Actor Gang Dongwon has opened up about the dedication he poured into transforming into an idol singer for the film 'Wild Sing'.
On the afternoon of the 19th, during an interview held in Samcheong-dong, Seoul, to commemorate the release of 'Wild Sing', Gang Dongwon shared the behind-the-scenes story of his casting, saying, "I actually received this script several years ago. Even back then, I thought the script was fun, but I felt it was ahead of its time. I recently read it again, and the story had become even more engaging. Everything has its time, and I felt that now was the right moment for this film to be made."
In the film, Gang Dongwon plays Hwang Hyun-woo, the leader of 'Triangle,' a group that once topped music charts but has since faded into obscurity. As the film depicts both the group's prime and their comeback stage, the performance of 'dancing machine' Hwang Hyun-woo was crucial. While staying in the United States, Gang Dongwon began practicing dance under the guidance of an authentic hip-hop dance team.
Gang Dongwon revealed, "The songs for Triangle, the debut track 'Love is' and the second album title track 'Shout it out,' were released around January to February of last year. Filming began in March, and I started dance practice in early January. I learned to dance from the leader of a famous hip-hop team there."
In 'Wild Sing', Gang Dongwon opens the film with a windmill and hits the dramatic peak with a headspin in the finale. While a stunt double was used for some scenes, he performed most of them himself.
Gang Dongwon shared, "Triangle was a talented group that even reached number one on music programs. I practiced incredibly hard so that when people watched, they would initially laugh in disbelief, thinking, 'What is this?', but then react with, 'Wait, why are they actually good?' I practiced for 4 to 5 hours every day. Even after filming ended, I would go home and continue practicing."
The film follows the journey toward Triangle's comeback stage. The process is filled with numerous ups and downs that evoke laughter. Regarding the plot, which builds tension and anxiety in the audience—wondering if the comeback stage will ever happen—he expressed satisfaction with the highlight scene: "That is the charm of our movie. We actually filmed that stage toward the very end of the production. We hadn't really practiced on the actual stage before. We did have a rehearsal the day before filming, but the real performance felt different. It was as if the performance had finally come together. The dance was ingrained in our bodies, so the lines looked good, and the details of the choreography really came to life."
'Wild Sing' is a comedy film about 'Triangle,' a three-member co-ed dance group that once swept the music scene but disbanded overnight after getting caught up in an unexpected incident. The film follows their reckless challenge to seize a chance at a comeback 20 years later and is set to be released on June 3.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kim Ji-hye)