중앙데일리

	Stars of the new action film “The Thieves” pose for the press yesterday at the Westin Chosun Hotel in central Seoul. From left, Oh Dal-soo, Kim Hye-sook, Kim Soo-hyun, Kim Hye-su, Kim Yoon-seok, Jeon Ji-hyun and Lee Jung-jae [NEWSIS]

The biggest names in Korean film are set to star in the upcoming summer blockbuster “The Thieves,” dubbed Korea’s “Ocean’s Eleven” with its megawatt leads featured as a gang of thieves.

Kim Hye-su, Kim Yoon-seok, Lee Jung-jae, Jeon Ji-hyun and Kim Soo-hyun, as well as Hong Kong stars Angelica Lee and Simon Yam, make up the all-star ensemble in this heist movie directed by critically praised director Choi Dong-hun of “Tazza: The High Rollers” (2006) and “The Big Swindle” (2004).

The thought of directing this group of high-profile actors and actresses was “really scary,” confessed the director.

“At the beginning, I was worried whether Kim Hye-su and Jeon Ji-hyun might get into a fight or something,” joked Choi, during the press conference for the film yesterday at the Westin Chosun Hotel in central Seoul, adding that in the end the two leading actresses got along well and supported each other.

“Even during filming, I couldn’t take my eyes off the monitor because of the charisma of all these actors.”

On comparisons with “Ocean’s Eleven,” the director said he never went into production consciously thinking about the hit Hollywood film.

“I think the film, more than ‘Ocean’s Eleven,’ is closer to ‘Tazza’ and ‘The Big Swindle.’ Maybe there are similarities in that both films [‘The Thieves’ and ‘Ocean’s Eleven’] are about stealing, but the action featured in our film is invested with more emotion,” said Choi.

“When I saw ‘Ocean’s Eleven,’ the gang seemed really compatible and harmonious, but in ‘The Thieves,’ we are all over the place, all with our own faults,” said Kim Yoon-seok, who plays the head thief, Macao Park, in the new action blockbuster.

“But I think that you will see through the friendships and love in the film, our unique emotional developments will show through.”

	A still image from the new film “The Thieves” Provided by 1st Look

Director Choi’s fourth feature film is set in Macau, as a group of Korean thieves are called out by legendary thief Macao Park to the region to steal a rare blue diamond worth $20 million. The gang works with a group of Hong Kong thieves, all with their own secrets and ambitions regarding the project.

Veteran actress Kim Hye-su said that the shooting of one trying scene in the film, where she is featured under water trapped in a car, tested her patience and determination as an actress.

“When the director called for one more take, I could sense a touching passion in his voice, so I did one more,” said the actress, who also starred in the “Tazza: The High Rollers” along with her co-star Kim Yoon-seok.

“When I was watching myself on the monitor afterward, I started questioning why, as an actress, I had to endure such hardship ­ for what? The director, the audience or for the sake of the film?” she said.

“It was a moment when I questioned what films are to me.”

The film also marked the return of Hallyu star Jeon Ji-hyun to the big screen, as a rope-walking thief in the film, after her recent wedding. Her love interest in “The Thieves” is fellow thief, Jampano, played by up-and-coming actor Kim Soo-hyun, who catapulted into stardom with his role in the MBC historical drama “The Moon that Embraces the Sun” this year.

“My kiss scene with Jeon Ji-hyun was easy because I was able to get immersed in the scene easily with her presence,” said the young actor, looking a bit flushed.

When asked if he is anxious about the film’s July 25th opening, which will be in theaters with Hollywood blockbusters including “The Dark Knight Rises,” director Choi joked, “I see Batman in my sleep these days.”

“But more than anything, I wish that through the film, more people outside Korea will be able to get to know these great actors.”

By Cho Jae-eun [jainnie@joongang.co.kr]


관련 한글기사

김수현에 전지현과 키스신 묻자…


'도둑들' 김수현 "전지현과의 키스신, 몰입 잘 되더라"

배우 김수현이 전지현과의 키스신에 대해 몰입이 잘 됐다고 밝혀 웃음을 자아냈다.

김수현은 12일 오전 서울 소공동 웨스틴 조선호텔에서 열린 영화 '도둑들' 제작보고회에서 "전지현 선배님과의 키스신이 굉장히 떨렸는데 몰입이 잘 됐다"라고 말했다.

그는 "전지현과의 키스신 소감이 궁금하다"는 질문에 "키스신은 굉장히 많이 떨렸고 극중 역할인 잠파노로 집중하려 했는데 좋았던게 전지현 선배님을 보면 몰입이 잘 되지 않나. 그 힘에 최선을 다했다"라고 전해 폭소를 유발했다.

이어 쟁쟁한 배우들과의 연기에 대해서는 "나도 아직 영화를 보지 못해서 아직도 사실 얼떨떨하고 앉아있는게 조금 믿기지가 않는다"라며 "정말 처음에 선배님들은 가만히 계셨는데 혼자 기죽어서 있던 것이 생각난다. 더 그래서 공부가 많이 됐고 얻어갈 수 있어서 행복하다"라고 기쁜 마음을 전했다.

김수현은 극중 순정파 신참 도둑 잠파노 역을 맡아 열연을 펼쳤다.

한편 '도둑들'은 마카오 카지노에 숨겨진 희대의 다이아몬드 '태양의 눈물'을 훔치기 위해 한국과 중국에서 모인 10인의 도둑들이 벌이는 범죄액션영화로 오는 7월 25일 개봉 예정이다.