Actor Kim Min-kyu, director Shin Jae-ho. Seo Hyeong-woo

On July 14, actor Kang Seo-ha passed away after a battle with stomach cancer. He was 31. The film ‘Mangnaein: Faceless Killers’, opening on the 17th, is the last project he worked on during his lifetime, and at a press briefing held on the 9th his absence was felt all the more.

At around 3:40 p.m. on the 9th, director Shin Jae-ho and actor Kim Min-kyu attended a press briefing for ‘Mangnaein: Faceless Killers’ held at CGV Yongsan in Seoul. With the conspicuous absence of fellow lead Kang Seo-ha, the mood turned somber each time he was mentioned.

Before his passing, Kang graduated from the School of Drama at the Korea National University of Arts and built his filmography with appearances in the dramas ‘The Flower in Prison’, ‘Again, My First Love’, and ‘Nobody Knows’. Even after being diagnosed with stomach cancer, he continued treatment without letting go of acting; during the shoot for ‘Mangnaein’, he displayed his passion while receiving painkillers, but his condition worsened and he died.

Director Shin said he filled gaps left by the deceased with AI during post-production. Recalling a phone call for ADR, he said, “There is no need to tell outsiders about an illness or such things. It is a personal matter. I was told he would do it when he felt better, but later I learned he was undergoing treatment. Not long after that I heard the sad news.” He added, “There will be some awkward parts when you watch the film. That is because we filled them with an AI voice,” and continued, “I simply hoped many people would see it and remember the actor Kang Seo-ha.”

Speaking about Kang, Shin recalled, “He was an actor with great ambition. I thought he could embody the heroine in the novel well,” adding, “He acted with a seriousness and honesty uncommon among young people these days.” Actor Kim Min-kyu, who worked alongside him, also remembered, “I communicated well with Kang and we talked a lot about the characters,” and, “He was playful and full of passion.” He further shared, “He was bright, pure, and untainted.”

The film is a mystery thriller about a cold-blooded private detective and a client investigating the wrongful death of a sibling who together pursue killers on the internet. Director Shin explained his intent: “I thought the violence of notoriety, and the violence committed under the name of anonymity within networks, aligns closely with Korean society. I wanted to introduce that to audiences through the film.”

He also explained why ‘Faceless Killers’ was added to the title. “When we first prepared it, people did not quite understand ‘Mangnaein’. We needed a more intuitive title,” he said. “Since malicious comments and online posts have become major social issues, I wanted the title to include a term that points to that.” He added that a literal translation of ‘Mangnaein’ would be ‘Network People’.

In adapting the original novel for the screen, the running time was compressed to around 90 minutes. Director Shin said, “The dramatic arc of the film is the same as that of the novel,” while adding, “In the era of short-form and reels, I did not want it to feel tedious. I thought about 90 minutes would be appropriate, and I edited with the aim of a brisk pace.” He noted that transferring message-board posts, comments, and passages from the novel was the most difficult part, confessing, “I wrote all the abusive comments myself. Writing the hate comments in the film made me feel as if I had become a hater.”

Explaining why he took the role, Kim Min-kyu said, “I have always liked detective fiction, and I am from the generation that grew up watching ‘Detective Conan’. I had long wanted to play a detective.” Of Jun-kyung, the character he portrays, he said, “He seems to know everything yet maintains a watchful distance, which was appealing. It is compelling how he both lays out and withholds the path so that the client solves the problem on their own.” Director Shin said, “The protagonist in the novel talks about ten times more than in the film,” noting that although the amount of dialogue was reduced, “I wanted to stay true to the essence and carry over both the appeal of the novel and of the film.”

Regarding memorizing lines, Kim said, “No matter how long the lines are, I can memorize them all in five minutes. Once I understand the situation, they stick,” though he added, “It is difficult when similar sentences or words repeat.” Before filming, “I focused on discussing with the director those points that you know yet do not know,” he said, “and since there were many explanatory lines, we looked for beats to add fun in between and ended up going with the idea of drinking water often.”

Making his first return to the big screen after military service, Kim said, “It feels unfamiliar to stand here after so long.” He added, “I am relieved that the film we shot right before I enlisted is opening after my discharge,” calling it “a year-end-like gift.” Director Shin asked, “The original is solid and good, so I hope we do not do it a disservice. I hope you enjoy it,” and Kim said, “I hope you watch while considering the issues the film addresses and think about them together.”

Meanwhile, the film ‘Mangnaein: Faceless Killers’ opens on the 17th.