Who is the "Potential Genius" that Ahn Bo-hyun Talks About? 'The Devil Came' Press Conference Highlights

The last contender to shake up the summer box office has made its appearance. The film 〈The Devil Came〉, reuniting director Lee Sang-geun and Yoon-a from 〈Exit〉, tells the story of unemployed Gil-gu (Ahn Bo-hyun) who discovers that the woman he falls in love with at first sight, Seon-ji (Yoon-a), becomes a devil every dawn. With its unique storyline, Lee Sang-geun's witty direction, and the chemistry between Yoon-a and Ahn Bo-hyun, this film was previewed at a press screening and conference on August 6, ahead of its release on August 13. As Ahn Bo-hyun said, "Every moment on set was a good memory, so I couldn't choose just one episode," the strong chemistry between the director and the actors was evident even at the press conference. Here are the behind-the-scenes insights shared by director Lee Sang-geun and actors Yoon-a, Ahn Bo-hyun, and Joo Hyun-young during the press conference.

It feels like coming out of a cave, as if the world has changed like an old fable

-Lee Sang-geun

After making his directorial debut with the 2019 film 〈Exit〉 and achieving box office success, director Lee Sang-geun presents his new work 〈The Devil Came〉 after six years. He admitted that he felt some pressure about what kind of work to present after receiving great love for 〈Exit〉, but he thought, "If I do well, people will like what I enjoy and do well," while working on it. However, when he actually arrived at the press screening and conference, he felt very nervous. He mentioned that he had been steadily working on the post-production of this film after filming, and he didn't realize that three years had passed, saying, "It felt like I went into a cave like an old fable and came out to find that time had changed." In fact, 〈The Devil Came〉 is a script he completed before 〈Exit〉, and the original title was 〈Date at 2 PM〉. Director Lee Sang-geun explained that after working on 〈Exit〉, he understood why production companies had overlooked this script and reviewed the characters, dialogues, and changes in the times, rewriting it almost entirely.

Gil-gu's signature expression reminds me of what the director showed on set

-Joo Hyun-young

Joo Hyun-young, who plays the role of Ara, expressed her feelings after watching the completed film, saying, "I realized that the director was painting such a big picture." It was touching to see the narrative that Gil-gu and Seon-ji built together on screen. She smiled, recalling how director Lee Sang-geun had shown Ahn Bo-hyun the expressions directly. When preparing for the role of Ara, instead of worrying about differentiating from the MZ character she had showcased in a past variety show, she focused on doing what she wanted as the director advised, saying that director Lee Sang-geun helped her when she was overdoing it and that she received a lot of support from Yoon-a and Ahn Bo-hyun. However, looking back, she worried that her desire to do well might have overshadowed Ara's relaxed demeanor, but she also felt proud of her performance.

I almost felt shy, but the director showed me how to act as Seon-ji, which helped me immerse myself

-Yoon-a

In this film, Yoon-a plays the role of Seon-ji, showcasing both the pure and considerate human Seon-ji and the devil Seon-ji who wakes up at 2 AM and acts on her own. To portray these aspects, it was important to clearly distinguish between 'Day Seon-ji' and 'Night Seon-ji' in terms of appearance. For Day Seon-ji, she adopted a clear and pure styling and adjusted her dialogue tone to reflect an I (introverted) personality in MBTI. For Night Seon-ji, she aimed to show a glamorous look without missing any details, even wearing colored lenses. She exaggerated her speech and tone to appear energetic. Although she worried that acting as the free-spirited and unconcerned Night Seon-ji might make her feel shy, she was able to immerse herself comfortably thanks to director Lee Sang-geun, who acted out the scenes and provided direction. Yoon-a, who had previously worked with director Lee Sang-geun on 〈Exit〉, imagined how he would direct the work while reading the script, and she shared that through conversations and collaboration with him, she was able to further develop Seon-ji's charm.

The director resembles Gil-gu, with exceptional potential talent in every aspect

-Ahn Bo-hyun

In this work, Ahn Bo-hyun, who plays the role of Gil-gu, expressed his trust in director Lee Sang-geun by calling him a 'potential genius.' He studied Gil-gu a lot while reading the script, but still found it challenging to express him. This was particularly true because Gil-gu was a character closer to extreme I, unlike what he had done before. Director Lee Sang-geun provided detailed direction on tone and expressions on set, which helped him portray Gil-gu. Ahn Bo-hyun followed that direction while being curious about how it would be depicted in the film, and upon seeing the final version, he was amazed at how perfectly he understood director Lee Sang-geun's direction. When there were expressions drawn in the storyboard, director Lee Sang-geun took off his glasses and showed what those expressions looked like, making it easy to understand. He also mentioned that working with Yoon-a, who is easygoing, energetic, and bright in personality, naturally created chemistry between Seon-ji and Gil-gu.

I was so absorbed in claw machines, not realizing it was a marketing tactic

-Lee Sang-geun

〈Exit〉 and 〈The Devil Came〉 share a common point: both male protagonists are job seekers. They also have their own specialties; while Yong-nam excels at climbing, Gil-gu is depicted as having a talent for claw machines. Director Lee Sang-geun, who seems to often write stories about young people aspiring to be film directors, shared, "I was once obsessed with claw machines." He then revealed, "I didn't know there was a marketing tactic involved. I heard that the strength of the crane and the angle at which it descends are manipulated. I thought I could do well if I tried hard, but when I learned that, I felt a great sense of disappointment." He noted that while it is definitely cheaper to buy than to win, he sometimes still wants to play when he feels like it, as he wanted to show aspects like "taking out what is inside, doing something functional, and forgetting everything."