[Interview] "Becoming a Father Like That." Director Kwon Yong-jae and Actor Bong Tae-kyu Interview (1)

‘Fake Funeral Incident’. This is a story that could easily make the news, reflecting the harsh and cruel reality. Before the father even passes away, the children hold his funeral. They aim to collect condolence money as quickly as possible. The situation is indeed dire. The nurse sister, Sun-young (Kang Mal-geum), has been taking care of their father for several years, while the younger brother Il-hwa (Bong Tae-kyu) has been on the run with his wife and son from a loan shark, having long severed ties with the family. Although they are family, the meaning of a harmonious ‘normal family’ has long been lost. They gather again as the father’s condition worsens, and the lies begin when a condolence message is mistakenly sent out.

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“Since it has come to this,” let’s hold the father’s funeral. Coincidentally, Il-hwa’s son Dong-ho needs money for medical school. Using their desperate situation as an excuse, their lies escalate, and the fake funeral for their father, who has not yet passed away, begins in earnest. Directed by Kwon Yong-jae, 〈Goadangdo〉 is a film that candidly reveals the bare face of family relationships that are “like debts that arise from birth,” as Sun-young puts it. The story, which starts with a black comedy tone of a misdirected message, ultimately transforms into a bitter reality drama that realistically portrays the path and present of a disbanded family.

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This is truly a bold, audacious, and honest family dissection film. It possesses a rich color of authentic drama with a considerable degree of insight and drama density, and surprisingly, it is a debut work. In this film, which desperately needs the right combination of actors to showcase the ironic reality of the film, actor Bong Tae-kyu plays the middle-aged head of the family, Il-hwa, who shows the family's current shame. After 12 years, he meets the audience again through film acting, separate from his familiar activities as a radio DJ, YouTube channel operator, and writer. He debuted in the film 〈Tears〉 (2000) and has been imprinted on the screen as a childish yet lovable character in films like 〈Kwang-sik's Brother Kwang-tae〉, 〈The Birth of a Family〉, and 〈A Family in Trouble〉. The face of the middle-aged head of the family he shows in 〈Goadangdo〉 is certainly awkward. Through the expression of a character in a dire reality that he has never shown before, Bong Tae-kyu creates an opportunity to reaffirm his seasoned acting as a 25-year veteran actor. We met actor Bong Tae-kyu and director Kwon Yong-jae, who collaborated in the new environment of an independent feature film, to hear their thoughts on working together on 〈Goadangdo〉.

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It’s been a while since actor Bong Tae-kyu appeared on screen. The role of a middle-aged head of the family is unexpected, and the passage of time feels more real.

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Bong Tae-kyu Honestly, the proposal was unexpected. I wouldn’t think of myself for the role of a father with grown children. The idea was interesting, but at the same time, it was a big burden. But I thought, if not now, then when? So I decided to take the plunge. When acting, I kept saying, “I have to do bad things, but I shouldn’t look bad, and I’m not a good character either.” I talked about maintaining that balance. I wanted to bring a big amplitude, to be unpredictable and have variables. Coincidentally, I had the opportunity to judge the ‘CJ Story Up’ program that supports short film directors, and through that connection, I worked on a short film called 〈The Life and Death of Monty Jubei〉 (2021) after a long time. It’s a short film, but I thought if I show my current self, someone might see me in a better light and give me the next opportunity. I started working step by step from the short film to 〈Goadangdo〉 as if I was taking my first step into the film industry.

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As you mentioned, it’s not easy to think of such casting. What was the casting process like?

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Kwon Yong-jae I worked as an assistant director on the short film 〈One Day My Son Became a Shrimp〉 (Directed by Kwon Ji-ae, 2025), in which senior Bong Tae-kyu appeared, and the set was really nice. To me, he is a big star, but he is so down-to-earth that I felt hopeful that we could work together. The character Il-hwa has to do bad things, but I thought it shouldn’t just be bad; there should be depth so that he doesn’t come off as a villain. I thought he would be able to portray that role. I also had a strong desire to bring out a different side from what he has shown so far.

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​From his debut feature 〈Tears〉 (2001) as a delinquent youth to films like 〈The Birth of a Family〉 and 〈Kwang-sik's Brother Kwang-tae〉, Bong Tae-kyu's image in films has mostly been that of a childish 'younger brother'. While that has been a strength, it has also acted as a limiting image. It differed from the roles demanded by the action and thriller-oriented film market that required strong masculinity.

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Bong Tae-kyu I think the casting of adult male characters in Korean films is somewhat predetermined, and I felt I was outside of that. Since my debut, I’ve thought, “This is quite unfavorable.” At one point, I even wondered, “Do I need to age significantly?” Honestly, I’ve had moments of insecurity. But I was born this way, and since I’m going to act anyway, I decided to endure well. I thought there might be someone who would cast me in my own image someday, so I would hold on until then. If I could make even one or two people think, “Bong Tae-kyu can do that too,” then that would be enough. I decided not to suffer anymore. This project is even more precious to me because it was given to me by a director who recognized me during that struggle.

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Kwon Yong-jae He never showed any signs of that on set. I have been nurturing my dream of becoming a director by watching the works of the seniors he has done. For me, working with such an actor was both a burden and a source of gratitude. So, what I thought in terms of direction was to delay the first appearance of ‘actor Bong Tae-kyu’. I wanted to show the car first, then open the door, and show his back. I wanted to delay his appearance on screen as much as possible. I wanted to show the audience a glimpse of how much time has passed for actor Bong Tae-kyu. I wanted to give a bit of shock and awakening.

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Bong Tae-kyu I heard that intention for the first time today. However, I also kept saying that I hoped it would be “a different face.” Rather than a transformation in acting, I wanted to show that there is “another side” to Bong Tae-kyu. Since Il-hwa is in a situation where he is wandering without a home, I paid a lot of attention to the makeup that would show he has been suffering outside in the sun. During filming, I even smoked a cigarette that I usually don’t smoke. I wanted to give a tired and dull feeling. I also received the clothes Il-hwa wears in advance, wore them at home, and washed them in my home washing machine to make them as familiar to my body as possible.

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I’m also curious about the background of how the film was planned. It’s a story about a conspiracy among family members using funeral procedures. It’s a story that pushes ethical boundaries to the end.

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Kwon Yong-jae I thought about how business gets involved when a child is born or someone dies. When bereaved families talk about money, all tears disappear. Even in situations where ethics should be on the table, underneath lies the business and reality like an iceberg. I wanted to make a film about that irony. Honestly, I think it’s a story that could be uncomfortable. Turning a father’s death into a business is something that creates a lot of ethical dilemmas for a creator. Nevertheless, since this is a story that clearly exists in reality, I decided to write it boldly. However, I kept thinking that the direction should be healthy.

※ To be continued in the second interview.