‘The Divine Move’ an action twist on baduk

From left to right: Ahn Gil-gang, Kim In-kwon, Ahn Sung-ki, Jung Woo-sung, Lee Bum-soo and Lee Si-young at the press junket for the upcoming “The Divine Move.” Provided by Show Box

In director Jo Bum-gu’s latest action flick “The Divine Move,” the filmmaker presents an unconventional combination of fierce action versus the serenity of baduk.

Baduk is a game that requires prudent moves and much meditation time. In the two-player pastime, each person takes turns to move white or black stones to a different point on the grid with the aim of taking over a larger portion of the board.

“I was searching for one great action film that involved men’s sweat and the collision of bodies,” said the movie’s lead, Jung Woo-sung, at a press conference held Wednesday at Megabox in Jung District, central Seoul.

“When I came across the scenario of ‘The Divine Move,’ even though I didn’t have any understanding about baduk, I was immersed in it,” Jung said.

Unlike baduk’s predominant image as a game of courtesy, when it is played for money in the film it can become a deadly match involving physical altercations.

Actor Choi Jin-hyuk said he was stressed about having to fight with Jung, whom he has long respected.

“When I heard that Jung was cast in the film, I just thought I had to accept the role. But once I got into shooting, I actually had to hit him and that gave me a really hard time,” said Choi.

The only predominant female star in the film is Lee Si-young who plays a femme fatale forced to become a baduk player to make ends meet for her family.

When asked about the similarity with Kim Hye-soo’s madame in the 2006 gambling movie “Tazza: The High Rollers,” director Jo answered that although the feel of the film is inevitably similar, the characters, in terms of their will to escape gang life, differ significantly.

The film opens in July.

By jin eun-soo, contributing writer [estyle@joongang.co.kr]