Parents' worst nightmares manifest in Korean thriller film 'A Normal Family'

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Parents' worst nightmares manifest in Korean thriller film 'A Normal Family'

Published: 30 Sep. 2024, 15:11 Updated: 30 Sep. 2024, 18:31

KIM JI-YE
kim.jiye@joongang.co.kr

A still from suspense film ″A Normal Family″ [HIVE MEDIA CORP, MINDMARK]

An upcoming Korean film adaptation of Dutch author Herman Koch’s novel “The Dinner” (2009) is coming soon, titled “A Normal Family.” It follows in the footsteps of the three previous adaptations from the Netherlands, the United States and Italy. The new film promises to raise thought-provoking questions for audiences, according to the director and cast.

“My biggest concern was that it might just end up being a discussion that only matters to us,” actor Jang Dong-gun, who plays Jae-gyu in the film, said to local reporters during an interview last week in Jongno District, central Seoul.

“I think it conveyed its message more strongly than the other films. The previous films felt like they were observing the characters from a detached, third-person perspective. On the other hand, our film seems to grab the audience and pull them right into the story,” he added.

The thriller film, slated to premiere on Oct. 16, follows the choices of four parents after witnessing surveillance footage of a crime involving their children. The film was initially meant to release on Oct. 9, but its distributors, Hive Media Corp and Mindmark, announced its postponement on Wednesday, just two weeks before its original schedule.

Actor Jang Dong-gun of suspense film ″A Normal Family″ [HIVE MEDIA CORP, MINDMARK]

The film was directed by Hur Jin-ho, who also took the helm of some classic Korean melodrama films, such as “Christmas in August” (1998) and “One Fine Spring Day” (2001), and features actors Jang and Kim Hee-ae, as well as Sul Kyung-gu and Claudia Kim.

The film was invited to numerous international film festivals before its local premiere, including the 48th Toronto International Film Festival, which garnered an unexpected positive response, according to Jang.

“Though the overseas audience was seeing the film through a translation, I noticed them laughing at the comedic moments and also seemed to resonate with the film, too,” Jang said. “So, I got curious and also a little worried about how the Korean audience would respond to the film [as they would directly understand the language and the nuance it has].”

A still from suspense film ″A Normal Family″ [HIVE MEDIA CORP, MINDMARK]

The thriller film poses numerous ethical questions, not only to the audience but also to the actors, as Jang revealed that the film made him reflect on himself and the cast — all of whom have children.

“It made me reflect on things I normally don’t think about, such as my actions, the choices I’ve made and how my values have been shaped over time,” he said.

“[The actors] would ask each other about what we would do if we fell into a situation like in the film, and interestingly, no one could give a definitive answer, even though we all knew what the ‘right’ answer was,” the actor added.

For the actor, the opportunity to portray an ordinary person made the role and the film more appealing, especially since most of his previous roles involved unique backgrounds, such as playing a king, agent, warrior or soldier.

“My previous roles often lacked a sense of realism,” he said. “They were more stereotypical and generic characters rather than portrayals of genuine human beings. But this time, I had to embody the struggles and daily life of a person grounded in reality, which felt refreshing. That’s when I realized, 'I’ve never really done something like this before.”

Director Hur Jin-oh of suspense film ″A Normal Family″ [HIVE MEDIA CORP, MINDMARK]

As for director Hur, who previously worked with Jang in the film “Dangerous Liaisons” (2012), Jang was the person who immediately stood out for the role.

“I wanted the character to feel kindhearted, and Jang came to my mind,” Hur said, who had separately done an interview with reporters on the same day at a cafe in Jongno District, central Seoul. “[When he asked me about the character,] I told him not to try and show something different, but just to be himself.”

Director Hur also acknowledged the pressure in creating the film, as the story had already been adapted several times before, but his motivation to pursue the project stemmed from his desire to pose the questions he grappled with in life to the audience. “I have always been interested in the subject of duality that humans possess," he said.

“I think the moral and ethical standards we hold can sometimes crumble in certain situations. It was fascinating to explore the duality of human nature that emerges when such events occur,” he added.

A still from suspense film ″A Normal Family″ [HIVE MEDIA CORP, MINDMARK]

Though the film had a different tone from his renowned melodrama films, he still showed a strong affection for melodramas and his thoughts on the genre’s future.

“It’s been a while since I made a melodrama film,” he said. “The genre has become hard to come across in theaters nowadays. [In other words,] its commercial power has weakened. So, we need to think about how to revive the power of popular appeal. I believe the genre has to evolve, perhaps even blend with other genres.”

BY KIM JI-YE [kim.jiye@joongang.co.kr]