The Man Loved by Jang Hang-jun, 'The Man Living with the King' Kim Min

An actor with a pleasantly surprising quality. Undoubtedly Jang Hang-jun's man. From the movie 〈Rebound〉 to 〈The Killers〉, and 〈The Man Living with the King〉. Kim Min has been cast in three consecutive works by director Jang Hang-jun, becoming his new persona. In 〈The Man Living with the King〉, where the so-called 'Jang Hang-jun faction' including Kim Soo-jin, Lee Joon-hyuk, Jang Hyun-sung, Ahn Jae-hong, and Jung Jin-woon all gathered, Kim Min proudly made his name alongside senior actors.

It is unusual to cast an inexperienced rookie actor in three works. Who exactly is Kim Min that Jang Hang-jun couldn't help but love? Why did Jang Hang-jun call him three times?

Jang Hang-jun first met Kim Min at the audition for 〈Rebound〉, which became Kim Min's screen debut. According to Jang Hang-jun, Kim Min was a rookie who made him think, "Even if it's not this work, he will succeed someday." At the audition, Kim Min approached shyly yet earnestly, clearly conveying the film's heartfelt message through the character 'Heo Jae-yoon', who resembles him. In 〈Rebound〉, the character Heo Jae-yoon cannot play basketball but joins the basketball team simply because he loves the sport. He was a weak candidate that no one paid attention to, but he quietly and powerfully shot the film's 'three-point shot', delivering the film's message of 'rebound' most clearly. Like a thrilling rebellion created by an unexpected character, Kim Min announced the solid birth of a rookie by debuting on screen with an underdog narrative.

Kim Min's true value is compactly revealed in 〈The Killers〉. By the time of 〈The Killers〉, director Jang Hang-jun experiments with Kim Min's blank face. In the cinema anthology 〈The Killers〉 woven by four directors, in the segment 'Everyone is Waiting for Him' directed by Jang Hang-jun, he cleverly utilizes the 'surprise' he wanted to draw out from Kim Min. While using the innocent image captured in 〈Rebound〉, he completely flips it to deliver a chilling sense of betrayal. In 'Everyone is Waiting for Him', he initially appears as a bumbling rural police officer but soon transforms into a playful killer who mercilessly stabs a detective (Jeon Seok-ho) who provokes him, delivering the greatest destructive power of the work and catching the audience off guard.

In the movie 〈The Man Living with the King〉 set to be released on February 4, Kim Min plays the son of Yoo Hae-jin. Amidst prominent seniors, Kim Min blends into the film's worldview with a distinct yet non-intrusive personality. The character Tae-san, played by Kim Min, is the son of Eom Heung-do (Yoo Hae-jin), who is intelligent but cannot escape Gwangcheon-gol due to poverty. Seemingly simple yet just and kind, Tae-san becomes a crucial catalyst for Lee Hong-wi (Park Ji-hoon), who is exiled to Gwangcheon-gol, to open his heart to the villagers, forming a unique bond with him. Kim Min's Tae-san connects organically with various characters, including his father Eom Heung-do, Lee Hong-wi (Park Ji-hoon) who is exiled to Gwangcheon-gol, and the villagers, contributing significantly to the film 〈The Man Living with the King〉, where the performances of the actors shine the most.

Kim Min, who wants to become an actor who never gets boring, showcases different aspects of himself in all three works by director Jang Hang-jun. As director Jang Hang-jun said, "He is an actor with a lot of potential every time I see him," Kim Min is an actor who always makes you curious about the other side of his face.

Rather than explosively shining with a striking charm, Kim Min is an actor who gradually draws an upward curve. When Jang Hang-jun saw Kim Min during 〈Rebound〉, he said, "From the moment he entered the audition room, he spoke and smiled shyly like Heo Jae-yoon. He acted very well, and there was a desperation unique to rookies. Moreover, he worked hard, which was really good, and he had a good personality. No matter how well someone acts, I don't want to work with someone who doesn't have a good character." Jang Hang-jun jokingly refers to himself as the 'God of Buying Low'. For instance, during the boom of 'basketball fun' following the success of 〈The First Slam Dunk〉, he brought audiences back with the basketball film 〈Rebound〉, which he had been preparing for years, and cast Park Ji-hoon, before he became a global star, in the role of Danjong in 〈The Man Living with the King〉, showcasing his ability to buy low. Kim Min, whom he recognized at first sight, has only high points to achieve from now on.

+ The female actor of the same name born in 2003, who gained recognition for her role as 'Seon-ja' in 〈Fine: Country Bumpkins〉, is also an actor in the 'Jewelry Box', so if she returns with a new work, it might be covered in 'Kim Ji-yeon's Jewelry Box'.

***** Starting with 'Joo Seong-cheol's Locker', which excessively attributes meaning to objects in films, the actor's user manual expecting a rise 'Kim Ji-yeon's Jewelry Box', the film music appreciation room that moved my heart 'Choo Ah-young's Music Box', and the subculture merchant's purchase log 'Seong Chan-eol's Comic Book' will all be serialized biweekly by Cineplay reporters, each with their own tastes and perspectives. *****