Many fans of zombie and action films were thrilled with Train to Busan. Those who enjoyed the movie will be pleased to learn that a new film in the same universe has just launched in theaters called Train to Busan Presents: Peninsula.
While the movie is currently limited to theater viewing, Train to Busan Presents: Peninsula exclusively hits Shudder in early 2021. Horror fans who are uncomfortable heading to the theater during the pandemic will be able to catch the movie on the streaming service next year.
Recently, we had the chance to chat exclusively with the star of the film, Korean actor Gang Dong-won. We learned a ton about the movie from an insider's perspective. Because the actor speaks Korean, the answers have been translated into English.
If you're interested in hearing the audio component of the interview, click the podcast player below.
Literary Joe: How much more dangerous is this film, for the characters, compared to the first film?
Gang Dong-won: Train to Busan offers the thrill of what occurs in a confined space, while Peninsula offers the thrill of happening in a more expanded and open environment. There were fights with zombies, but the focus was more on fighting the humans who were behaving as if they were a type of variant zombie. There is a different thrill and storyline in Peninsula compared with Train to Busan, so you will have no problem watching Peninsula without having watched Train to Busan.
Literary Joe: Is this a direct sequel to Train to Busan?
Gang Dong-won: I do not see Peninsula as a direct sequel to Train to Busan. Peninsula has different elements, and its own stand-alone story expanded four years after Train to Busan, with an opening sequence bringing the audience back to "what happened to other survivors that day in Train to Busan." Of course, Peninsula has the same zombie's excitement that is associated with "Train to Busan."
Literary Joe: There were a lot of firearms in Peninsula, which separates it from the first film. What were the prop guns like?
Gang Dong-won: All men in Korea have some experience with guns during our military service. I did not do any special gun training for Peninsula, but I did for my past projects. I have done a lot of action acting in my previous films like "Kundo: Age of the Rampant," "Master," and "Illang: The Wolf Brigade." In Korea, I am known as an actor who is good with action acting. Thankfully, the action acting in this film was not more difficult compared to my previous works. This is because it was not a setting where I was a killer who skillfully handled guns, nor was it a sword master's character.
Literary Joe: What led to the decision to include English in this film?
Gang Dong-won: Jung-Seok is in UDT, and they sometimes train with the US army together.
Literary Joe: Is there anything else about Peninsula or any of your other projects that you'd like to share with our audience?
Gang Dong-won: This could be considered a spoiler. I shared many ideas with the Director before and during the shooting, and many of my ideas were included in the movie. For example, Jung-Seok closing the door, leaving his elder sister and nephew in the bunk, was not originally in the script. I proposed that was to have a clearer picture and understanding of the bad relationship between Jung-seok and his brother-in-law. And that all the car chase scenes were filmed on set.
The feeling of transitioning back and forth from animation to live-action adds color to this movie. I will be working with Hirokazu Koreeda in spring next year. The film "Broker" is about relationships formed between characters through a "baby box," which allows people to anonymously drop off babies that they cannot raise.
Besides, "Broker," there are a few international projects in discussion, but due to the current pandemic situation, the schedule must be re-scheduled, and plans must be re-planned. But I can say, I am always gearing myself for the challenges ahead.
*This interview has been edited for clarity and translated from Korean. Some of the questions were provided by fellow writer Nick Brooks, who co-hosts the audio portion of the interview.*
What do you guys think of Gang Dong-won's answers? Will you be checking out the new film? Be sure to check out the trailer and share your thoughts in the usual spot!
Four years after South Korea's total decimation in Train to Busan, the zombie thriller that captivated audiences worldwide, acclaimed director Yeon Sang-ho brings us Peninsula, the next nail-biting chapter in his post-apocalyptic world. Jung-seok, a soldier who previously escaped the diseased wasteland, relives the horror when assigned to a covert operation with two simple objectives: retrieve and survive.
When his team unexpectedly stumbles upon survivors, their lives will depend on whether the best—or worst—of human nature prevails in the direst of circumstances.
Train to Busan Presents: Peninsula hit theaters last week and will stream on Shudder in early 2021.