Comedy horror 'Handsome Guys' delivers hilarious mishaps
Actors Lee Sung-min, left, and Lee Hee-joon pose during a press conference for the new comedy horror film “Handsome Guysat Megabox COEX in Gangnam District, Seoul, Tuesday. Courtesy of NEW
Actors Lee Sung-min and Lee Hee-joon have reunited for the new multi-genre comedy film, “Handsome Guys,” about four years after they appeared together in the political thriller, “The Man Standing Next” (2020).
Adapted from the 2010 American film, “Tucker & Dale vs. Evil,” the new comedy horror film, set to be released on June 26, follows two carpenter friends, Jae-pil (Lee Sung-min) and Sang-goo (Lee Hee-jun), who believe they are handsome and sexy. Despite their belief and modest personalities, they leave an intimidating impression with their rough, unforgettable looks.
The two move to a new house in the countryside for a peaceful life. One day, they are falsely accused of abducting a college girl, Mi-na (Gong Seung-yeon), as they try to rescue her from a lake. Their dream of a peaceful country life takes an even more sinister turn when a long-concealed evil spirit in the house's basement is revealed.
This is the directorial debut of the newcomer Nam Dong-hyub.
Lee Sung-min expressed satisfaction working again with Lee Hee-jun. “I enjoyed it. In ‘The Man Standing Next,’ we had to be on edge for the nail-biting thriller when acting. But this time, I was just open-minded and comfortable working to build up (our characters) together,” Lee said during a press conference for the film, held at Megabox COEX in Gangnam District, Seoul, Tuesday.
Actor Lee Sung-min plays Jae-pil in the film 'Handsome Guys.' Courtesy of NEW
The two lead actors shared that they were drawn to the film’s blend of multiple genres, incorporating elements of the occult, comedy, action, and thriller.
“The script was interesting … I’ve done a lot of characters, but Jae-pil felt fresh and like a new challenge. It felt refreshing to have multiple genres mixed together, which seems to be the trend now. So I decided to take part to bring about some changes for myself,” Lee Sung-min said.
Lee Hee-joon added he enjoyed the unpredictable development of the story. “I’ve done a lot of villain roles so I was craving for some comedy acting,” he said.
“I liked how the film brought together various genres so well, making me constantly look forward to what would happen next. I also enjoyed how those expectations were disrupted.”
The director said he brought the occult genre to the comedy horror film when adapting the original film to make it more entertaining.
“Although the original film is already quite charming and interesting, I thought it clashes with the taste of Korean viewers. So I took the concept and characters as is, but worked on lightening the overall tone of the film when writing the script,” he said.
Lee Hee-joon plays the role of Sang-goo in the film 'Handsome Guys.' Courtesy of NEW
“To add more entertainment and comedy, I also combined elements of the occult genre, and spent a lot of time on finding how I could push the characters into even more stranger and unexpected situations."
The two well-meaning characters endure a series of chaotic events triggered by those who mistake them for criminals based on their appearance. The actors mentioned that crafting the hostile look of their characters required considerable effort.
“Coming up with a rough-looking face was the challenge … I put most attention to creating the appearance. Lee Hee-joon’s and my appearance are the starting point of the important series of events,” he said.
Lee Hee-joon added he even got competitive with his co-star.
“It was very comfortable and enjoyable to work with Lee Sung-min. We were open to improvising to make the scene even better, so I had fun,” he said.
“When I saw Lee Sung-min putting on tan line makeup and painting his stomach white, I felt threatened. So I put on cupping therapy marks. It was a very enjoyable competition."
Lee Sung-min concluded by recommending the film to those seeking pure entertainment as a temporary escape from life's worries.
“'Handsome Guys' is a movie that will let you forget about reality for a moment. Time will fly by quickly as you enjoy the movie,” he said. “I hope the movie can help viewers escape from reality for a moment and have a good laugh watching our movie."