Fans of horror movies, particularly the zombie sub-genre, likely have a special appreciation for the unique film Train to Busan. Luckily for those who enjoyed the flick, Train to Busan Presents: Peninsula hit theaters last month.
Now, while many people may be worried that they won't be able to catch Peninsula on the big screen, we've been told that the film will be hitting the horror streaming service Shudder in early 2021. So, those who would prefer to watch Train to Busan in their own home will be able to in just a few months.
To support the theatrical release of the film, we set up an exclusive chat with Korean actor and star of Peninsula, Gang Dong-won (Illang, Master), and we learned a lot about his experience shooting the film and facing down the terrifying zombie hordes.
If you're interested in hearing the audio component of the interview, click the podcast player below. Due to the language barrier, this interview has been translated from Korean, and the answers are read aloud during the audio portion.
Literary Joe: What was it like being attacked by zombies?
Gang Dong-won: It was not good (laughs). First, the zombie actors ran towards me with full zombie makeup and a bloody distorted face. It was apparent that these zombie actors had to act with their mouth' zombie- ly opened' with their saliva dripping from their mouth onto me while we were shooting. It was not a pleasant moment for either one of us.
Literary Joe: Have any of your past projects prepared you for this film, and if so, how?
Gang Dong-won: It helped me a lot with firearm and gun preparation. For example, like "Illang" and "Master," I was handling different types of guns and firearms, which required more training in both films. These trainings helped me to shorten the preparation for Peninsula. Having said that, these two films each featured a different character as Jung Seok in Peninsula.
Literary Joe: Without giving anything away, what were your favorite moments of shooting the film?
Gang Dong-won: It has to be the last day of shooting. I will feel sad if a movie that was not too difficult to shoot ends its filming because I like to continue shooting. But on the other hand, I will be delighted to complete filming that is hard on the body (tired).
Literary Joe: Is this the first project you've been involved in with this much action?
Gang Dong-won: Although it was a movie with a lot of action sequences, because of Director Yeon Sang-ho's style of directing made the filming easy. There were more action scenes than I initially thought based on the script, but there weren't too many hard actions. Usually, even a 3-4 minute full-body action sequence is exceedingly difficult, but in Peninsula, it was easy.
Literary Joe: Can you tell us anything about how the fighting zombie pit was put together?
Gang Dong-won: Fighting in harmony with zombies was not easy, but it was not difficult or tiring either. For this action sequence, I practiced for two days before shooting. I got a call when I was in Los Angeles, and I have worked with this action team previously, and they knew my standard well. They just told me to take care of my body and come back to shoot. The action team shared their opinions on the action scenes with me through video, and I went through the process of familiarizing myself with the work.
*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.