(Korean Movies) The Last Princess, 2016

[ ABOUT MOVIE ]

The last princess of the Korean Empire, her hidden story begins now!

In the year of Emperor Gojong's 60th birthday, a girl's cry was heard at Deoksugung Palace. This child is Princess Deokhye, the daughter of Gomyeong, who was later acquired by King Gojong from Yang Gwiin. Gojong made a kindergarten for her at Junmyeongdang in Deoksugung Palace so that he could hang out with other friends, and even took Princess Deokhye to Hamnyeongjeon, his residence in Deoksugung Palace. In this way, Princess Deokhye became a joy in life for Emperor Gojong, who had spent his lonely last years, and she spent her childhood happily, even for a short time. However, after the death of Emperor Gojong in 1919, her fate completely changed. The Japanese, who tried to erase the traces of the Joseon imperial family, forcibly sent her to Japan to study abroad, and in 1931 she even arranged an arranged marriage with Takeyuki So, the Count of Japan. Princess Deokhye was a 'national sister' who was loved by the people of the country at the time, and when the news that she was married to Count Takeyuki So, the Chosun Ilbo deleted the groom's face from the wedding photo and put it on the paper to represent the public sentiment. is famous After that, Princess Deokhye contracted schizophrenia and was admitted to a psychiatric hospital, divorced her husband by agreement, and lost her daughter Jeonghye. After liberation in 1945, he tried to return to his homeland, but was blocked by the Syngman Rhee government, who feared the dynasty would be revived. Eventually, she set foot on the Korean soil again in 1962, and after that, she moved to Nakseonjae, where she died in 1989.

“Do you know Princess Deokhye?” Few people know her. The movie <Princess Deokhye> is a work about the life of Princess Deokhye, the last princess of the Korean Empire, who lived a life of misfortune amid the turbulence of history. Based on the novel [Princess Deokhye] by author Kwon Bi-young, it adds vitality to the story with a fact + fiction created by adding imagination to historical facts. In particular, the movie <Princess Deokhye> is expected to impress the audience this summer by depicting the unfortunate life of 'Princess Deokhye', which is not recorded in the records, and her desire to return to her homeland throughout her life. . Princess Deokhye, who was forced to leave Japan at the young age of 13, is a political tool between the Japanese imperialists and the pro-Japanese faction just because she was born in an imperial family that had no power left in a dark time when she lost her country. a person who represents Also, he was eventually caught up in a political storm and could not return to his homeland immediately after liberation, and in the process, he was forgotten from the country and history. “I want to live in Nakseonjae for a long, long time. My Highness, I want to see you, Vision. The last princess of the Korean Empire, who had to live her life with only one longing for Korea, as Princess Deok-hye said, “Korea is our country.” Her story will leave a deep impression on those of us who have forgotten Princess Deokhye, and will fill the theater district with emotion.

Korea's best seller, [Princess Deokhye]!
The very work that made 1 million readers cry is reborn on the screen!

In 2009, a novel that surprised Korea met the world. It was the novel [Princess Deokhye] by Kwon Bi-young, which dealt with the story of the last princess of the Korean Empire. Her lonely life in [Princess Deokhye] brought tears to the eyes of many readers, and since its publication, this work, which has been receiving a lot of attention since its publication, has sold over 1 million copies in total since the first edition was printed. It even went on to become the number one bestseller. Writer Kwon Bi-young, who has been preparing for this work for a long time by visiting Daemado, where Princess Deok-hye stayed after marriage, said, “I am happy that a movie based on my novel is on track. Thank you, Princess Deokhye, for giving me the good news.”

