Park Hee-soon Praises 'Concrete Utopia' Ensemble: 'Lee Min-jung is the Funniest in Our Group Chat!'

Actor Park Hee-soon shared his insights into the strong camaraderie within the cast of the film 'Concrete Utopia'.

In an interview held on August 25th in Seoul, Park Hee-soon spoke about his experience working on director Park Chan-wook's latest movie, 'Concrete Utopia'. The film depicts the struggles of a salaryman named Mansu (Lee Byung-hun) after he is unexpectedly fired.

Park Hee-soon, who plays Choi Seon-chul, a rival for Mansu's re-employment, lauded his co-stars' performances. He particularly praised Son Ye-jin, stating, "I've watched her since she was young, but this time, she truly let go, yet still managed to deliver a condensed performance that perfectly captured her character." He expressed admiration for her acting.

He also reunited with Lee Sung-min after over 20 years. "It was the first time since our theater days, and over two decades, his acting has reached a level I could only dream of," Park Hee-soon remarked. "From his hairstyle, he disarmed us completely. His performance was truly outstanding."

Regarding Yum Hye-ran, he commented, "She's one of my favorite actors lately." He added, "When I first read the script, the role of Ara was the most intriguing. And knowing Yum Hye-ran was cast, I knew it was perfect. She exceeded all expectations."

On Cha Seung-won, he said, "He's known for his unique and comedic roles, but his performance here, where he did so little, was the best. His sincere acting after so long was incredibly moving."

Thanks to this stellar ensemble, 'Concrete Utopia' received an official invitation to the competition section of the Venice Film Festival. Recalling their time in Venice, Park Hee-soon mentioned, "Our group chat, created due to a hotel power outage, felt like a comedy club."

He elaborated, "Son Ye-jin, Lee Sung-min, and Yum Hye-ran all had a great sense of humor. But the funniest one was Lee Min-jung, Lee Byung-hun's wife. She mostly teased Lee Byung-hun, and it was hilarious."

Park Hee-soon debuted in the 1990 play 'Listening to You'. He has since delivered memorable performances in dramas like 'All In', 'Obstetrics and Gynecology', and 'Prison Playbook'. On the big screen, he has left a strong impression in films such as 'War of the Arrows', 'The Man from Nowhere', and 'The Witch: Part 1. The Subversion'.