'Assassin(s)' Director Heo Jin-ho: "Role Expanded After Casting Lee Min-ho... 'Pachinko' Was Impressive" [Interview ②]

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Director Heo Jin-ho shared anecdotes about the casting process and on-set chemistry of the actors in the film 'Assassin(s)'.

On the 10th, we spoke with Director Heo Jin-ho, who directed the film 'Assassin(s)', at a café on Samcheong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul.

'Assassin(s)' is a story that traces the suspicions and figures behind the assassination attempt on the First Lady of South Korea, which shocked the nation on August 15, 1974.

Regarding the casting process, Director Heo Jin-ho stated, "I don't remember the exact order, but actors Yoo Hae-jin and Park Hae-il were cast almost simultaneously," adding, "I had both actors in mind from the very beginning when writing the script."

On Park Hae-il, he said, "He played a reporter in 'Princess Deokhye' as well, and I felt he captured the essence of that role well. This time too, I thought, 'This is definitely Park Hae-il.'"

Speaking of Yoo Hae-jin, he explained, "I consider him an actor who delivers truly living performances. Rather than being confined to a fixed style, his ability to bring characters to life made me feel it would be great when meeting this particular character."

The casting process for Lee Min-ho was somewhat different. Director Heo noted, "The role of 'Young-il' wasn't initially as prominent as I had imagined. However, actor Lee Min-ho expressed interest, and around that time, I felt it would be beneficial to include a young reporter character in the story, so some related parts were added to the script."

He continued, "I have seen actor Lee Min-ho frequently through dramas and have fully considered his unique charm. I was particularly impressed by his performance in 'Pachinko.' I thought that bringing him into a more realistic role might reveal another layer of his appeal."

On set, the chemistry between Lee Min-ho and Park Hae-il was also noted as impressive. Director Heo recalled, "There are many scenes where newspaper reporters appear together, and actor Park Hae-il did an excellent job playing the role of a supportive senior and older brother figure. Lee Min-ho's first scene involved making a call from a public phone after the assassination incident."

He added, "The indoor filming location had no air conditioning, yet actor Park Hae-il squatted on the floor to receive Lee Min-ho's lines. I believe Lee Min-ho was genuinely surprised, thinking, 'Why would he go to such lengths for me?'"

Lee Min-ho's free-spirited acting also left a strong impression on Director Heo.

He explained, "There is a scene where Lee Min-ho's character goes to gather information and asks a female employee, 'Do you like Ssanghwa tea?' Originally, the scene was simply him carrying a fruit basket. However, actor Lee Min-ho improvised the line, asking, 'Doesn't this look like a bribe?'"

He further shared, "The staff told me they had never seen me react so enthusiastically before. I enjoy that living feeling that emerges in unpredictable situations. The realistic reactions from fellow actors were also enjoyable."

Concluding, he remarked, "Actor Lee Min-ho has many ideas and excels at portraying grounded characters. Since he has often played roles like a prince, it seems he had curiosity about such realistic roles after 'Pachinko.' This likely led to his participation in this project as well."

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*This content was translated by AI.