[Dispatch | Busan = Reporter Jeong Tae-yun] "I felt this chemistry worked without even trying." (Son Seok-gu)

Actor Son Seok-gu and Japanese actor Nakayama Eita met. Despite different borders and languages, certainty came the moment they acted together. As soon as they exchanged their first lines, they felt confident they could trust each other and move forward.

The Netflix series "Blue Road" held an open talk on the 9th at the outdoor stage of the Busan Cinema Center in Haeundae-gu, Busan. Son Seok-gu, Nakayama Eita, Kim Shin-rok, and director Han Jun-hee were in attendance.

"Blue Road" is a new work by director Han Jun-hee, known for the Netflix series "D.P." and the film "Chinatown." It received an official invitation to the On Screen section of the 31st Busan International Film Festival.

It is a hardboiled crime investigation drama. It tells the story of two detectives tracking twisted corpses, mysterious messages, and gruesome murders that repeat across borders.

Son Seok-gu plays detective 'Kim Seok' of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency Mobile Investigation Unit. Nakayama Eita takes on the role of detective 'Inose' from the Investigation Division 1 of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department.

Son Seok-gu explained, "What the director said about the character was that he wanted to depict 'our fathers.' It's set in the early 2000s, but rather than perfect historical accuracy, we focused on the sensibility of that era."

He also reduced his weight. He said, "When I filmed the movie 'Bedford Park,' I weighed 90kg, and the director told me to lose a lot to look sensitive, so I made significant physical changes."

Nakayama Eita said about his reason for appearing, "I am a fan of director Han Jun-hee. With great trust in him, I could believe without doubting any direction he gave."

He added, "I acted with the thought that I should love and care about the character I play more than anyone else, and that I should show it."

The two completed a tense confrontation between extremes and fresh buddy chemistry. With rhythm that seems different yet similar, they trace the case and peel back the truth layer by layer.

Director Han Jun-hee said about casting, "I wanted to shoot this work boldly and coolly. I wanted to make a film that fits hardboiled. So I contacted Son Seok-gu first."

He continued, "I think I am the Korean director who has seen the most of Eita's works. He is that skilled an actor." He added confidently, "I wanted to use these faces in this work. As it progresses, you will see incredible faces."

What was the chemistry like between Son Seok-gu and Eita? Son Seok-gu spoke excitedly about their first meeting, "We shot the first scene on a Japanese set. The moment we exchanged our first lines, I felt something was different."

He continued, "I went to the director and said, 'I think I can trust this guy and proceed.' There are times when chemistry doesn't form no matter how hard you try, but I felt this chemistry worked."

Eita was equally struck by a strong impression. He said, "I've already seen a lot of Son Seok-gu's acting in works. There was tension of 'he's in front of me,' and I tried to shut that down and act."

"Every scene with Son Seok-gu was good. Just seeing him in front of me was stimulating." (Eita)

The two use Korean and Japanese without boundaries in the work. Son Seok-gu said, "Even if I memorized it until before bed, it didn't work. I thought I was going crazy."

He emphasized, "When I chose this work, I thought, 'I absolutely can't do this. It's too hard for me to handle'—I chose a work like that and committed all-in so audiences could enjoy it for a long time."

He continued, "If I was going to do it, I wanted to do it right. I wanted to do most of my Korean in Japanese, and Eita wanted to do his in Korean. That aspect felt like a similar mindset to mine."

Eita recalled, "The three of us—Son Seok-gu, me, and the interpreter—thought a lot about how to deliver the lines. I remember we practiced for hours while drinking coffee in a park."

Son Seok-gu's help was significant. Eita said, "Son Seok-gu would say, 'What if Eita did Korean like this?' and recorded it for me. I always fell asleep listening to his voice."

Director Han Jun-hee expressed gratitude to the actors who poured everything into the work. "Eita set aside time from several works he could do in Japan for this project. There was almost no break time. On days off, we kept gathering to organize and practice the lines. I'm truly grateful."

"Blue Road" first premiered episodes 1-3 to Busan audiences. Son Seok-gu said, "Episodes 1-3 have more of a mystery-solving feeling between the two detectives, but from episode 4 onwards, the friendship between them and various dramas symbolizing the era explode. Please enjoy it when it's released."

"Blue Road" will be released on Netflix on the 20th of next month.

<Photo=Reporter Song Hyo-jin>