KO WOORIM skips the shampoo as The Fin dives into dystopia

"People look at me with pity when I go to the convenience store" Real-life makeup anecdotes from the actors.

Actors Kim Pureum and Go Woo are set to meet audiences through the film 'The Fin,' which depicts a dystopian near-future unified Korea. Director Park Se-young and the two lead actors attended the press screening and press conference held at CGV Yongsan IPARK Mall in Seoul on the afternoon of the 10th.

The actors' efforts to immerse themselves in their characters were evident. Go Woo, who plays the role of Omega, shared the efforts made to portray an alien species, stating, "This is the first time I have gone to a film set without washing my hair." Kim Pureum, playing Su-jin, lightened the mood by sharing an anecdote experienced after applying her makeup. "When I wait after getting my makeup done and go to a convenience store during breaks, people look at me with a lot of pity," Kim Pureum said, drawing laughter as she recounted how an elderly person once approached her while she was lying on a park bench to tell her there was a center nearby.

Go Woo, taking on his first feature film lead, revealed that he put significant effort into building his character. "I chose this character because I wanted to actually act out the lines in the scenario," he explained, noting that he spent time exploring the role, such as setting a different way of speaking to capture the characteristics of an Omega—an entity pushed to the fringes of society.

An SF art cinema blending childhood memories and pandemic experiences

'The Fin' is set in a near-future unified Korea where 'Omegas'—possessing 'fins' and flippers due to genetic mutations—coexist with humans. Set in a society devastated by natural disasters and environmental pollution, the film captures the system of managing and exploiting Omegas and the resulting conflicts through intense mise-en-scène over 83 minutes.

Director Park Se-young stated that the roots of the work lie in her childhood memories and her experience with the pandemic. The origin of the world-building traces back to a memory of winning first place in a drawing contest while living in Canada by drawing a unified Korea. "I wanted to visually express the emotions I felt while filming from the start to the end of COVID-19," Park added, noting that she focused on the process of the fins decaying and the resulting flow of emotions.

Global producer collaboration and acclaim at international film festivals

The production process featured notable global collaboration, involving producer Philippe Bober, who produced the Palme d'Or winner 'The Square' and 'Triangle of Sadness.' The film received critical recognition through its world premiere in the 'Concorso Cineasti del Presente' section at the 78th Locarno Film Festival. It has also been introduced at major domestic and international film festivals, including the Jeonju International Film Festival, Seoul Independent Film Festival, and Sitges Film Festival.

With releases in France and North America already confirmed, 'The Fin' is scheduled for its official domestic theatrical release on the 22nd. The film is produced by Seesaw Pictures, Essential Film, and Pretty Things Film, and distributed by Emu Films Co., Ltd.