The movie <Princess Deokhye>, based on the novel by Kwon Bi-young, is a work that conveys the emotions of Princess Deokhye and the hardships she must have experienced in a detailed style on the screen. In particular, the excellent direction of director Heo Jin-ho, known as a master of delicate emotional directing, and Son Ye-jin, one of the best actors in Korea, will create a perfect ensemble and maximize the audience's immersion. Son Ye-jin revealed that she felt a variety of emotions such as pressure, expectation, and excitement while playing 'Princess Deok-hye' and said, "There are many intense emotional scenes in the movie, but I felt very complex. I want you to remember her even a little bit more, who lived in the unavoidable circumstances of the times.” Also, about the production process, director Huh Jin-ho said, "It is a life lived by an unfortunate character, and the historical examination of Princess Deok-hye and the era she lived in was very important. I worked hard to harmonize with the cinematic storyline,” he said, adding to his curiosity about <Princess Deokhye>, which will be transferred to the screen. As such, the movie <Princess Deokhye> will capture the theater community by conveying hot emotions to the hearts of the audience based on the solid story of the original.

Korea's proud actress Son Ye-jin, perfectly possessed by Princess Deok-hye!
The best actor Park Hae-il, a powerful force to lead the play!
Check out the beautiful and heartbreaking suction power of the two actors!

One of the biggest reasons why the movie <Princess Deokhye> is receiving high expectations from the audience is the explosive performances of Son Ye-jin and Park Hae-il, the two main actors. Whenever content related to <Princess Deokhye> is released, curiosity and expectations for the two actors continue to soar. First, Son Ye-jin, who plays the role of 'Princess Deokhye', has already aroused a lot of interest just by the news of her casting. As Son Ye-jin, who has transformed into various characters through steady production activities such as <Eraser in My Head>, <My Wife Got Married>, and <Pirates: The Bandit Who Went to the Sea>, she will present her role as 'Princess Deokhye' with more mature acting. ' The audience's expectations are rising. In particular, her performance, which shined in the short video of the two trailers previously released, gave a deep resonance to the audience, making the release more eager. Regarding her participation in <Princess Deok-hye>, Son Ye-jin said, "It is true that there was a sense of responsibility and burden throughout the filming, but I wanted to feel Princess Deok-hye's heart even a little more and show her life well in the movie and show the audience." , made me feel her sincerity, which was never taken lightly. Park Hae-il, who worked with Son Ye-jin, said, "It is a great opportunity to meet Son Ye-jin in one work. One of the actors I wanted to work with the most,” he said with a thumbs up. Director Heo Jin-ho also said, “She is an actress who can do emotional acting with the most power in Korea. I couldn't think of any other actors other than her for the role of 'Princess Deokhye'," he said, raising expectations for 'Princess Deokhye' that Son Ye-jin will play.

On the other hand, Park Hae-il, who plays the role of 'Kim Jang-han', an independence activist and lifelong protector of Princess Deok-hye, raises expectations once again for the unique atmosphere and charisma shown in each work regardless of genre. Haeil Park, who has proven her endless acting spectrum through <Jealousy is My Power>, <Scent of Chrysanthemum>, <Memories of Murder>, <Monster>, <Bow of the Last Weapon>, and <Eunkyo> Through this, he will show his true value once again without regret. In particular, the role of 'Kim Jang-han' is a character with two real-life characters, Kim Jang-han and Kim Eul-han, and a cinematic setting. In addition to the independence movement, 'Kim Jang-han' is a complex character that leads the entire flow of the play, who is constantly looking for her to return Princess Deok-hye. Park Hae-il did not hesitate to act as a laborer for this purpose, and he will raise the audience's immersion to the maximum with his absorbing and sincere acting. About his impressions of taking on the character of 'Kim Jang-han', Park Hae-il said, "As soon as I saw the scenario, I felt intuitively that I had to do it. It is a three-dimensional character with many aspects, so I created it by merging the characters I have been doing so far.” Director Huh Jin-ho said, "The sincere acting provided by an actor named Park Hae-il is unmatched." As such, the movie <Princess Deokhye> will captivate the audience with the explosive emotional acting and breathing of the two main actors.

They are united with their strong acting skills!
Ra Mi-ran, Jeong Sang-hoon, Na Na-sang, and Baek Yoon-sik are all focused on the gorgeous actors!

