Behind the Scenes of 'Husbands': Trust and Comedy with Jin Seon-kyu and Gong Myung

Every production has numerous perspectives. Although the director and actors share the same space and time, their experiences may differ. Choi Song-hee's B-Cut focuses on the vivid behind-the-scenes moments that go beyond the 'A-Cut' captured on screen. It reconstructs the hotter 'B-Cut' moments through interviews with the director and actors. Editor’s Note

The Netflix film Husbands, directed by Park Kyu-tae, is a comedy action story about an ex-husband and a current husband who reluctantly team up to rescue their wife and daughter from a crime syndicate. Jin Seon-kyu plays the ex-husband, a drug squad ace named Chung-sik, while Gong Myung portrays the current husband, a veterinarian named Min-seok.

From their first encounter, Chung-sik and Min-seok are wary of each other, but they must unite to save their loved ones. This marks the reunion of Jin Seon-kyu and Gong Myung after seven years since their collaboration in Extreme Job.

"I knew comparisons would be inevitable. Extreme Job remains a benchmark for successful comedies in our country. I was aware that there might be mixed opinions. However, I didn’t feel pressured to do better or create something more. My focus was on sharing the story and style possible within Husbands and aligning with the director's vision. Although there were burdens and concerns, I believe we worked hard to create this story," said Jin Seon-kyu.

"I didn’t expect people to compare it to Extreme Job since this is a different work with different relationships. When promotions began and Extreme Job was mentioned, I realized that it was natural for people to think that way. When choosing a project, my main thought was that it would be fun to work with Seon-kyu hyung again," Gong Myung added.

Although it has been seven years since they last appeared together on screen, the time felt short for both actors due to their consistent communication and meetings outside of work.

"I was surprised to realize it had been seven years. We met frequently and kept in touch, so I didn’t feel the time passing. Working together again, I saw a leadership side of Seon-kyu hyung that I hadn’t noticed during Extreme Job. I learned a lot from how he guided the actors and created each scene. He is playful and easygoing, but I was reminded that he is a senior from whom I can learn a lot," Gong Myung said.

The chemistry between the two actors is most evident in a scene where they escape from a freezer. Captured by the gang leader Yong-gang (played by Yoon Kyung-ho), Chung-sik and Min-seok find themselves bound and trapped in a freezer, covered in plastic bags. Unable to use their hands, they rely on their feet to tear the plastic off each other's faces and free themselves. While it appears to be a slapstick comedy, the success of the scene depended on the trust and responsiveness between the two actors during filming.

"I realized during rehearsal that tearing the plastic with my toes was challenging. To do it, I had to get my toes inside to rip it, but it wasn’t easy. We experimented with different methods, and even though we were close, it would have been difficult to coordinate if we weren’t comfortable with each other. We found the best way by trying it out together. I believe it was possible because we shared a trust to create this scene, rather than just a simple friendship," Jin Seon-kyu explained.

"We couldn’t take many takes. Being under the plastic bag was genuinely tough. We had to make it tight, so it was hard to shoot multiple times. Tearing the plastic was also difficult, so we had to get it right in one go. I think we managed to do it in one take because I was working with Seon-kyu hyung. We were comfortable with each other, so we could try different approaches without hesitation, which helped us perform well without any NGs," Gong Myung added.

The actors' movements evolved during filming. Their reactions to unexpected sounds while blindfolded added humor, and props that fell during the shoot, combined with post-production CGI, enhanced the scene.

"When I screamed, I couldn’t see, but I could hear, and it was funny to see us moving to avoid something that wasn’t even there. We dropped some actual fish on set and added CGI, which made the scene entertaining. It was a spontaneous moment that emerged during filming. It’s one of my favorite scenes," Jin Seon-kyu remarked.

After seven years since Extreme Job, Jin Seon-kyu and Gong Myung reunited in Husbands, portraying the roles of ex-husband and current husband. While their pairing is familiar, the style of humor has changed. The long-standing friendship and trust between the two actors naturally infused the scenes of tension and conflict, completing the unique comedy of Husbands.