Made Us Laugh and Cry, Will Park Seo-joon and IU's Korean Movie 'Dream' Achieve Success?

Director Lee Byung-hun's 'Dream' Press Screening
2010 Homeless True Story on Screen

"Even if we fall behind while living, being on the field and running is what matters. Isn't it because the game isn't over yet that we give our best?" (Director Lee Byung-heon)

The story of the Korean national team, which first participated in the 2010 Homeless World Cup, unfolds on the screen. Will actors Park Seo-joon, IU (Lee Ji-eun), and director Lee Byung-heon, who are the last Korean films to be released in April, succeed in turning the theater atmosphere around?

Director Lee Byung-heon Photo by Plus M Entertainment

Director Lee said at the press screening of the movie Dream held on the afternoon of the 17th at Megabox COEX in Samseong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, "This work is based on a true story from 2010, and I wrote the screenplay even before the movie Twenty (2015), which was made 10 years ago."

Dream, which opens on the 26th, is a film about Hong-dae (Park Seo-joon), a former soccer player with no sense of responsibility, and So-min (IU), a PD without passion, who challenge an impossible dream together with a ragtag group of homeless national team players. The cast includes Park Seo-joon, IU, Kim Jong-soo, Go Chang-seok, Jung Seung-gil, Lee Hyun-woo, Yang Hyun-min, Hong Wan-pyo, and Heo Jun-seok.

Director Lee Byung-heon, who directed the films Twenty (2015), Wind Wind Wind (2018), the drama Melo Is My Nature (2019), and attracted 16.26 million viewers with Extreme Job (2019), took the helm.

Director Lee recalled, "After the 2010 Homeless World Cup ended, the story was briefly introduced on TV the following year. The production company CEO showed me that footage and suggested adapting it, and I wondered, 'Why didn't I know about this?'"

He continued, "It was a story I wanted to introduce to many people. Although it was a bit rough, isn't it a place we should see? I wanted to make it an easy-to-enjoy popular film for the whole family." He added, "The strength that kept me going was the true story. Beyond cinematic effects, it was a great motivation. That is the power of a true story."

Regarding the background of adapting it into a comedy genre, the director said, "Some comedy was necessary to break certain prejudices and boredom about homeless people playing soccer." He added, "Since it is a true story and deals with marginalized groups, it couldn't be approached only comedically. Balancing that was the biggest challenge. I'm curious about how the audience will perceive it."

On the film's distinction as a sports movie, he emphasized, "Other sports films aim for victory, but Dream is a film about looking forward from a slightly behind position." He explained, "It's a film about living as members of a community within the fence, so that people are not afraid to enter the field."

Park Seo-joon (left) IU
[Photo by Plus M Entertainment]

Recently, Korean films have been struggling at the box office. In a situation where attracting even 1 million viewers is difficult, let alone 3 million, the pressure on Dream is heavy. Director Lee confessed, "I am more nervous than when I debuted." He added, "The theater atmosphere is a bit down and not good, but I hope that Dream, a film we worked hard on, will help even a little."

Park Seo-joon, who plays Hong-dae, a soccer player who unexpectedly becomes the coach of the homeless soccer team, said, "Dream felt like a genre unique to director Lee Byung-heon." He continued, "I liked the director's films and was curious," explaining his reason for appearing.

He said, "I memorized the lines well and approached the filming. I felt like I was delivering lines at a fast tempo, but the director demanded more than 1.5 times the speed. Even though I thought I had practiced enough, it was not easy to keep up at first. I prepared by physically feeling and adjusting to the director's directing style."

IU, who played documentary PD So-min, said, "The director required a speed more than 2.5 times faster for the lines. On set, the director showed me the tempo and speed of So-min's lines with his voice, and I liked it, so I referred to it."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.