Bae Hyun-sung discussed the film Silnakwon at a cafe in Seoul’s Samcheong-dong on October 20. Bae Hyun-sung plays Ryu Sun-woo, a son who returns after 9 years, in Silnakwon. Bae Hyun-sung plays opposite Kim Hyun-joo, who portrays Sun-woo’s mother, Ryu So-young. The psychological thriller, opening October 21, begins when Sun-woo returns to So-young, who believed he had died after a camping-school bus disappeared 9 years earlier. Directed by Yeon Sang-ho, the film is Bae’s first leading screen role.

Bae said he felt warmth when he first acted with Kim. They talked more as filming progressed, and he said the energy, expressions and emotions she brought to their scenes helped him play Sun-woo. Kim previously appeared on the YouTube channel 문명특급 and expressed gratitude that Bae had taken the role of her son. Bae responded that he was grateful she had played his mother and said her remarks showed her affection for the characters and the film. Bae Hyun-sung said videos of Kim Hyun-joo’s earlier work often appeared in his YouTube recommendations during filming. He said he found her beautiful in both the older videos and the present.

Bae Hyun-sung previously worked with director Yeon Sang-ho on Season 2 of the Netflix series Hellbound. Hoping to show a different side of himself in this film, Bae said he discussed Sun-woo extensively with Yeon and tried several makeup approaches. According to Bae, Yeon wanted the character to feel unsettling and unfamiliar to viewers. Bae said he slowed his walk and other movements, including the pace at which he closed and opened his eyes. He also tried to stare at other characters long enough that they would avert their gaze.

Bae said delivering profanity felt unfamiliar because he does not often use it. He watched performances in other productions and practiced alone so the language would sound natural without disrupting the scene’s emotional flow. He also said he received Yeon’s advice while preparing a scene in which Sun-woo appears alone holding a cigarette. Bae described Silnakwon as adding another color to his acting and said he wanted to show more sides of himself in future projects.

Discussing the schedule, Bae said he had been told the low-budget film would shoot for about 14 sessions overall, with his scenes taking about 7 or 8. Because weather and other circumstances can extend a drama shoot, he thought this schedule might also grow. Instead, filming ended within the planned sessions. He said the way the set operated was otherwise much like a drama set and that he had not felt much pressure about appearing on a large cinema screen.