There is another reason for the focus on the movie <Princess Deokhye>. That is, the best actors in Korea gathered in one place. Not only Son Ye-jin and Park Hae-il's solid acting skills, but also the performances of the luxury actors who fill <Princess Deokhye> are expected to make the audience unable to take their eyes off the screen. First of all, Ra Mi-ran, who has a really strong presence while going back and forth between CRTs and screens such as [Reply 1988] and <The Himalayas>, plays 'Bok-soon', the only person who keeps the side of 'Princess Deokhye'. ‘Princess Deokhye’’s court lady and her only companion, ‘Bok-soon’, meets Ra Mi-ran’s unique witty and flexible acting to bring vitality to the play. Son Ye-jin, who worked together the most, said, "She has both acting agility and flexibility. I think we were able to stably support each other when we acted emotionally.” In addition, Jeong Sang-hoon, who plays the role of Bok-dong, a fellow independence activist of 'Kim Jang-han', also draws the attention of the audience by demonstrating his new stealer-like presence in movies, dramas, musicals and entertainment [SNL Korea] series. When asked about the point he focused on the most when playing 'Bokdong', Jung Sang-hoon said, "I tried to strike a good balance between 'double acting' in serious scenes and 'double acting' when I had to give humor." In addition to the known humorous appearance, he predicted that he would reveal a different side, raising expectations.

In addition, Baek Yoon-sik, the best actor in Korea, plays the role of 'Gojong', the emperor of the Korean Empire who loved 'Princess Deokhye' more than anyone else, and forms a heavy center of gravity in the work with his acting skills that do not need words. In particular, Baek Yoon-sik willingly allowed him to make a special appearance in the role of 'Gojong' in <Princess Deokhye> due to his relationship with the production crew of <Inside Men> and <I Am King>, and in addition to this, he made a no-guarantee appearance with his love for the work. He even delivered warm teamwork. Next, Ahn Nae-sang, who plays the role of 'Kim Hwang-jin', the uncle of 'Kim Jang-han' and commander of the Royal Guard of the Korean Empire, adds to the immersion with the acting that concentrates the unique gaze shown in the CRT. As the leader of the independence army, he will captivate those who see him with charisma and leadership. In this way, <Princess Deokhye>, which was completed by actors who are said to be native to Korea, is expected to deliver the sound and emotion of 2016's most anticipated work.

Director Heo Jin-ho returns to the screen with the best staff in Chungmuro after 4 years!
Breathe life into Princess Deokhye's life with delicate directing!

Director Heo Jin-ho, one of Korea's leading screenwriters and director, announced his return to the screen with the movie <Princess Deokhye> in 2016, with works such as <Christmas in August>, <Spring Days Goes>, and <Happiness>. Through <Princess Deokhye>, which makes many audiences look forward to directing the long-awaited "Pyo Heo Jin-ho," she illuminates the life of Princess Deok-hye, who had to live her whole life carrying the weight of her fate as "the last princess of the Korean Empire." As a master of capturing the emotions and psychological changes of the characters in the play more sharply than anyone else, director Huh Jin-ho focuses on the life of 'Princess Deokhye' through a fierce and delicate angle throughout the running time. In particular, director Huh Jin-ho revealed that while watching a documentary about Princess Deok-hye's life a few years ago, she was deeply impressed by Princess Deok-hye's return to Korea in 1962. Director Heo Jin-ho saw the novel of the same name depicting the character of Princess Deokhye, who became interested in this way, and decided to make a film based on the characters and stories in the novel. Inspired by the novel, he said that he added cinematic imagination to the story of an existing novel. Director Huh Jin-ho said, "I didn't want to hurt the emotional line because the original work itself is so delicate. I tried a lot to harmonize with the cinematic storyline.” While the novel deals with the life story of Princess Deokhye and focuses on the story of her marriage, in the movie, there are things that do not appear in the novel, such as the attempts of the independence soldiers in Japan to asylum in Shanghai. He added that he added to the fun by adding cinematic events, adding to the curiosity about the work. Son Ye-jin, who played 'Princess Deok-hye' in the play, said, "After 10 years, I met the director again with a great movie called 'Princess Deok-hye'. Throughout the entire work, I had a good relationship with the director in many ways. Without the director, it would have been really difficult."

