Kang Dong-won, Uhm Tae-goo and Park Ji-hyun’s ‘Wild Thing’ Targets Summer Box Office

"What on earth made you decide to do this?"

The music video for “LOVE is,” an original song from the film “Wild Thing,” has stirred buzz online and off since its release. Actor Kang Dong-won, long known for his looks, appears performing flashy dance moves; Uhm Tae-goo, often described as introverted, delivers an unexpected rap; and Park Ji-hyun leads choreography at center. With Kang, Uhm, Park and Oh Jung-se embracing against-type roles, expectations are rising over whether “Wild Thing” can shake up the summer box office.

A production presentation for “Wild Thing,” directed by Son Jae-gon, was held Tuesday morning at Lotte Cinema Konkuk University in Seoul’s Gwangjin district. Son and cast members Kang, Uhm, Park and Oh attended and discussed the project.

“Wild Thing” follows “Triangle,” a three-member co-ed dance group that once dominated the music scene but disbanded overnight after becoming entangled in an unexpected incident. Twenty years later, the group seizes a chance at a comeback and takes on a reckless challenge. The film pairs Son, whose credits include “The Villain on the Second Floor” and “Secret Zoo,” with About Film, the production company behind “Extreme Job.”

Kang plays Triangle’s leader, Hyun-woo, described as a dance machine. “Comedy is my favorite genre,” Kang said. “When I read the script, it was really fun, and I thought it was a full-on comedy.” He added that he liked the “fully closed” ending and said the run-up to the finale and the four characters’ stories were “really fun.”

Uhm, who plays the youngest member and rapper Sang-gu, also pointed to the script. He said meeting Son left a strong impression, and that Kang had already been cast as Hyun-woo, which became “the biggest reason” for his decision.

Park, who plays center and main vocalist Do-mi, said she had long been a fan of Son. She said she enjoyed Son’s earlier film “The Villain on the Second Floor,” and wanted to portray Do-mi’s dual nature. Park said she had been eager to do comedy, and that imagining Kang as Hyun-woo and Uhm rapping sounded “so fun.”

Oh joins as Triangle’s rival, Seong-gon, a ballad singer with a hard-luck story. Oh said the question of “Kang Dong-won dancing, Uhm Tae-goo rapping, and Park Ji-hyun doing idol-style performance” sparked curiosity and interest, adding that playing a ballad singer also appealed to him. He said he was eager to see how Son’s style would come through.

Music for the film was led by composer Shim Eun-ji, who has worked with Twice, SHINee and IU. Son said the debut song “LOVE is” needed to evoke the mood of its era while still sounding good to today’s audiences. He said he asked for a track that would feel instantly appealing in a theater, and praised Shim’s work.

The actors said they trained for five months in what they described as an “idol experience.” Uhm said he commuted to JYP’s headquarters for rap practice and tried to rehearse as often as possible, practicing whenever he had time for about five months. Kang said preparing for the film made him realize how demanding idol work is, adding that he came to respect it more while filming.

Oh spoke about his song “I Like You.” He said he let out a dry laugh when he first received it, but found it highly addictive the more he listened, and came to see it as a sad song. He said he worked with the director to create hand motions that were more like ad-libs than choreography.

Performance scenes designed to resemble a real concert are another highlight, Son said. He said the film’s crew worked with an actual concert production team to build the stage and raise its quality. Kang said the scenes felt like a real stage, joking that he worried the younger extras in front might not recognize him and wonder, “What’s that older guy doing up there?”

Park praised her co-stars’ unexpected sides. She said she had known Uhm as an introvert, but that he became a different person on stage, practiced constantly and performed so well she felt the center position was being overshadowed. Park said she referenced 2000s-era girl groups Fin.K.L and S.E.S, adding that she was glad to take on both singing and dancing through the film.

With “challenge” dance trends sweeping pop music, the Triangle track “LOVE is,” which has drawn attention on YouTube and elsewhere, is also drawing interest over whether it could catch on as a challenge. The actors said they would be grateful to anyone who participates.

Kang added that while he would appreciate anyone taking part in the “LOVE is” challenge, the first group that came to mind was BTS. He said he would be “very grateful” if BTS joined, drawing laughter.

In closing, Kang said he hoped audiences would enjoy the film, noting that everyone has a time when they shined and moments when they want to shine. Oh said the team worked hard to make it an exciting, warm and feel-good movie, and said he hoped it would be remembered that way.

“Wild Thing” is scheduled to open in theaters June 3.