'The Great Flood' Director Kim Byung-woo "Half of the Reviews are Criticism... I Expected Mixed Reactions"

On the 19th, director Kim Byung-woo of the disaster blockbuster movie 〈The Great Flood〉, which was released on Netflix, candidly and boldly shared his thoughts on the mixed reactions pouring in online.

⬦ "Even if Half is Criticism, I'm Grateful"... The Director's 'Cool' Response to the Mixed Reactions

Meeting at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Seoul on the 22nd, director Kim Byung-woo said about the reviews of the movie, "It seems like half of them are criticisms, but whether they are good or bad, I am grateful that people are talking a lot about 'The Great Flood' itself," interpreting it as a positive sign.

Director Kim stated, "I was aware that there would be mixed reactions to the movie even before filming began," and added, "I didn't make it thinking that 7 to 9 out of 10 people would like it."

〈The Great Flood〉 is a disaster blockbuster film depicting the end of the world, where the earth is on the brink of destruction due to flooding that submerges high-rise apartments. It is the second film directed by Kim this year, following the release of 〈All-Knowing Reader's Perspective〉 in July.

Starting in a conventional disaster movie format, as the story unfolds, the emphasis on human emotions such as maternal love and reflections on artificial intelligence (AI) increases, leading to mixed reviews about its fresh attempts and complex context.

Director Kim expressed his belief that "a single attempt may fail or succeed, but it shouldn't stop there; we should continue to try different things."

⬦ "I'm Glad It's Netflix... It Would Have Been a Bigger Burden if It Were in Theaters"

While many believe that disaster movies with significant visual effects are more suitable for theatrical releases than online video services (OTT), director Kim described the production with Netflix as a stroke of luck.

He said, "Working with Netflix was a great fortune for me," and added, "I think it's good for many people to see it."

He pointed out that the reason he doesn't feel too disappointed about not being released in theaters is that "theaters require viewers to choose a film and pay a sufficient cost to watch it." Given that it is a work that divides opinions, it implies that OTT is a more suitable release method as it requires relatively less time and cost to invest in viewing. He also mentioned that it was an effective means to target the global market.

Director Kim explained, "Regardless of nationality or ethnicity, as long as we are human, there are points we can empathize with at least once, so I think people from other countries also appreciate it well."

⬦ "I Felt So Sorry for Kim Da-mi"... The Struggles of Constant Water

He also expressed gratitude towards actress Kim Da-mi, who played the role of Anna, a mother who throws herself to protect her son Jae-in (played by Kwon Eun-sung).

Director Kim recalled, "I made her suffer a lot during the underwater shoot, to the point where it felt excessive," and added, "Kim Da-mi understood and accepted it without complaints."

In the film, Anna has many scenes where she is searching for her son while being swept away by the current, so her clothes were never dry throughout the shoot. Director Kim reflected, "Seeing water dripping from her clothes all the time made me think, 'How hard must it be?' and at some point, I couldn't make eye contact because I felt so sorry."

He praised child actor Kwon Eun-sung, saying, "He understood almost everything I said and was very professional." Kwon Eun-sung also played the child role of Lee Gil-young in 〈All-Knowing Reader's Perspective〉.

Ham Eun-jung, a member of the group T-ara and actress who married director Kim last month, reportedly gave a positive reaction after watching 〈The Great Flood〉.

Director Kim said, "(Ham Eun-jung) said it was fun," and laughed, adding, "It wouldn't be easy to say it wasn't fun between a couple."