(Korean Movie) Confession, 2020

[ Commentary ]

confession

Confessing one's own sins or faults in front of others.
or the confession

“You have to see <Confession> to the end to know.
It's a movie where you can't let go of the tension until the very end."
– Jisub So –

“<Confession> is a high-level escape room.
You have to put the puzzle together piece by piece to move on to the next level.”
– Yunjin Kim –

“<Confession> is a fine dining restaurant.
The story, acting, and twists are tightly and delicately designed.”
-Nana-

“<Confession> is a movie like an onion.
Every time you peel one or two off, new details are revealed.”
– Choi Kwang-il –

“<Confession> makes you curious about the ending as the story progresses.
It’s a movie that never gets boring.”
-Director Yoon Jong-seok-

“<Confession> is a desire. Human desire creates unhappiness.”
– Producer Won Dong-yeon –

“<Confession> is a choice.
You decide how to solve the accident. What choice would I have made?”
– PD Jihong Kim –

“<Confession> is a chillingly cold film.
The truth hidden in the ice is bound to come out someday.”
-Kim Sung-jin Cinematographer-

“<Confession> is a movie that makes you cry. There is something dreary hidden behind the incident.”
-Lighting director Shin Gyeong-man-

“<Confession> is like black ice.
It is a series of situations that you do not know when to encounter and situations in which you must always be careful.”
-Nara Yoon Art Director-

[ About Movie ]

“A film with an elaborate plot. A dense and complex mystery was solved densely” (South China Morning Post)
The birth of a well-made suspense thriller that first attracted attention at leading overseas film festivals
The man who became a suspect in the secret room murder case
A lawyer who must prove his innocence
The moment the pieces of the case fit together, the truth changes!

A man who is the representative of a promising IT company but is accused of being the sole suspect in a secret room murder case who killed his wife overnight, and a lawyer with a 100% chance of proving his innocence, sit face to face and begin to piece together the pieces of the case.

In the movie <Confession>, the central axis of the story is the conversation between Yoo Min-ho, who insists on innocence, and Yang Shin-ae, a lawyer who reconstructs the case based on his statement. Min-ho Yoo, who begins to tell everything that happened in the hotel room in order to clear his name, and Shin-ae Yang, who reconstructs the incident by filling in the loopholes in his statement, create a sharp tension throughout.

In a situation where all the evidence points to him as the culprit, Yoo Min-ho tries to lead the situation by taking control of even Yang Shin-ae, the lawyer with the best odds ratio. Yang Shin-ae, a competent lawyer who turns guilt into innocence, uses his psychology to devise a perfect scenario to prove Yoo Min-ho's innocence, and catches him off guard to bring out the truth he won't reveal. The tense psychological warfare between the two and the tug-of-war of breathtaking conversations is the decisive point of watching the movie <Confession>. Every time Lawyer Shin-ae Yang reconstructs a case, the movie throws a big turning point to the audience. Audiences fall into confusion as conversations pile up about what is true and what is false, and every time a new story or clue appears, they face a thrill that makes them sweat. “Every time the story changes, there is a sense of fun. As director Yoon Jong-seok said, “There is no time to be bored,” director Yoon Jong-seok said, “Confession” drives the audience throughout its running time with the fun and fast-paced development of following the truth of a newly revealed case.

The meticulous composition and high-quality scenario that makes you unable to take your eyes off it for a moment captivated leading overseas film festivals first. <Confession> was recognized for its cinematic quality by winning the Best Director Award in the Director's Week category at the FantaSporto International Film Festival. Since then, it has been selected as the closing film of the Udine Far East Film Festival, and has been invited to the Friborg International Film Festival in Switzerland, the Fantasia International Film Festival in Canada, and the Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival. In addition, “a wonderful script embroidered with unexpected twists” (Mario Dominsky, executive director of the FantaSporto International Film Festival), “a fascinating twist and the best actors meet to create a new master of noir” (Tieri Jobin, executive director of the Friborg International Film Festival) Chairman), “Confession, which was created elegantly with an organic screenplay, is a thriller that maintains great tension. The audience will be willing to immerse themselves and hold their breath until the end” (Sabrina Barrachetti, Udine Far East Film Festival Executive Director). Overseas online media who first saw the film through the film festival also commented, “A film with an elaborate plot. A dense and complex mystery was solved in a dense way” (South China Morning Post), “The clever writing skills and phenomenal acting invite the audience to the mystery surrounding the secret room murder case. A must-see” (Daily Dead), “More than just a crime movie” (Asian Movie Pulse), “Continuing to surprise” (AIPT Comics), “Without a doubt, it keeps audiences on edge from the first minute” (View of the arts), and announced the birth of a well-made suspense thriller.

So Ji-seop X Kim Yun-jin X Nana X Choi Kwang-il
Sparkling smoke synergy of acting masters!

All veterans of acting in Chungmuro gathered. So Ji-sub, Kim Yun-jin, Nana, and Choi Kwang-il, four actors with unrivaled presence and charisma, predict an acting showdown without compromise in the movie <Confession>.

