Translation result
 |
| Endgame Investigation / Photo = Youth Film |
[Sports Today reporter Lim Si-ryeong] After a seven-year wait, the film finally sees the light. The retro crime drama Endgame Investigation marks the screen return of Bae Sung-woo and Yoon Kyung-ho following a drunk-driving controversy.
On March 25, a press screening for Endgame Investigation (directed by Park Cheol-hwan; produced by Youth Film) was held at CGV Yongsan I’Park Mall in Seoul. Director Park, Bae Sung-woo, Jung Ga-ram, Jo Han-chul and Yoon Kyung-ho attended the event.
Inspired by a real-life case, Endgame Investigation centers on Detective Seo Jae-hyeok (Bae Sung-woo), reassigned to a rural post and given one last chance. To identify the true killer linked to two suspects, he heads to Seoul with rookie detective Kim Jung-ho (Jung Ga-ram), launching a final, all-or-nothing investigation. The film is director Park Cheol-hwan’s feature debut; he is known for projects such as Grid and Dominant Species.
Director Park said, \”I pieced together elements from a Japanese real-life case because I wanted the film to stand apart. I felt the case itself needed to be plausible, so I paid close attention to the other details while writing.\”
The film wrapped shooting in 2019 and was poised for release, but the COVID-19 pandemic and lead actor Bae Sung-woo’s drunk-driving controversy pushed its debut indefinitely. Now, seven years later, the film is finally coming out. Park added, \”Post-production didn’t present major problems, but I did worry about the cellphone scenes. I stayed optimistic and waited, believing things would work out.\”
Bae Sung-woo and Jung Ga-ram play veteran detective Seo Jae-hyeok and influencer-turned-rookie Kim Jung-ho, forming a gruff but effective detective pairing. Esom appears as straight-shooting prosecutor Kang Mi-ju, Jo Han-chul plays elite detective Oh Min-ho, and Yoon Kyung-ho delivers a compelling turn as suspect Jo Dong-oh.
Bae said, \”Seo Jae-hyeok embodies many familiar tropes: unlucky, passed over for promotion, a veteran with biases and stubbornness about what he knows. What intrigued me was how those traits are fairly easily disrupted. Despite generational and class tensions, he’s not unreasonably stubborn. From the script stage, I was drawn to how he ultimately catches the criminal and delivers results.\”
 |
Jung Ga-ram trained in capoeira for six months. He described his character, rookie detective Kim Jung-ho, as an influencer who’s confident and learns through the cases he handles — traits that make him appealing. He also noted that he completed his military service during the seven-year delay and is glad the film can finally be seen.
Jo Han-chul said of Oh Min-ho, \”These characters aren’t one-dimensional. When I read the script, I liked that he appears cold but also has emotional depth. That layered complexity drew me and guided my performance.\”
Yoon Kyung-ho, who plays a suspect who claims to be wrongfully accused, said, \”Watching the film, I enjoyed seeing a different side of myself. The scenes we shot came back vividly. The character has a twist, and portraying something audiences haven’t seen from me felt fresh — perhaps a bit edgy this time.\”
He added, \”I didn’t take a method-acting approach or repeat the styles I’ve recently shown. When people say they were surprised, I’m grateful — it gives me a thrill. This isn’t a lighthearted role, and many moments were challenging to express. Whereas I used to try to take the lead with upbeat characters, for this role I approached it like a predator in an ecosystem — someone others instinctively avoid.\”
Bae described the film as built on a familiar concept but noted the effort to distinguish it. \”The veteran-and-rookie dynamic naturally produces gruff chemistry, and we leaned into that. Age and inexperience each bring strengths and weaknesses. Ultimately, those flaws become tools that help solve the case, and that should give audiences satisfaction. By understanding and using each other’s weaknesses, the characters come to understand one another. That frank, intergenerational harmony feels like our film’s distinguishing feature.\”
Yoon described the film as retro yet subtly off-kilter. Jo likened it to a full-course meal, saying it has a bit of everything: humor, scares, catharsis and friendship.
Endgame Investigation opens on April 2.
[Sports Today reporter Lim Si-ryeong ent@stoo.com]
「The news closest to you, the most FunFun news ⓒ Sports Today」
Most Commented