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| Scenes from 'Escape' starring Lee Je-Hoon and Koo Kyo-Hwan |
At some point in your life, you might feel stuck in your circumstances and the future seems bleak from where you are. It is but natural to long for escape - not just a momentary mental escape, but a real one that drives you to do anything and risk everything for a chance to have a brighter future.
“Escape”, a Korean movie by director LEE Jong-pil (Samjin Company English Class, The Sound of a Flower), tells the story of Sgt. Kyu-nam (LEE Je-hoon), a North Korean soldier who is nearing the end of his 10-year service at a North Korean frontline unit near the Demilitarized Zone. Faced with the reality that as long as he is living in the North, he wouldn’t be able to live the life that he wants, Kyu-nam prepares to flee to the South.
Dong-hyuk (HONG Xa-bin), a junior soldier, discovers Kyu-nam's plan. He asks if the South will really be like paradise, to which Kyu-nam replies that it may not be, “but at least I’ll have the freedom to try and fail at what I want to do."
Dong-hyuk asks to be taken along, but when he gets refused, he attempts to escape on his own which results to his capture. To save him and for them to run away together, Kyu-nam hastens his own escape plans. But one man is hell-bent on stopping him.
Hyun-sang (KOO Kyo-hwan), a major in the North Korean State Security Bureau, protects Kyu-nam at first, claiming that he is a hero who captured Dong-hyuk. However, when Kyu-nam's real escape begins, he relentlessly pursues him to safeguard his own reputation and power. All the while keeping a calm demeanor, Hyun-sang creates a stark contrast with Kyu-nam's frantic run.
Since Kyu-nam's fundamental desire is to break free from his current fate, he never stops, no matter the obstacles. He approaches checkpoints head-on, crosses swamps with a death-defying determination, strides through minefields without hesitation, and leaps off cliffs into water with pursuers hot on his heels.
Lee Je-hoon reveals that playing the role of Kyu-nam was so physically demanding that he thought he “might die from running out of breath or that (his) legs might really give out." He transformed his body to reflect Kyu-nam's wiry frame, capturing the essence of a desperate, continuously laboring fugitive.
Director LEE Jong-pil envisioned LEE Je-hoon, with his "intense eyes, vivid expressions, and the seamless blend of flexibility and straightforwardness," as the ideal choice for Kyu-nam. For the relentless pursuer Hyun-sang, the director wanted KOO Kyo-hwan, known for his versatile expressiveness and instinctive acting, always defying expectations.
In a society that often imposes its standards of happiness, “Escape” emphasizes personal choice and the pursuit of individual happiness. Kyu-nam’s story of deciding his fate and running towards it is expected to resonate deeply with audiences.
"Escape” is showing on July 17, 2024 in cinemas nationwide.
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