"Land of Happiness," released last week, is set against the backdrop of the assassination of former strongman Park Chung-hee in the late 1970s.
The courtroom drama intertwines fiction and history to explore how hegemonic power can distort truth. By examining the assassination through a legal lens, the film reveals how justice can be subverted, even within the confines of a courtroom.
Choo, best known for his 2012 hit "Masquerade," said at a press event in central Seoul on Aug. 6, attended by the film's main cast including Cho Jung-suk and Yoo Jae-myung, "I put special emphasis on accurately depicting a military court in the 1970s for audiences who might not be familiar with it."
The vetted director further explained that he felt it was crucial since the film is based on real events from the turbulence of Korean politics.
Among movie buffs and some moviegoers, the film inevitably evokes comparisons to previous similar films like "12.12: The Day" (2023) or "The Man Standing Next" (2020) due to their shared themes and historical settings. But Choo stressed that his latest film offers different perspectives and interpretations, asking viewers to appreciate it on its own rather than comparing it to others.
"It was a pivotal role in the film, as he tries to interfere with the trial to manipulate the case for his personal gain, so I wanted to convey his powerful authority. But going overboard could disrupt the film’s subtle balance, so I had to resist that urge."
He added, "But I did not want to miss any little detail when portraying the character, such as the madness in his eyes. The entire filming process was a great learning experience for me as an actor."
Not only because of its historical context and cinematic artistry, the film is also gaining attention as it is the posthumous work of the late actor Lee Sun-kyun. Lee, who earned global fame with his appearance in the 2020 Oscar-winning film "Parasite," killed himself while under investigation for an alleged drug scandal late last year.
Cho recalled, "Lee was one of the most passionate actors that I've ever known. I only have warm memories of him."
"Just a few days ago, I caught a radio broadcast where someone said, 'While you can rewatch films, you can't replay the moments you shared with close friends,'" Yoo said. "But I believe I can relive the good times I had with Lee through this movie."
In memoriam, the movie concludes with a tribute to Lee, reading, "We remember that Lee was with us."
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