So Ji-sub, an irreplaceable actor in Chungmuro, takes on the role of Yoo Min-ho, a promising businessman who overnight becomes a murder suspect. Yoo Min-ho was not an easy character for So Ji-seop, who was taking on the suspense thriller genre for the first time. So Ji-seop completed a three-dimensional character with sharp appeal to Yoo Min-ho, who desperately appeals to clear the murder charge and sensitively retraces the case. “'Did So Ji-sub have that kind of side?' You will be able to see a new side of yourself doing it.” The acting, which meticulously calculates even the movement of the eyes according to the height of emotions and the tempo of the story, will breathe life into Yoo Min-ho. Yunjin Kim and Nana praised him, saying, “The best partner on set” and “The concentration level is so good that we were naturally immersed together.” Not only Yang Shin-ae, who is trying to get closer to the truth about what the inside story of Yoo Min-ho's case is, but all the audience will participate in the exquisite psychological warfare with So Ji-sub.

The original thriller queen Kim Yun-jin shows her true character as Yang Shin-ae, a cool-headed and competent lawyer who transforms guilt into innocence. “Every moment was amazing. I could see why he was a veteran. Her true value can be confirmed in So Ji-sub's words, "I learned a lot from seeing and learning a lot, such as the sense of immersion, attitude on set, and the preparation process." Kim Yoon-jin, who led the atmosphere of the scene by instantly raising emotions at the same time as the shot, said, “There was only one answer to the role of lawyer Shin-ae Yang, who had an enormous number of lines. I practiced and practiced”, showing that hard work and passion are the reason she still shines. As she had to focus on Yang Shin-ae, who reconstructs the incident, and follow the story, Kim Yun-jin faced the great burden of holding the audience's attention from beginning to end. She meticulously designed and acted everything, including the trembling of emotions, the direction of gaze, and various eyes depending on the situation, until just before filming, and Yang Shin-ae’s character revealed that “It is the first time that I have acted while constantly worrying about filming during my 20 years of acting life.” immersed in You will fall in love with the story that made even the master of thrillers nervous and the transformation of Kim Yun-jin, who returned to the character.

As an actress, Nana, who is building solid skills and filmography, is divided into Kim Se-hee, who holds the decisive key to the case. Kim Yun-jin said, “I thought that this friend would have an accident. It really shines in the work.” For Kim Se-hee, who shows various faces and personalities according to Yoo Min-ho's statement, Nana had to express completely opposite emotions in the same place and situation. In order to play Se-hee, who is suffering from extreme anxiety, she always had muscle pain all over her body because she was always in a state of tension. Towards Nana, who displayed a higher level of concentration than anyone else, director Yoon Jong-seok said, “Even in a small space, I immersed myself in acting in various situations. I felt the trust right from the first shoot.” Nana, who has completed a difficult character by expressing various characters in a corner, will once again renew her life character with <Confession>.

Choi Gwang-il, an actor with a strong presence regardless of genre, plays Han Young-seok, who digs into another case. Director Yoon Jong-seok, who said that casting Han Young-seok was difficult, asserted immediately after meeting Choi Kwang-il that he was convinced that “this is the young-seok he has been searching for so desperately.” Choi Kwang-il, who perfectly absorbs the character by jumping between the lines, delivers intense suspense to the audience through the screen. Choi Gwang-il, who will display an unrivaled presence to the extent that Kim Yun-jin says, “I am a master of acting,” fills the play closely with a hidden figure of another unrevealed incident.

Overwhelming immersion like a mystery novel
Dozens of script readings and pre-route rehearsals
The essence of a well-made thriller made with details!

The movie <Confession> is the result of the delicacy of Realize Pictures, a veteran production team, delicate and meticulous storyteller Director Yoon Jong-seok, and the actors who created the triple-million films of <Gwanghae, The Man Who Became King> and <Along with the Gods> series. It is a well-made suspense thriller.

In the movie <Confession>, the tense conversation between the two actors in a confined space leads most of the story. Director Yoon Jong-seok, who said, “Even a small movement was efficiently conceived according to the psychology of the character in a limited space,” said Director Yoon Jong-seok, who conducted more than 10 group and individual readings from the pre-production stage, grasping the actors’ movements, facial expressions, gestures, and voice tones. and Conti actively reflected it. Above all, breathing between actors and a preliminary conversation with the director were important, so thorough pre-rehearsals and conversations were continued for each scene. Since there were many scenes with lines, the key was to balance the emotional density of the two actors equally. A detailed reaction design was also followed. The two actors, who experienced the entire rehearsal for the first time, learned the emotions of each character with their entire bodies, and improved their completeness by exchanging ideas with each other. Everyone experienced that the dramatic effect changes according to the subtle movements of sitting and standing, approaching and moving away, and in the actual shooting, all the experience gained from rehearsal was poured into it. Director Yoon Jong-seok said, "There were many times when I felt thrilled while feeling the three-dimensionalization of the things I wrote and the flat scenes. The reason it was so good was that everyone had prepared so thoroughly and showed them with concentration and sincerity even on set." The credit for the flawless pre-production went to the actors.
The actors also felt satisfaction while piling up the details. So Ji-sub said, “I was able to prepare more thoroughly when preparing for and filming the role. When I went to the set, the feeling was completely different”, Yunjin Kim said, “I tried rehearsing the movement in the set for the first time. Emotion lines stood out clearly. It was a valuable and grateful experience.” Nana said, “I came up with a lot of unexpected ideas on set, and when I started filming, I was able to express them stably. I was able to make Se-hee richer by thinking of many things, from the gestures to the facial expression that suits Se-hee,” recalling the fresh experience. Choi Gwang-il recalled the times when he filled the character 100% through pre-rehearsal, saying, "The feeling of not being cut off was very new."

