"Exploring the Depths of Humanity"... Director Yeon Sang-ho's Second Challenge, 'Paradise' (Comprehensive)

Selected for prestigious film festivals at home and abroad... Starring Kim Hyun-joo&Bae Hyun-sungActors Bae Hyun-sung and Kim Hyun-joo, and director Yeon Sang-ho (from left) pose at a press conference for the movie 'Paradise' held at CGV Yongsan I'Park Mall in Yongsan-gu, Seoul on the afternoon of the 12th. /Reporter Song Ho-young[THE FACT|Reporter Park Ji-yoon] Director Yeon Sang-ho's second low-budget project, 'Paradise,' is set to be unveiled. He plans to delve into the depths of human nature through an unconventional mother-son relationship with Kim Hyun-joo and Bae Hyun-sung, offering audiences much to ponder.The press screening and press conference for the movie 'Paradise' (directed by Yeon Sang-ho) were held at CGV Yongsan I'Park Mall on the afternoon of the 12th. Director Yeon Sang-ho and actors Kim Hyun-joo and Bae Hyun-sung attended the event, answering questions from reporters and sharing various stories related to the film.The story begins when Ryu So-young (played by Kim Hyun-joo), a mother who lost her son nine years ago in a camping school bus disappearance incident, is miraculously reunited with her son Ryu Seon-woo (played by Bae Hyun-sung), whom she believed to be dead. This psychological thriller unfolds from there.Director Yeon Sang-ho said, "The last choice of a wicked son and a mother who loves him so dearly was captured on three pages, and I was curious about that strange psychology. Driven by curiosity, I approached the script with the intention of deeply exploring it." /Reporter Song Ho-youngNotably, 'Paradise' is director Yeon Sang-ho's second low-budget project, following 'The Face,' which captivated 1.08 million viewers with a production cost of approximately 200 million won. He stated, "I considered 'The Face' a personal project, but the positive response gave me the courage to film this work," adding, "We had fun filming with colleagues, and I'm excited to connect with the audience."Director Yeon Sang-ho expanded on a story based on one of three works written by his mother. He recalled the starting point, saying, "The last choice of a wicked son and a mother who loves him so dearly was captured on three pages, and I was curious about that strange psychology. Driven by curiosity, I approached the script with the intention of deeply exploring it."Director Yeon Sang-ho continued, "While it's difficult to say I fully understand a mother's psychology, I delved into the depths of human psychology to understand it. It's memorable because it differs from my previous filmmaking methods. I believe this project will be a great opportunity to bring about a change in my filmmaking."Kim Hyun-joo plays Ryu So-young, a mother who, after losing her son in a camping school bus disappearance incident, searches every night for the last known whereabouts of her missing child. She leads the drama with a stable performance. /Reporter Song Ho-youngKim Hyun-joo plays Ryu So-young, a mother who, after losing her son in a camping school bus disappearance incident, searches every night for the last known whereabouts of her missing child. This marks her fourth collaboration with director Yeon Sang-ho, following the Netflix series 'Hellbound,' 'JUNG_E,' and 'Gyeongseong Creature.''Paradise' was filmed in 14 days with a net production cost of approximately 500 million won. For Kim Hyun-joo, this environment allowed for deeper immersion in the project. She candidly shared, "If the filming period had been longer, I think it would have taken a mental toll. Because the number of shooting days was short, I was able to immerse myself with even greater concentration."Bae Hyun-sung makes his screen debut playing Ryu Seon-woo, the son who went missing in a mysterious accident and returns nine years later. With an unprecedented visual appearance, including messy hair and freckles, he exudes a chilling aura through his restrained demeanor, adding tension to the film.Bae Hyun-sung commented on his focus during his performance, "Since the character doesn't have many lines, I tried to create a chilling gaze and a cold, mysterious atmosphere. I also made an effort to move slowly in my actions and gait. I wanted to draw my mother's attention in this way."Bae Hyun-sung makes his screen debut playing Ryu Seon-woo, the son who went missing in a mysterious accident and returns nine years later. /Reporter Song Ho-youngDirector Yeon Sang-ho has completed his own 'Paradise,' inspired by Milton's 'Paradise Lost,' where Satan tempts Eve through the body of a serpent.He emphasized, "Artificial intelligence does not possess contemplation. Living in a world with contemplation is what makes us human, and I believe all our experiences, such as suffering and joy, stem from human contemplation. I tried to create a story by viewing the unresolvable space of human contemplation as the abyss of the human mind, much like an unsolvable black hole in the universe."Meanwhile, actress Shin Hyun-bin, who consistently collaborates with director Yeon Sang-ho, lent her voice for narration, drawing attention. When asked about the behind-the-scenes story of her appearance, director Yeon added, "Actually, Gu Gyo-hwan also makes a brief appearance. He'll be hard to find. Since it was a film made like a club activity among people who became close while working on movies, rather than for commercial purposes, we received a lot of help."In conclusion, director Yeon Sang-ho stated, "This is a film where you can witness Bae Hyun-sung's new side and Kim Hyun-joo's true acting prowess. I believe the ultimate entertainment of a medium is a film that allows you to share new stories with the person next to you from the moment the movie ends, and 'Paradise' will be that kind of film." Kim Hyun-joo encouraged viewing, describing it as "a film with a short duration but deep intensity."'Paradise' has been officially invited to the Special Presentations section of the 51st Toronto International Film Festival and the Gala Presentations section of the 31st Busan International Film Festival, and will be released on the 21st.jiyoon-1031@tf.co.kr[Entertainment Department | ssent@tf.co.kr]