“Escape” depicts a life-and-death chase between North Korean soldier Kyu Nam, who begins his escape for tomorrow, and State Security Department Major Hyun Sang, who pursues him to protect today.
The still cuts released on June 10th capture the arduous escape journey of North Korean soldier Kyu Nam (Lee Je-hoon), drawing attention. Kyu Nam’s relentless sprint through forests, harsh weather and muddy swamps without hesitation piques curiosity about his desperate escape.
Lee Je-hoon shared, “I thought this would be an incredible physical challenge and attempt. My determination was unlike any other work.” To portray Kyu Nam’s harsh escape, he challenged his physical and stamina limits.
In order to portray the appearance of Gyu-nam, Lee Je-hoon tried to become skinnier. He said, “For the first time, my body silhouette will be shown entirely. Although it’s a very short scene, I think it was important to express how Gyu-nam has been living. I thought a lot about how to portray Gyu-nam’s hardships physically”, revealing his great efforts in acting.
Due to the nature of the scenario about an escape, Lee Je-hoon faced another challenge with running scenes. The actor reportedly filmed until he became breathless and his legs went numb in order to capture scenes with the best qualities. Lee Je-hoon shared, “I ran thinking, ‘I’ll get caught if I can’t overcome my limits. If that happens, the audience will lose their interest’. That’s why I ran desperately”.
Director Lee Jong-pil, who directed the film, expressed his gratitude for Lee Je-hoon and praised the actor, saying “Watching the edited version, I once again realized how much he went through. Despite that, I was so happy to see him maintain lively eyes all the time”, raising curiosity about Lee Je-hoon’s performance in the film.
Lee Je-hoon also expressed affection for the movie, saying “I prepared this project with constant thoughts about how I could portray a person who doesn’t give up even in extreme situations. I thought about desperation every day and kept reminding myself that ‘Escape’ could be my last work. I immersed myself in the story and filmed with such a mindset”.
“Escape” will premiere in theaters on July 3rd.
