy kills people with a leisurely smile and silly jokes, and gets easily annoyed by blood stains on his luxury shoes. The childe repeatedly says, "I never miss my target," and his words prove to be true.
Although the film involves intense violence, the childe is different from professional killers seen in classic crime movies. The ruthless hitman sips Coke with a straw, chews gum and makes a fuss about small scratches.
"If it was my complete transformation for a classic film noir, I wonder what my fans would think of me. I considered (the childe) to be witty and a character in the middle ground that I could portray without reluctance," he said.
Kim said it was challenging to perform car chases, wire action sequences, fist fights and shootouts but enjoyed the new experience. He overcame his fear of heights and jumped from a highway bridge several times with wires attached to his body for one scene.
"I couldn't tell others I have acrophobia. I just did what I had to do," he said.
Looking forward, Kim wants to become an actor capable of playing a wide range of characters in various genres.
"Through this film, I hope viewers see my potential for other roles," he said. "If they consider me to be a flexible actor, I would perceive that to be a success."
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