The family-centric drama, released on Wednesday, revolves around two wealthy parents struggling to cope with a crime committed by their teenage kids.
Based on the Dutch novel "The Dinner" by Herman Koch, the Korean adaption was first unveiled at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) last month, drawing attention from foreign audiences.
"There is always something in movies that emotionally connects people from different cultures," Heo said at a press event in Seoul late last month, also attended by lead actors including Sul Kyung-gu, Jang Dong-gun, and Soo-hyun, better known as Claudia Kim.
"The film was also invited to several other international film festivals, where audiences from various countries showed similar reactions," Heo said. "Most viewers initially looked to be brimming with lightheartedness, but laughter gradually faded from their faces as the story became more intense."
Jang nodded, recalling his surprise at the reactions of Canadian moviegoers to a few hook scenes featuring witty Korean humor during the film's screening at TIFF. "I'm curious about how Korean viewers, who can pick up on every subtle nuance of the Korean language, would respond to them," he said.
The director said he took great care in filming these scenes to capture every detail, including even the slightest facial expressions of the actors. They starkly depict the complexities of human nature by juxtaposing the moral dilemmas faced by perplexed parents as they decide what is best for themselves and their children - turning them in to the police or turning a blind eye to their crime, each leading to entirely different consequences.
"The character I played constantly calculates the best option for himself in a difficult situation, rather than prioritizing what is the right thing to do," said Sul, who portrayed a cool-headed lawyer. "But I don't even want to imagine such a thing happening to me in real life."
Jang, who took on the role of an upright doctor, said, "We all may know what is right….. but I have no idea what I can do if I face such a situation."
When asked what inspired him to call the film "A Normal Family," Heo said he wanted to question whether the family's attitudes and behaviors in the film are "normal in such abnormal situations."
Whether or not it reflects the director's intention, the film's teaser poster piques curiosity with a provocative question like "What would you do if your child committed murder?"
"Some may think this horrible thing won't happen to them, but you never know what life will bring," he said.
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