Meticulous directing, unpredictable development, and intense suspense, the movie <Confession>, which was completed with great care by veteran production crew and actors, will show the essence of a well-made thriller.

[ Production Note ]

The last puzzle to complete the suspense!
Well-made production behind the scenes revealed!

# Complete the space for <Confession>!
Location & art behind the scene where tension is alive

Season is the hidden protagonist of <Confession>, which completes overwhelming suspense in a limited space. Director Yoon Jong-seok, who said, “Winter was what I focused on the most while composing the time and space of the film,” struggled to capture the cool air of winter, where silence and silence descended as if swallowing a secret. The production team, who actually wanted to shoot in an area with a lot of snow, thoroughly searched Gangwon-do and finally found a cool and secret space in the scenario, such as snow-covered winter mountains, frozen lakes, and deserted roads with fog. The staff recreated them perfectly by adding the color of the work to the spaces they met after a lot of hard work. Cinematographer Kim Seong-jin said, “When I saw the frozen lake, I remembered the cold and dry tone.” In art, gray-toned wood and cold-colored props were used to reduce the warm feeling of hardwood, completing a space that harmonizes with the cool winter scenery. In addition, the flow of the season was expressed to the extent that it snowed to show that it was a story that had been going on for 3 months from another hidden case to the time of the secret room murder.

Completing the space of the villa and hotel, which occupies a large part of the work, was also a key point. Art director Yoon Na-ra, who said that he tried to "express a natural difference while following the familiarity of the genre," created a space that harmoniously permeates the flow of the film with a design that considers the movement of the characters. First, the villa where Yoo Min-ho and Yang Shin-ae face each other reflects the fact that Yoo Min-ho used the space of the father-in-law for a secret meeting with Kim Se-hee, and appropriately combines the classic taste of the father-in-law with the sophistication of Yoo Min-ho, and the history that is not revealed in the movie is reflected in the space. projected Also, as the story unfolds in the same space, we tried to offset the boredom of the space by making a difference in the texture, tone and direction of the wood used for the floor and walls. The hotel, where the secret room murder takes place, is also an old-style building located in a remote location, adding mystery to the realistic and familiar space with meticulous props such as geometric patterned carpets and cushions, and rough textured inner curtains. The spaces of <Confession>, which were born after such extraordinary troubles and efforts, will add to the immersion of the play with intense and realistic mise-en-scène.

# Shooting & Lighting_Meticulously and densely captured the sharp psychological warfare!

For filming and lighting, the direct method was chosen instead of fancy technique to maximize the detailed acting of the actors. Cinematographer Kim Seong-jin, who said he wanted to give “the audience the feeling of being watched closely,” used a wide lens with a short focal length to narrow the gap between the actor and the camera, capturing “the slight trembling of the pupils and the minute movements of facial muscles.” As past events intersect through the conversation between Yoo Min-ho and lawyer Shin-ae Yang, natural scene transitions were also important. From pre-production, I put my heart and soul into continuity work, and I rehearsed enough movement on the set before filming to closely match the position of the actors and the camera. In addition, the villa scene where Yoo Min-ho and Yang Shin-ae's day battle takes place minimizes the movement of the camera to emphasize the actors' facial expressions and sharp psychological warfare, and the flashback scene urgently depicts the events that change as the story is reconstructed with dynamic camera movements.

Lighting director Shin Gyeong-man, who said, “I tried to express the emotions of the characters in detail,” maximized the reversal of situations and emotions by adjusting the tone of lighting according to the narrator’s gaze. In addition, in order to continue the feeling of a cold and dreary winter night in the villa scene where a long conversation takes place, all sunlight is blocked and all lighting is calculated so that the two people's conversation is fully focused. Director Jong-seok Yoon and the production team, who completed the scenes by fine-tuning everything like this, said, “The nuances of the actors’ faces and voices, and the smallest gestures and expressions are the points to watch” (director Jong-seok Yoon), creating a production design that makes the actors’ acting and stories shine even more. He expressed confidence in shooting and lighting.