On the other hand, the best production crew in Chungmuro, led by director Heo Jin-ho, joined <Princess Deokhye> to strengthen it. Cinematographer Lee Tae-yoon, who worked on <The Mister>, <Gwanghae, the Man Who Became King>, and <The Attorney>, as well as <Inside Men>, <Veteran>, <New World>, <War on Crime: The Golden Age of Bad Guys>, etc. Art director of Harmony, and costume director Kwon Kwon of <The International Market>, <Pirates: Bandits to the Sea>, <Myeongryang>, <The Attorney>, and <War Against Crime: The Golden Age of Bad Guys>. All the staff who led the film were dispatched. As a result, the movie <Princess Deokhye>, which makes people look forward to not only delicate and sensuous directing but also outstanding visual beauty, raises expectations for the birth of an unprecedented masterpiece created by the best directors, production crew and actors.

[ PRODUCTION NOTE ]

From Deoksugung Seokjojeon to the safe house for the exile operation!
A real set making machine that has carried the era intact!

As the movie <Princess Deokhye> is set in a specific era, clear historical research and thorough verification were repeated to create the atmosphere of the work from space to props. Such an historical test was impossible without the constant efforts of the staff, and he devoted himself to the historical test for a long time over four years. In particular, it received a lot of help from the Cultural Heritage Administration.

Among them, Seokjojeon Hall in Deoksugung Palace was the place that paid the most attention. It was the first Western-style building built in 1910 under the direction of King Gojong. The Seokjojeon set, built at Namyangju General Studio, is not a big part of the movie, but it is the most elaborate set because of the importance of the space as it is the place where King Gojong and Princess Deokhye, King Yeongchin, Sunjong, and Empress Sunjeonghyo took historical photos together. In addition, Seokjojeon, which was used as an audience room and office by King Gojong, was a space, a playground, and a precious home for the young Princess Deokhye. The production team not only visited the restored Seokjojeon in Deoksugung Palace several times since 2014, but also mobilized the art team to collect various materials such as past photos. The production team was able to complete the set of Seokjojeon that appears in the movie after constantly comparing the material itself and the currently restored Seokjojeon. You can get a glimpse of director Heo Jin-ho and the crew who worked hard to be perfect even though it was only the first filming.

The next important place is the safe house responsible for the second half of King Yeongchin's exile operation in the work. The safe house was made as a set in the forest located in Sinan-gun, Jeollanam-do, and was completed with high quality enough to be mistaken for an actual house even by local residents. It is said that the filming period was the longest among the main stages of <Princess Deokhye>, and the action was the most difficult sequence, so it was necessary to pay even more attention. In particular, the explosion scene at the end had to actually blow up the set itself, so it was filmed in extreme tension that had to be done without any mistakes being tolerated. The spaces of <Princess Deokhye>, completed through the various efforts of the production team, will increase the audience's immersion and add strength to the realism that seems to have transferred the era in the work.

Added scale to the Japanese location!
A behind-the-scenes location with a splendid visual!

The movie <Princess Deokhye> was filmed at a major location in Japan to realistically portray the life of Princess Deokhye, who was forced to leave Japan to study abroad at the young age of 13. This was done under the strong will of director Heo Jin-ho, and was intended to portray the lives of King Yeongchin and Princess Deokhye who actually lived in Japan in the most similar way. The main filming location was Kitakyushu in Fukuoka, Japan, and the actors stayed there for about three weeks and lived and worked together. In particular, the scenes shot in Japan had a lot of intense emotions, so the actors' breathing and chemistry were more important. Due to the nature of the location, there is a possibility of getting lost or a dangerous situation if you leave the group, so not only the staff but also the actors had no choice but to stick together. Son Ye-jin recalled that time and said, "It was a meaningful time for everyone to spend more time together, to share their concerns about the work, and to move forward in a better direction," raising expectations for <Princess Deokhye>.

