South Korean actress Park Chul-hyun, also known as the “rookie monster,” has garnered attention for her role in the drama series “Extracurricular.” She is now taking on a leading role in the new film “60 Minutes to Escape,” revealing that she was initially hesitant to accept the role. However, with encouragement from seniors like Lee Sun-joon and Ju Ji-hoon, she gained the confidence to take on the challenge.
In an interview, Park Chul-hyun shared that she felt a great deal of pressure and fear as “60 Minutes to Escape” was the only script offering her the lead role. It was the support and encouragement from her co-stars Lee Sun-joon and Ju Ji-hoon, with whom she had previously worked on the film “Silent Project,” that ultimately led her to accept the role.
Park Chul-hyun expressed gratitude towards Lee Sun-joon and Ju Ji-hoon for their encouragement, stating that their belief in her abilities and words of encouragement gave her the courage to take on the project.
Having gained recognition for her role in the Netflix series “Extracurricular” and winning the Best New Actress award in the TV category at the Baeksang Arts Awards, Park Chul-hyun has showcased her versatile acting skills in projects like “Marriage Ban, Korean Marriage Ban” and “Starting to Love You from Zero.”
In her latest film, “60 Minutes to Escape,” Park Chul-hyun described her experience as more of a challenging endeavor than a confident leap. She likened it to running towards a guillotine after a long effort and expressed both excitement and fear at facing critiques and reviews directly. Despite the intimidation, Park Chul-hyun viewed this opportunity as a valuable experience and bravely accepted the role.
In the film, Park Chul-hyun portrays a popular influencer named Yura who finds herself locked in the trunk of a car by a stranger. Throughout the movie, her character navigates various crises and undertakes challenging scenes such as car stunts, underwater sequences, and wire suspension acts.
Reportedly, filming the trunk scenes took approximately a month and a half. Park Chul-hyun revealed that she experienced breathing difficulties and dizziness during filming due to her intense immersion in the role.
Reflecting on the most challenging part of production, Park Chul-hyun admitted that the underwater scenes were particularly daunting. She recounted the fear she felt when submerged along with the vehicle, worrying that any distress signals she might send could be mistaken for acting and ignored. Despite the initial trepidation, Park Chul-hyun praised the unity and dedication of the crew, making it an unforgettable project for her.
Discussing her portrayal of the lonely influencer in the film, Park Chul-hyun revealed that the first scene they shot was Yuna beginning a live broadcast out of sheer loneliness. The pressure to accurately depict the character’s emotions led to overwhelming stress, culminating in a visit to the emergency room the day before filming commenced.
“60 Minutes to Escape” tells the story of popular influencer Yuna, who is kidnapped and locked in the trunk of a car by unidentified individuals, tasked with earning 650 million Korean won within an hour of live broadcasting to escape the speeding vehicle in the city center. The film is set to premiere in Taiwan on June 28th.