Seol Kyung-gu and Director Byun Sung-hyun's Fourth Collaboration! Netflix Movie 'Good News'

Actor Seol Kyung-gu attempts another transformation in his fourth project with Director Byun Sung-hyun. In the Netflix movie 〈Good News〉, which will be released on the 17th, Seol Kyung-gu will meet the audience in a completely different appearance from his previous works.

The connection between Seol Kyung-gu and Director Byun Sung-hyun began with 〈The Merciless〉, followed by 〈Kingmaker〉, 〈Kill Boksoon〉, and now this 〈Good News〉. In particular, Seol Kyung-gu's sensual charm displayed in 〈The Merciless〉 has been credited with contributing to the formation of his new fandom.

In this work, Seol Kyung-gu appears wearing a shabby long coat and an ill-fitting hat. This appearance is in stark contrast to the stylish suit he wore in the director's previous works.

Director Byun said at the production report held on the 14th at JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square in Jongno-gu, Seoul, "Seol has been appearing in suits since 〈The Merciless〉, and I found that quite unpleasant," and added, "He is not that kind of person at all," which drew laughter.

〈Good News〉 is a black comedy film that deals with the story of a hijacked airplane in 1970 trying to land in Seoul. It was inspired by the real incident where the Japanese Red Army hijacked the civilian aircraft 'Yodoho' and attempted to defect to North Korea.

Seol Kyung-gu plays the role of 'Amooga', the planner of the airplane landing scheme. Amooga is an unidentified troubleshooter who handles tasks inconspicuously and sometimes breaks the fourth wall, crossing the boundary between reality and fiction.

Seol Kyung-gu recalled, "Director Byun suggested, 'Just do it,' and after reading the script, I thought, 'What is this?' I was honestly confused because I was Amooga, who was neither this nor that." He added, "No matter how many times I read it, it was a character that did not mix with others, so I had a lot of concerns about it."

Ryu Seung-beom plays the role of Park Sang-hyun, the head of the Central Intelligence Agency. The innocent yet charismatic Park Sang-hyun calls Amooga to solve problems. Ryu Seung-beom said, "I was fascinated by the black comedy genre, which I had never tried before, when I read the script. The contrast between the surface and the core, being funny yet having depth, was captivating."

Initially, Ryu Seung-beom declined the offer to appear for personal rest, but eventually decided to participate after Director Byun's persistent persuasion. Director Byun revealed, "When I thought of the evil that comes from innocence and purity, the actor that came to mind was Ryu Seung-beom. We spent 12 hours together drinking, and I got his consent while he was drunk and sent him home."

The role of the elite Air Force lieutenant Seo Go-myung, who tries to persuade the airplane from the control tower, is played by Hong Kyung. Director Byun explained the casting of Hong Kyung, saying, "I wanted to include the face of today's youth as a 20-something young man from the 1970s, and I wanted to capture the feeling of becoming powerless no matter how hard one tries to move forward."

The film has received positive reviews after being screened in the Special Presentation section of the 50th Toronto International Film Festival and the Gala Presentation section of the 30th Busan International Film Festival. Seol Kyung-gu expressed, "I was satisfied with the good response in Busan and felt that it was a good decision to participate."

Director Byun stated, "〈Good News〉 is the work I worked the hardest on," adding, "I have worked hard on all my projects, but I think I worked the hardest on this film. There may be shortcomings, but I believe I poured my 100% into it, and I feel a sense of pride in this film, so I hope many people will watch it."