The location of the residence of King Yeongchin was built around the 1930s. It is located in the Kitakyushu region and has a luxurious yet elegant Japanese style. The place where King Yeongchin actually stayed is located in Akasaka, Japan, and is currently used as a banquet hall for the Prince Hotel. The production team visited this place and, after extensive research, chose the residence in Kitakyushu, which has the most similar atmosphere. The interior of the mansion maintained the form of Japanese Western-style architecture in the 1920s, and the production team prepared props to compose the house accordingly. The two-story building was used in various ways, from the office of King Yeongchin to the living spaces of Princess Deokhye, Janghan Kim, and Boksoon. The unique tone of the work was completed by making good use of the feelings of 'Princess Deokhye', who had only one. Also, at the beginning of the location, I was concerned about the antipathy in Japan as it was a work dealing with the Japanese colonial period and the sad history of Korea. there was. As such, <Princess Deokhye> is prepared to welcome the audience by adding splendor, reality, and scale to its Japanese location.

The main characters of <Princess Deokhye> revealed themselves!
A famous scene episode that was born with a passionate performance that does not spare the body!

#One. Emotional explosion from the first shoot! – Son Ye-jin
The scene where 'Princess Deokhye' was forced to speak for Japan at Taito Heavy Industries, where conscripted Korean workers gathered, was Son Ye-jin's first filming sequence. On the first day of filming, it was one of the scenes that both director Heo Jin-ho and the staff were worried about because he had to elevate his emotions as 'Princess Deok-hye' to the maximum. To make matters worse, the weather got colder and the situation got worse. However, Son Ye-jin poured all of her power from the first scene and overwhelms the crowd as if possessed by 'Princess Deokhye'. As director Huh Jin-ho said, “It’s also Son Ye-jin,” Son Ye-jin announced a successful start from the first filming.

#2. The acting that shined even more in the worst situation! – Hae-il Park
It was a scene in which we had to continuously escape from the forest to the shore, and the weather was the most unhelpful filming. At the point when strong winds were constantly blowing and it started to rain, Park Hae-il had to keep running along the shoreline, where his feet were immersed in his entire body, with the desperate feeling of 'Kim Jang-han'. However, in spite of all kinds of bad circumstances, director Huh Jin-ho and Park Hae-il wanted to complete the perfect scene, and while Park Hae-il ran, fell, and suffered abrasions, he repeatedly filmed the same scene until Director Heo Jin-ho's OK sign fell. The moment the filming ended, his professional side shone so much that all the staff applauded.

#3. Her 180 degree transformation of her eight-color charm! – Ramiran
From entertainment to dramas, Ra Mi-ran, who is loved for her pleasant appearance through the CRT, was also a mood maker on the set of <Princess Deokhye>. However, unlike her usual appearance, in the scene where 'Princess Deok-hye' and 'Bok-sun' broke up due to 'Han Taek-soo', Ra Mi-ran exploded emotional acting that had not been shown before. In the forced march that lasted for about 12 hours, Ra Mi-ran created a scene that made her cry as soon as she saw it. Son Ye-jin, who shared this scene with him, said, "Even when we were laughing together during a break, I quickly captured my emotions and cried endlessly. I thought it was great to see him elicit emotions so much that he was exhausted.”

#4. Dangerous, a day on the boat! – Jeong Sang-hoon
The scene where 'Bok-dong', who is in the conspiracy of 'Han Taek-soo', is in trouble and is threatened was filmed on a boat. On the first day, we started filming in bad weather, but the weather got worse and we eventually withdrew, and the next day was also canceled under the advice of the captain who was driving the ship and judged that it was dangerous. In the end, this scene was born after a few twists and turns on a good day. At that time, Jeong Sang-hoon actually started to get seasick on a boat swaying in the big waves, and confessed that the desperate expression suffered by 'Han Taek-soo' came out naturally.